cold water stinks in bathroom sink only??

[Marbleye'd]

After about a day of not useing the bathroom sink the cold water reaks like a sulfur. After running about a cup or two it's gone. What's causing it to be in just that side of that faucet and not anywhere else in the house?? It's got me confused.

[schmoe147]

Sounds to me like you still have the anode rod in your water heater. Take that out and it should help a ton.

[Dave S]

normally when water has the sulfur smell it's the hot water from the water heater like schmoe mentioned.

Never heard of cold water being this way.

[Marbleye'd]

I took the anode rod out when we moved in on labor day weekend. You were right about the hot water that smell would gag you right out of the shower. But after taking it out...gone. Except one cold water in the bathroom only. Could there be some thing in the faucet from the previous hot water dillema that made the water that way after sitting a while?

[Dave S]

there could be some build up in the faucet causing the odor and it gets flushed out when you run the water.

Another thing to check is your trap. It could be something in there causing the odor and the initial pouring of water in the drain is causing the gas to come up into the sink.

[Marbleye'd]

No I can smell it in the glass...definately the water. YUCK!

Thanks guys for the help. I guess i'll replace the faucet then. We bought the house and moved right in and the renters moved out the day before we got there. I'm not sure how long they were here but they had to have bathing in that stinky water and cooking ect. I know I would have had the landlord fixing it.

[croixflats]

Another thought; is the bathroom close to the water heater. Some times an old water heater will backflush warm water back into the cold water supply then the nearest fixture will get the residual from the hot water heater.

[Marbleye'd]

No it's about 20' from WH. and the other bathroom is about 5' from that one. (master bath)

[croixflats]

Ok, how about is the fixture closest to the cold water tank.

I kind of know what your going through our kitchen faucet gets some peculiar smells where the other faucets don't I hypothesize because our kitchen is closest to the cold water holding tank.

[Marbleye'd]

Yes the kitchen sink is the closest to the WH but I have three kids and I dont think that has time for any build up or what ever. With the dishwasher right next to it too.

[fastkaw]

I will assume you have a well.

If that is true, You should bleach the well and the water heater.

Thats what I was told to do by my well guy when I had the same problem.

DISCLAIMER: i am in no way an expert, at anyting. anything i say is my own opinion and/or observation, and should never be regarded as fact, unless otherwise stated.

[Surface Tension]

I think I'd be disinfecting the well too.

Run that solution though every line, faucet, shower head, toilet, hotwater tank in the house till you smell the bleach. You can find instructions on the net if you don't know how. If you have a septic tank you won't want to drain that bleach water in there not to mention the volume of water needed to flush the bleach out. Attach a hose off your hot water heater and drain everything outside.

A least if that smells shows back up you'll know what it isn't.

Other then that how is the bladder in your pressure tank. Possible its shot and you have air picking up the smell and its making its way tot hat one faucet.

[BobT]

Disinfecting the well may help for a short time but it will be back.

One way to get rid of hydrogen-sulfide gas odor is to dissipate the gas out of the water supply. Mine was so bad, you'd about toss your cookies taking a shower or entering the laundry room while washing clothes. Here's what I did to get rid of the odor and it was immediate and long lasting.

I installed a bladderless pressure tank in my water supply. From the supply line coming into my basement I went to the tank and then to the house supply. The air trapped in the tank allows the gas to dissipate out of the water. You'll notice results immediately and your water treatment system will work more effectively too.

On the top of my tank I installed a valve and about once a year I open that valve to force all the air out of the tank. Then I turn off the water pump and drain the tank with the valve open. This refreshes the tank with new air. I then close the valve and turn the pump back on and I'm good to go for another year.

Note: I recommend installing a sediment filter in the line after the tank because when you replenish the tank air, you'll stir up rust and other sediment inside the tank and the filter can trap that for you. The tanks are steel and will rust over time. I also bypass my water softner and flush the water for a while when I do this until the water clears up more or less.

If you're connected to a city water system you've probably noticed there are times when the water gets muddy occasionally. This happens when they flush their systems too.

Bob

[Marbleye'd]

Nope were on city water. thanks though that is excellent advice for a well.

[Marbleye'd]

But still one sink, cold water line, in the whole house only????

And there has been plenty of gallons of water ran through it since the anode removed. I'm still confused.

[DTro]

Sure sounds like a trap issue to me. Perhaps something is lodged in there.

**edit** oops sorry I missed the part about the water being smelly. Must not be the trap then.

[Surface Tension]

Bob, my suggestion wasn't to do with hydrogen-sulfide gas odor, rather bacterial. Since this isn't a well then disinfecting one wouldn't apply here.

Marbleye'd, If the drain plug is removed then the vortex from running water directly into will let gas by. Or if it gurgles, a bad, improper , or no vent, but you say you smell it in the water.

By any chance do you have galvanized pipe?

[Marbleye'd]

copper all the way up to the valve then hose to faucet. I now just checked the other bathroom sink since the kids were at school and it too had a little odor to it. That sink is about 5' away from the other.

[Dave S]

How's you water pressure in the 2 sinks? How old of a house?

I have a co-worker who had to replace the water pipes in his house due to build up. I wonder if you don't have the same problem. After it sits a while, the water might become stagnant.

[Marbleye'd]

Water presure is good. I'm not really sure how old the house is. The guy we bought it from fixed it up and then rented until we bought it. I say fixed it up....kinda like putting a band-aid on a broken leg. The things you find out after you live in a place for a while is amazing to say the least. We even had it inspected (had to for the loan) that could be a whole other topic in itself.

[croixflats]

Bare with me this is only theory.

Being the 2 faucets are the closest to the water supply I came up with this; The water is somewhat stagnant and you get the direct hit from the tank being close. Now with the other faucets being further away the water has time to be agitated and oxygen added to it therefore eliminating or lessoning bacteria.

As I mentioned I to have problems with water smell from our sink and it happens to be 10 ft from the holding tank. I should mention I have a well.

Call the water works departmentand ask them what they may think

[Marbleye'd]

Croixflats, that's the best theory yet! That makes sence to me anyway. Thanks

[croixflats]

Thanks

I am not sure with city water if you have a holding tank but maybe replacing it may help being it may be old and holding old bacteria. Also it maybe undersized I know ares was when it replaced when we got a new well back then. Took me untill months ago to figure that out.

AAAAh thats what I will try.

Troubleshooting is what its about.

Hopefully this works.

We have to thank FM and all for input if this works.

But if it does not we know where to find you. ya know I'm joshing

The only thing I can think of to remidy it is filters before the sinks and that gets spendy for the well water I have but maybe not so much for city.

[Marbleye'd]

Yes your right I thank all the FM'ers for all the help and advise. In all the forums. There is truely alot of intelligence and know how on here and I'm thankful to be part of it.