I purchased a new construction home w/new hot water heater and the hot water (from all faucets in the house) smells like turpentine or petroleum. (At first I thought some of the painters had cleaned their paints brushes in a sink without cleaning up. I cleaned all sinks so this was not the problem.).

Filling up a tub or sink with hot water resulted in a milky (not oily) sheen in the surface of the water. When the hot water was drained it left behind an almost waxy residue.

The cold water is fine out of all taps; clear, no taste, no smell, no sheen.

This would seem to rule out pipes and external water source as the basis of the problem. This leads me to believe the source is the new gas water heater.

I have run the taps and drained the hot water heater several times. The problem is less severe but still there.

Any suggestions would be welcome.

I think that somethiung was left in the boiler at the time of manufactor. If this house is stillunder warranty I would complain to bthe builder and demand the heater be replaced ubder warranty. Or do you wish o tackel this problem by yourself. Let me know, Tom

A plumber examined the problem and we determined it was the sealant used on the joints of the copper pipes. (He placed drop of melted sealant in the water which recreated the same color, sheen, and smell.)

After installation the entire system should have been flushed by the contractor to remove the excess sealant. The plumber said it was common for contractors to skip this step because it usually takes several hours.

Contacted the builder and they will pay to have a plumber come flush the system.

By "sealant" do you mean the flux they use when they solder a connection? Regards, Tom