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Sulfur in water

MIKE6
MIKE6 Member Posts: 102
Was told by a pump co.my sulfur odor in the well water can be repaired with an anode change.But what I see it reduces corrosion.Also can anyone recommend a filter system to get rid of sulfur in water?

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,165
    It's actually hydrogen sulphide. Smells lovely. Most iron and manganese removal ion exchange type filters will get rid of it.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    Intplm.Driven11
  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,273
    Hello, Is the odor in both hot and cold waters or just in the hot? That info will inform just how to fix it.
    Yours, Larry
    rick in Alaska
  • MIKE6
    MIKE6 Member Posts: 102
    Slight odor cold side, stronger on hot side.Waiting for water test results.
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,561
    When testing for sulphur, the test needs to be done quickly after sample is taken.
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • MIKE6
    MIKE6 Member Posts: 102
    After a long delay the well pump company finally came. I have excessive iron in the well.I can change water softener pellets to those that remove iron and change anode rod .Or have a New well installed.New well 12,000 bucks. I’ll try pellets and anode rod first.
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,588
    MIKE6 said:

    After a long delay the well pump company finally came. I have excessive iron in the well.I can change water softener pellets to those that remove iron and change anode rod .Or have a New well installed.New well 12,000 bucks. I’ll try pellets and anode rod first.

    I mean,
    Wouldn't the new well get the same water as the old one? :p
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
    STEVEusaPA
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,165
    ChrisJ said:

    MIKE6 said:

    After a long delay the well pump company finally came. I have excessive iron in the well.I can change water softener pellets to those that remove iron and change anode rod .Or have a New well installed.New well 12,000 bucks. I’ll try pellets and anode rod first.

    I mean,
    Wouldn't the new well get the same water as the old one? :p
    Yup. Unless your local geology is really strange... get the proper water treatment.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,165
    No harm to trying it. Though if the water is inherently high in iron or suphur, the problem will come back...
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • hcpatel78
    hcpatel78 Member Posts: 151
    I have well water Northern NJ. Similar problem. Smelly water. So I socked the well first. Then install a new softener with a big iron filter. Within a week the problem solved, Bought the water treatment appliances from www.apluswater.com
    Thank you,
    Hiren Patel
  • Robert_25
    Robert_25 Member Posts: 527
    MIKE6 said:

    Was told by a pump co.my sulfur odor in the well water can be repaired with an anode change.But what I see it reduces corrosion.Also can anyone recommend a filter system to get rid of sulfur in water?

    We have a few PPM of sulfur in our water. A water softener reduced the smell, but did not eliminate it. A local water treatment guy installed a system that uses air and birm media to oxidize the sulfur. Cost was about the same as a water softener, and totally eliminated the smell from our water.
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,022
    here is what I use at my house for that condition. When it backwashes, the water comes out blood red.

    https://www.hellenbrand.com/product/commercial/filtration-systems/iron-curtain
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • woodrow
    woodrow Member Posts: 40
    If you chlorinate the well you should bypass the water softner or you can destroy the resin in the softner i would run water outside it may it may oxidize the iron and make a mess depending on the type of iron also high amounts of chorline is not good on pex for extended time also iron bacteria will give you a suphur smell sometimes drilling a new well is not a good solution
  • Zman
    Zman Member Posts: 7,561
    It all depends on how much sulfur. With low levels, the above solutions will work. If the levels are high, you need to inject chlorine or hydrogen peroxide and then filter with RO.
    As with any troubleshooting, first, run tests to evaluate the problem then work on the solution.
    "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough"
    Albert Einstein
  • DCMA1
    DCMA1 Member Posts: 17
    "But what I see it reduces corrosion."
    The anode material also has a chemical reaction with the hydrogen sulfide.

    Many years ago we were on well water and had a sulfur smell problem. It's in all the water obviously but only really noticed it on hot, which made bathing unpleasant. After spending a fortune on water treatment devices, chlorinator/dechlorinator/carbon filter, chemicals, etc., someone finally mentioned the anode material in the water heater, maybe the heating element, too. Changed it. Problem gone. Trashed all the other expensive equipment.

    Change the anode first.
  • DCMA1
    DCMA1 Member Posts: 17
    Maybe wasn't clear -don't change the anode for the same type, you swap materials.
  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,273
    Hi, I've found that if the sulfur odor is coming from the water heater, than replacing the sacrificial anode with a powered anode nearly always fixes the problem. This somehow prevents hydrogen gas from being generated inside of the tank and the sulfate reducing bacteria, that causes the odor don't appreciate it. :p

    Yours, Larry
    Zman