I was told that the anode rod in the water heater (ours is electric) may need replacing. There is a sulphur-like smeel coming from the water heater storage area.

Does the water smell bad? Is the odor only in the storage room?

Are you on municipal (city) water? Pending the age of the water heater (gas or electric) this anode issue could be true if the water (hot) smells) What else is in your storage room? A dead rodent (mouse), old mops, clothes, wet newspaper material, high humidity can create unpleasant odors also. Hope it helps!

Both posters are correct and we are getting down to the point. A bad anode may make the hot water smell but that water is inside you tank, you won't smell it in the room. Go to the other end of the house with two pans/buckets. Fill one bucket up with hot and one with cold, if the anode is bad only the hot will smell.