THE SKILLINGS BLOG

What's worse than rotten egg smell when you reach for a glass of water?

When your water has a bad odor or taste, it can be hard to ignore, especially when that smell is as noxious as that rotten egg smell.
This unpleasant smell is caused by the presence of hydrogen sulfide (H2s) in your water. It is not harmful to your health, but hydrogen sulfide can make your water corrosive, which means it can damage a home’s metal plumbing elements, like copper, iron or steel pipes. It can tarnish silverware, copper and brass utensils, as well as leave yellow or black stains on your kitchen and bathroom fixtures.

Warmer spring weather is melting all that snow, but with melting snow also comes soggy soil and wet basements. Wet basements are common during spring rain storms and are little more than a minor nuisance for many thanks to their sump pump.

Unlike a municipal water service, homeowners with water wells have the responsibility of testing and treating their water supply.  If you are purchasing a new home, testing the water well provides you information on the quality of the groundwater and informs you of expenses related to treatment and filtration that may be needed to keep your family safe. It's important to note that just because water tastes and smells normal it may not be safe. Contaminants such as arsenic are tasteless and odorless and remain undetected unless tested for. Water changes as it moves through the ground, picking up a variety of minerals and possible contaminants, turning to its composition over time.  Annual testing and maintenance is the only guarantee of safety.

Whether it’s caused by spring rains or a leaky valve, a flooded basement can mean thousands of dollars in damage to a home and a major headache for the homeowner. Although there are many low-cost steps homeowners can take on their own to prevent basement flooding, getting a professional assessment of your home’s flood protection systems is the only way to actually protect your basement.