long time problem of church kitchen plumbing

[rbig]

We have had a problem with plumbing at sink in our church kitchen for a long time. It seems we sometimes have sulphur smell to our water. Our water is normally very sweet. Our kitchen is is all up to code. We can cook in it.

It's taken a bit of time, but we know now that the hot water side is where the sulfur smell is coming from.

We changed the heating element in our electric heater twice, but we still have the suflur smell. No other outlets in our bathrooms or cold water in kitchen have this smell.

Is is time to change our hot water heater? We don't show any signs of an outward leak or anything. Can anyone think of something we can do, short of changing the water heater, that might be effective in removing the sulfur smell?

[jadnashua]

It may be in the cold, but heating tends to release smells easier. Don't know if this may help, but sometimes changing the anode in the WH can help. I'd check with the local plumbing supply house and ask them what the pros use in your area then change it if it's a common problem.

How hot do you run the WH? Have you tried cranking it up for say overnight? That would tend to kill anything that may be biological.

[Smooky]

There is a site called waterheaterrescue that has a lot of information on this topic and may be helpful.

[rbig]

Many thanks for all your thoughts.

I hope you've saved us from doing a changeout of the water heater.

I'm going through everything and will come up with a list of stuff we need to do to get it cleaned up.

I sent an email to our Pastor and have told him we may see some light on this after all....