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doxiesmom · Mar 10, 2012, 03:20 PM

We had to install and new pump and so also installed new pipe from the pump to the well and from the pump to the water/air tank and now the water smells and sometimes tastes like oil. Most of the time I don't taste the oil, but if I happen to burp right after taking a drink, the taste is just like the water smells. We have a shallow well that is 30 years old and this is the first time we've replaced the pump. We also are still getting air in the lines when running water. Any suggestions for fixing this will be appreciated.

speedball1 · Mar 11, 2012, 03:24 PM

If the system isn't too old it sounds like you haven/t flushed out the oil left during manufacture. How long has the system been in ? Back to you, Tom

mygirlsdad77 · Mar 11, 2012, 03:38 PM

And dear lord, why would you use galvanized pipe in this day and age?

doxiesmom · Mar 11, 2012, 05:38 PM

It has only been about 2 weeks. How would we go about flushing that out. We've been using our washer and also dishwasher since then, but still have the odor and taste.

speedball1 · Mar 12, 2012, 07:04 AM

First of all let's find out where "stinky" lives.
Is the smell worse with hot or cold or just the same on both? Does one faucet smell worse then the other? Let me know, Tom

doxiesmom · Mar 12, 2012, 01:20 PM

It smells the same with both hot and cold water and with both the kitchen and bathroom faucets, as well as the shower and washing machine. I don't notice it in the dishwasher since it is closed when filling.

mygirlsdad77 · Mar 12, 2012, 03:43 PM

Sorry about mentioning that galvanized pipe is pretty much exstinct. And hey, thanks for the reddie. Good luck on your smell, and may it last for years and years to come.

speedball1 · Mar 12, 2012, 04:47 PM

What does your installer say about it? In two weeks the lines should be flushed out by now. My guess is that it's the pump, Do you have a tap near the pump where you can make a draw and test? Let me know what you find. I'd also like the brand name and model of the pump. Regards, Tom

jlisenbe · Mar 13, 2012, 05:42 AM

Sounds like a shallow well pump with one line going into the well. Is that the case? If so, then I think I'd pull the cover off the impeller cage and check to see if there is some source of oily residue, like maybe a defective bearing, that could be putting oil in the water. After two weeks, that is really strange.

Is the well large enough that you could lower a container into it to pull a sample of water up? If so, then do that just to be sure you haven't developed some contamination in the well. Unlikely, but I would also have said the pump would be an unlikely source.

doxiesmom · Mar 13, 2012, 10:42 AM

We installed it ourselves. The pump is a Wayne 1/2 horse shallow well pump.

There is one line going into the well. The well is not large enough to lower a container into to get a sample and the water was fine just before we installed the new pump, as we were able to get the old on running long enough to fill some containers first. I will have my husband check the impeller cage and see if there is something there and will let you all know.

To MYGIRLSDAD 77: The old pipes were galvanized and we just replaced them with the same, which is not to say it is right, but just went with what was there.

jlisenbe · Mar 13, 2012, 12:02 PM

Also assuming that everything from the pump up to the house is still the original plumbing, and if that is so, then you would certainly suspect only the new stuff which seems to be the pump and wellpipe.

If the impeller cage seems OK, I think I would run a line from the pump to some area where I could just let the pump run for a couple of hours and hopefully get the material pumped out. That would also let you take a sample from the pump and see if the water has the oily smell/taste to it right from the pump.

I'd also call the pump manufacturer and ask them about it. Who knows? Maybe they have an answer for it.

mygirlsdad77 · Mar 13, 2012, 03:27 PM

Hey, no hard feelings here. I probably shouldn't have said anything. Galvanized will work just fine, its just that usually when replacing old pipe, there are easier and cheaper materials that will also last longer. However, that being said, your new galvanized will most likey outlive all of us anyway, so you should be good to go. I was thinking oil in the pipe from manufacturing, as Tom said, or even oil from when you cut and threaded the new pipe, but you would sure think that would have gone away by now. Do you have a house filter or softener? If so, the oil from the pipe may have gotten caught in one of them and is slowly making its way through, in which case it might take a real good long flushing to get it taken care of. If you have a filter, change it, and if you have a softener, put it on bypass for a day or two and see if the smell/taste clears up. Good luck.

Oh, one more thing. As to Toms question about if the smell is stronger in the hot or cold or certain fuacets over other. Please answer. If the smell is only in the hot water, you may have to flush your water heater to get any oil buildup out. Tom has a great description on how to do this properly. Hope he pops back and lets you know. Not a bad idea to flush the hot water tank every so often anyway, so it surely can't hurt.

doxiesmom · Mar 15, 2012, 09:05 AM

Just to let you all know, we finally discovered where the smell was coming from. My husband and son took all the pipe apart yesterday and cleaned it all up and lo and behold, there was on straight piece of pipe that had an oily smell to it. They took it back to the place we bought it and got a new length and reinstalled all of it and everything it back to normal. I guess we should have done that in the first place. Hopefully we will never have to replace it again in our life time. Thanks for all your suggestions and willingness to help.
Judy

mygirlsdad77 · Mar 15, 2012, 04:40 PM

That's great. Glad you got it cured. And thanks for the update, we always appreciate that.

busterwolff · Nov 17, 2012, 03:16 PM

What if the pipe is now in the wall behind new tiles and u can't get to it. I have the same issue as u and not sure what to do.

speedball1 · Nov 17, 2012, 03:44 PM

Hi busterwolff and welcome to The Plumbing Page at AskMeHelpDesk.com.
You sure don't give a guy anything to work with here. If you have a complaint please tell us about it in detail.

[what if the pipe is now in the wall behind new tiles and u can't get to it.

What pipe? Drainage or pressure? Why do you think the pipe's at fault if you can't see or get to it? More details please. Regards, Tom

busterwolff · Nov 17, 2012, 11:16 PM

Sorry let me be more clear. We just finished a full bathroom renovation. I have no idea what kind of pipes he used but the water from the sink and tub outgas a smell of oil. And its only in that br.

After reading this thread I assumed it was a pipe thing. And if it is how do you get to them without ruining tiles and tub etc?

But the main issue is the smell, and I do not know why it smells like that. My contractor had no answer. Truth be told he is a lower end contractor and speaks minimal English. I don't think I am going to get an answer from him. If I had some ideas as to what could cause the smell I could maybe ask him those specifics.

speedball1 · Nov 18, 2012, 07:41 AM

Wow! You have a remodeled bath that you can't tell me what material the pipes are and a plumber/ contractor that you can't understand. Now there's a combination for you.
I REALLY need to know what the water pipes are. You have stubout coming out of the wall the angle stops connect to. What material are they. Back in the days when water piped in galvanized some of the cutting oil we used when cutting threads got into the system and gave the water a oily taste. We advised them to run the water to flush out the oil. How long has this smell been going on? Back to you, Tom