Sulphur Smell, Corroded Copper Replaced, Sulphur Smell Again

16 years ago

First time posting in this Forum. Periodically (maybe every 6 months or so) we get sulphur smell in the master bathroom. Not just when the water is running -- it seems to fill the air during the day or night and we've never pinned down where exactly it's coming from. The sulphur smell is only in the master bathroom area and more faint in the guest bath which has a shared wall with the master bath. We are on well water with an Angel water conditioning system. House was built in '69 with copper pipes.

We recently demo'd the master bath for a re-do and the sulphur smell was there as soon as the shower walls were knocked down. The copper pipes behind the shower were corroded -- there was build-up of white & lime green powder and under the powder there were holes in the pipes. The crew replaced all the copper pipes in this area with PVC. Sulpher smell went away for a few weeks.

Today it is back! The remodeling is not done yet but the walls have been put back up and the sulpher smell is strong in there today. Other than testing the lines, no water has been run in that bathroom for 4 weeks because it's been gutted.

What do you suggest we look at to pin down the cause, the source??

When the master bath pipes were replaced, I know the guys said one pipe we were looking at that was corroded was an "air pipe." I honestly did not pay attention to which ones were cold and hot water pipes but there was corrosion on most of the pipes. The other thing I can think of now is, the master bath is on the second floor so should we look at these same pipes where they run below that bath, behind the living room wall?

Featured Answer

mhlurker

16 years ago

It sounds like a vent problem to me; that would be the "air pipe". It could be a drain allowing sewer gas or a contaminated faucet, but probably not. If it were in the water, you'd have it all the time.

Comments (8)

User
16 years ago
Could be a number of things. I'd start with a comprehensive test of the water.

If you're on a city water system then you can get details of the water from them BUT it won't be as accurate as testing the water at your house.

I'd pay particular attention to hardness, iron, and PH.
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andy_c
16 years ago
Before making any recommendations, let's get a little more info from you.

What are your other water test results including hardness, iron and pH? Does the sulfur smell come more from the hot or cold water lines? Is the master bath over (nearest) the pressure tank?

Have you drained or taken a sample of water from the boiler cock at the base of the water heater. Draw a little water there and tell us the condition: color, odor,etc.

What type of water treatment quipment do you have?

Andy Christensen, CWS-II
queral58
9 years ago
I have the same problem, and what's more, I seem to be the only one that can smell it! It's really bad in the morning and seems to emanate from the bathroom. What's more, it seems to have permeated my nose and throat and lungs so that everything has that smell. If I exhale into my hands and smell the breath is smells like it more strongly. I tried the plumbers, they found nothing, they couldn't detect the smell, I asked neighbors to smell my bathroom, and they don't smell it. I'm at a dead end and don't know what to do.
Cecilia Varga
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Your Angel Water System is not the proper system to remove/treat the sulfur in the water ... An aeration tank would do some of the job with the smell ... But still does not solve the problem of the rest of the pipes continuing to corrode ...

Personally, I am looking now at reverse osmosis treatment ... Aquasana seems to have a good technology ... And sometimes their products are on sale ...
User
7 years ago
1. First and foremost, the original post with the Angel system is nine years old.
2. Angel is a brand that has a variety of types of treatment available - you don't have enough information to say it's not correct.
3. Whole house reverse osmosis is not a good option for waters with high sulfur dioxide or other sulfur compounds - it would be prohibitively expensive, waste tons of water, cause extensive corrosion in any metal pipes, and the membranes would be damaged quickly.
Jim Degnan
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
My problem is in hot press ...it's an acrid smell very strong ...one section of copper pipe cold feed about 6 inches long between2 joints completely thick green ...no leaks ..
Deb T
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Interesting this thread got pulled up again! I don't think we ever solved the sulphur source. It eventually went away.

However, we have had other problems over the past 13 years with copper pipes. Bit by bit, after various flooding and bad smells, sections of walls have been removed to reveal copper pipes so full of holes they look like lace. And green copper verdigris that can be dumped out like green beach sand.

The latest problem: leaking under the master bath that was renovated in the original post. Our living room ceiling got wet & water ran between a living room wall and into the basement. We'll now tear out the living room ceiling & walls. But I couldn't remember if we had replaced some copper pipes during the bathroom renovation. Thankfully, the answer is above!

Damn copper pipes.

Next time I buy a house, if we ever do again, I'm paying more attention to what's behind the walls than the cosmetic stuff we see that can always be changed.