A homeowner who noticed a strong "unlit gas" smell whenever hot water was running turned to Reddit for advice.
They uncovered a serious problem with their water heater venting.
Here's what to know
In the Reddit thread, posted to the r/askaplumber forum, the original poster described the odor as "not like rotten eggs at all but more like if you turn on a gas stove and it doesn't light right away, like that starchy kinda smell."
They said the issue had gotten worse, adding, "Over the last week or so it is overpowering and fills the house," asking: "Is this an explosion risk? Local plumbers cost $300 just to look at it."
Users focused on safety. "Get out of your house right now and call the gas company," one wrote, while another warned: "Better safe than exploded. Call someone to look at it."
The seriousness of the problem became clear in an update that the OP added. They said: "Called the plumber. The exhaust pipe had separated and the fumes were spilling into the house."
The OP also explained that the old home's water heater had been resting on decayed wood slats that were giving way, which caused the unit to tilt and pull away from the vent. They said they were steered toward replacing the unit with a tankless system for $6,000 and had to take out a loan while managing other repairs around the house.
Still, gas or fumes from a water heater call for immediate safety steps. If there is a smell of gas near an appliance, leave the area, contact your gas company, and have a licensed professional inspect the appliance and venting system.
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Where can I learn more?
These stories cover dangerous water heater smells and carbon monoxide risks at home.
• A tenant's botched water heater fix sparked outrage over dangerous, unlicensed work.
• A homeowner killed the power after a chemical smell and burnt-plastic odor spread.
• A tenant said their landlord fixed a gas leak without addressing possible exposure.
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