Hot Water Heater Smells Like Garlic?

Question

I've read online that a gas leak from a hot water heater can smell kind of like garlic. And my bathroom (where the hot water heater is) has been smelling like garlic, even when thoroughly cleaned. But the gas in my stove and heater smells like some variant of sewage, not garlic. Why would the gas from the hot water heater smell different? Is this really gas we're smelling?

Answer 1

First of all it's a water heater not a hot water heater. You don't heat hot water, lol. If it was a gas leak you would get a smell of sulfur not garlic. What your smelling is the workings of the water heater. The problem is that it is filled with a lot of calcium at the bottom of the tank. You need to flush the tank. Shut off the gas and supply water to the heater. Get a hose and connect it to the drain valve at bottom. Run hose outside or to a floor drain. Open the drain valve to start flushing. You will have to open either the pop off valve on the side of tank or open several faucets in the house so you will get positive pressure to flush out the water in tank. Once it's drained then open up the supply water to heater, this will stir up the calcium and flush it out. Do this three or four times or until no more calcium comes out of hose. Once clear shut the drain valve, fill the water heater, then turn on gas and light the heater. Hope this helps

Answer 2

Try turning off the gas to the water heater. I have never thought it smelled like garlic. I get hungry when I smell garlic or onion and I do not get hungry when I smell gas. One thing to ask you is do you use natural gas or propane?

That may be the case that propane smells like that. I can't honestly say I remember as I don't use it much.

If you think you have a leak you really need to pin it down PDQ. You can ask a plumber to check. If you call the gas company keep in mind that if they find a leak they will shut you off and will not shut it back on until you can prove it is repaired. You may be able to rent a gas sniffer I have never tried . They are a little price for the good ones. I have only seen them used never used one.

If somebody says all you need is a lighter forget them.



Just remembered one trick.

You can go to a toy store or in the toy section at stores and use the liquid bubble stuff you blow bubbles with. You spray it on the joints and valves and look for bubbles if you get bubbles then you found a leak. Here is a product specifically made for that. http://www.amazon.com/Mid-Temp-Detector-trigger-sprayer-bottle/dp/B00009W5I0/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1331257398&sr=1-2

Answer 3

Inspectors properly replace the nice and cozy water heater the botton likely has rust from its age and sitting in case you had water on the floor besides someone can bypass on yet impressive to change the heater...