Home Aerators to Remove Sulfur
- Sulfur can make its way into home water systems in several different ways. Sulfur can be present in ground water or from environmental pollution; sulfur compounds can also be produced by sulfur bacteria in water wells or from many other source. Hydrogen sulfide gas produces a characteristic rotten egg odor, and the odor is very strong even at low concentrations. Therefore a rotten egg odor in water is typically the clearest indication of high sulfur levels in water.
- One commonly recommended solution for sulfur levels in water is an aeration system. Aerator systems use air to neutralize sulfur in water. When oxygen reacts with hydrogen sulfide gas, it converts the sulfur to harmless sulfates and yellow sulfur particles that are filtered out of the water. Some aerator systems inject compressed air into the water and remove the air from the water while others spray water into a non-pressurized tank and re-pressurize the tank.
- It is important to keep your nose open when using water in your home for any more rotten egg smells that could indicate the aerator is not effectively removing sulfur from your water. Sulfur levels can also be monitored using a store-bought water quality tester, It is normal to smell a rotten egg odor around the aerator system, however; this merely indicates that the system is working.
- If you only notice a sulfur smell when running your hot water, the problem may not be sulfur contamination and an aerator will be of little use to you. If your water heater has a magnesium anode rod, a chemical reaction can be producing sulfur in the water. Rather than using an aerator, simply replace the anode rod in your water heater with a non-magnesium type.