There's a weird smell coming from my water heater?

Question

The smell is so bad I've tried everything to get rid of the stinch from aersol air freshners to Glade Candles. I have 10 candles on around the house, and it still smells.

Answer 1

you may have a gas leak... oh by the way that could be very dangerous if your leaking large sums of gas. if the smell isn't that strong it might be that your pilot light went out, in which case you may need a new thermo-couple. they are about two bucks but you'll wind up paying a guy like me about fifty just to install it. If your water heater is not gas then there may be some sort of animal that died trying to find some place warm to hang out.

Answer 2

If this is a gas water heater, DO NOT spray anything around it! The smell is added in gas so a leak can be detected, percaptain (odorant) stinks! Call your gas company! If there is a valve turn it off. The leaking of gas can build up inside a house or room and be ignited and cause an explosion and or fire.

Answer 3

If it's a gas smell or your heater is a gas heater, have it looked at right away.

if it's an electric heater and your water comes out smelling "off", good chance you need to replace what is called the anode rod inside the heater.  This is a metal rod that corrodes slowly protecting the inside liner of the heater.  I think that once the rod is pretty much all corroded, then, you may get a smell (that's what a plumber told me).  

either way, I recommend calling in a plumber.

Answer 4

Check out this site below regarding rotten egg smell produced by water heaters.