# Gas water heater paint thinner odor



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

One of two things and both can kill you.
A gas leak or incomplete combustion.
I'd shut the gas off now and get it serviced ASAP.
Ten years is getting close to the expected life of a water heater, may want to think about just replacing it.


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## MD2288 (Oct 17, 2012)

Thanks. I shut it off and and ended up finding that it was a small leak dripping down on the fire. I am concluding that the smell was likely due to chemicals in the water or the inside of the tank.
Thanks again


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## techpappy (Jul 8, 2012)

joecaption was right ..gas smell from incomplete combustion where the water dripped onto the burners. Good call JOE:thumbup:

To others; anytime weird smell like rotteneggs/paint etc., from gas fired devices....LEAVE HOUSE WITRHOUT USING LIGHT SWTCHES AND CALL GAS COMPANY OR FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM OUTSIDE PHONE...COULD BE A LOT MORE GAS THAN YOU THINK WHICH COULD CAUSE MAJOR EXPLOSION..Once upon a time in Toronto a gas service tech responding to a smell of gas call at a residence actually used the door bell.. the house blew to smitherines. Also another tech servicing a very large gas regulator in an attached doghouse to a mammoth propane tank caused a spark from the zipper on his snowmobile suit. Blew him out of the doghouse and the only part of the suit left were the zippers. He survived! Luckily


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