SylvanLMP
In reply to message posted by plumber:
A friend installed a new gas water heater for me. Water was dripping from the drain valve after he installed the new water heater. A local store recommended that he install an expansion tank. He picked up the wrong expansion tank. It was for a boiler. Unfortunately, when he hooked up the wrong expansion tank, my water turned brown (a rusty color) and smelled unusual but not a sulfur smell. Maybe a rubber or chemical smell. I can’t describe the smell. It also sounded like my pipes were going to explode when the boiler expansion tank was connected to my water heater. My friend removed the wrong expansion tank when I complained that the water was brown and had a strange smell. He installed the proper expansion tank. This corrected the dripping, however I still have an unusual smell to my water even after my friend flushed the tank numerous times. I feel like whatever was pushed into my water by this boiler expansion tank is still causing a smell. This smell seems to be seriously affecting my allergies so I now have to purchase bottled water. I have contacted numerous people that I know in the plumbing and/or heating business and nobody seems to know why my water would still smell. It is my understanding that the incorrect boiler expansion tank was some type phosphate or phosphorous tank. The color of the boiler expansion tank was brown. I have city water. I know nothing about water heaters/expansion tanks so I hope this makes sense. Any ideas or suggestions?
Frustrated!
No problem I understand completly exactly what is going on here. 
