Why does only the hot water smell like sulfur after moving in?
Sulfur smells and dark stains appearing exclusively from the hot water after a house has been sitting empty can make appliances like clothes washers smell intensely when agitating. This issue often stems from an older water heater with an unknown maintenance history that has been left sitting unused.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Running all hot taps for about 10 minutes until they run cold to completely flush the system
- 2Flushing and cleaning the water heater and replacing the anode rod
- 3Cleaned appliances inside with affresh and vinegar
- 4Installed new hoses and supply valves on the washer
- 5Left the lid open on the clothes washer and dishwasher when not in use
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I just moved into a home and the water has been off for two months. It was recently turned on yesterday, and I noticed a sulfur type smell just coming from the hot water as well as a dark stain that comes with the water as well.”source ↗
“I have never owned a house before and I am not savvy with fixing things. Has anyone else experienced this before and what did you do to fix it?”source ↗
“Purchased home this year built in ‘99.”source ↗
“AO Smith Water heater 6-7 years old, unknown flush/drain history.”source ↗
“Clothes washer and dishwasher are first two appliances in line. Cleaned both of these appliances inside with affresh, then with vinegar. New hoses and supply valves on washer, washer fully drained outside. When running clothes washer on cold, no smell.”source ↗
“Kitchen sink next to dishwasher, hot water smells ok. Bathroom faucets all smell ok.”source ↗
“I’m on well water and my water smells a bit, when I run the washer you can really smell it because it agitates the water, fills the room up with the smell of the water.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 3Why is my tap water suddenly rusty and full of sediment?
- 3How to get rid of rotten egg smell in well water
- 2Why does my washing machine smell musty even with the door open?
- 3Why does my water heater closet smell bad?
- 27Water heater going hot and cold with weird refill noises
- 2How to get rid of a lingering musty smell after water damage