We live in the country and have our own well.
We are having problems with our water. After returning home from weeks or months of travel, the softened water (cold or hot) smells terrible*. Even the water in the reverse osmosis system smells. Hard water from outside spigots does not smell. The two of us don't use a lot of water at home (mainly dishwasher and laundry). We take showers at the gym daily. The well checks out okay by the well company and our water tests as safe per the county.
(*It smells so bad when the softener runs, we have to open windows.)
My questions: Are there any steps we can take before we travel to help avoid smelly water when we return? Or are there any steps we can take after we return to help the situation?
Our setup: Well, two water pressure tanks, whole house water filter (water goes through it before hitting the water softener), dual tank water softener, water heater, reverse osmosis system for one kitchen sink spigot (drinking water).
When we were away for 2.5 months this past winter, we drained the water from the pipes (in case we lost power and had no heat), and we turned off power to the well and hot water heater before we left. The water was terrible when we returned. Replacing the whole house filter helped a little.
Our water softener (a dual tank Kinetico system) is probably 20 years old. (It softens the water, but does nothing for the smell.) Our water heater is about 10 years old. Not sure if replacing either of these will address the problem.
We shocked the well last fall, and like I said, the hard water from the outside spigots does not smell.
