How much bleach to sanitize well

[steppinthrax]

Just curious how much bleach should be used. My water is starting to give off a smell (sour smell). I'm pretty sure it's iron related bacteria. I remember my parents poured in two gallons of bleach (but I think that's a little much). Also do you pour the bleach all along the inside of the pipe etc?

Thanks

 

[calvcopf]

http://www.skillingsandsons.com/how-to-chlorinate-your-well/

 

[steppinthrax]

Yeah I saw that earlier, they were saying 1 gal for every 500' feet. Weird thing is My well is 240' deep. So I use less. I'm not even sure if the bleach will get down to the bottom.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

Use a gallon.

Open well cap, pour in.

Turn on your water faucets in your house and let it run until you no longer smell bleach.

 

[David]

I recently had this problem, but mainly with the hot water. Some research turned up 2 things:

1) Some people claimed that the anode rods in the hot water tank reacted to cause the sulfur smell. My type of tank had no easy way to change the rod, so I did nothing here.

2) I also suspected bacteria; I keep my tank at 110-deg because that is the perfect temp for me coming out of the spigot. Anyway, several articles claimed that the temp had to be a min of 122-deg F to prevent dangerous bacteria. I know that the food danger zone is 40-140, but keeping the hot water at 140 (125+) is a serious scalding danger.

Anyway, I set it to about 122-123 and within a week or so the smell is pretty much gone from the hot water.

P.S. If you go the bleach route, get the pure unscented kind. Also, don't forget that most of the bleach is sold concentrated these days, so 1 gallon of 10 years ago probably comes in a much smaller container these days.

 

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

I recently had this problem, but mainly with the hot water. Some research turned up 2 things:

1) Some people claimed that the anode rods in the hot water tank reacted to cause the sulfur smell. My type of tank had no easy way to change the rod, so I did nothing here.

2) I also suspected bacteria; I keep my tank at 110-deg because that is the perfect temp for me coming out of the spigot. Anyway, several articles claimed that the temp had to be a min of 122-deg F to prevent dangerous bacteria. I know that the food danger zone is 40-140, but keeping the hot water at 140 (125+) is a serious scalding danger.

Anyway, I set it to about 122-123 and within a week or so the smell is pretty much gone from the hot water.

P.S. If you go the bleach route, get the pure unscented kind. Also, don't forget that most of the bleach is sold concentrated these days, so 1 gallon of 10 years ago probably comes in a much smaller container these days.

So, you have an electric water heater and no access to the anode rods? Strange.
The problem we have; we cannot access the well from the outside to pour anything into the well (60's era construction), so we have to use an in-line filter between the supply line in the house and the cold water tank; and we still have to occasionally change the anode rods in the water heater, if removing and soaking them in CLR doesn't work.

 

[steppinthrax]

I recently had this problem, but mainly with the hot water. Some research turned up 2 things:

1) Some people claimed that the anode rods in the hot water tank reacted to cause the sulfur smell. My type of tank had no easy way to change the rod, so I did nothing here.

2) I also suspected bacteria; I keep my tank at 110-deg because that is the perfect temp for me coming out of the spigot. Anyway, several articles claimed that the temp had to be a min of 122-deg F to prevent dangerous bacteria. I know that the food danger zone is 40-140, but keeping the hot water at 140 (125+) is a serious scalding danger.

Anyway, I set it to about 122-123 and within a week or so the smell is pretty much gone from the hot water.

P.S. If you go the bleach route, get the pure unscented kind. Also, don't forget that most of the bleach is sold concentrated these days, so 1 gallon of 10 years ago probably comes in a much smaller container these days.

Hmmmmmmmmmm....

Interesting thought. I know that I only smelled the smell when I was running the hot water. I first through something was in the hot water heater. Then I switched to cold water and I still did smell it (just slightly), so my thinking was that the reason why I was smelling it more in hot was because the water was HOT. Kind of like how hot #### would give off more of a smell then cold #### ..

But now you are mentioning the hot water heater temp. Didn't think about this, I know I have the water heater on it's lowest setting (electric tank).

You also mentioned the anode rod... Nope, haven't even thought about checking mine yet. It's probably all gone!

Yes, I'm going to use Clorox, no Great Value, also no scented or splash free bleach.

 

[steppinthrax]

Use a gallon.

Open well cap, pour in.

Turn on your water faucets in your house and let it run until you no longer smell bleach.

When my parents were in Middletown, we would let it sit for at least 24. Would want to do that. Run all the pipes and let the chlorinated water sit for 24 hours in the pipes.

 

[Bonehead]

Yeah the paperwork I used (county extension publication) said wait a minimum of 24 hours after adding the bleach and use a simple chlorine test kit to verify no chlorine left after flushing. I had to run all outdoor spigots, indoor spigots and don't forget the washing machine and utility sink. I flushed for hours to get it chlorine free. Best of luck.