Help! My House Smells Like Sewage!

You walk into the house and it hits you - sewer smells. Eeeuw. In this post we look at why our homes sometimes smell like drains, and what can be done to restore a more homely smell.

Reasons for smelly drains:

1. No traps or vents. Every drain fixture should be equipped with a vent pipe or trap to help stop any smells from entering your home. If you are missing some vents or traps, speak to Anta Plumbing about installing them, because sewer gasses are unhealthy.

2. Broken toilet seals can allow sewer water to dry out or siphon the taps and allow the smells to seep into the home. The wax ring may also be damaged, allowing air to leak. The toilet must be tightly sealed to the floor without rocking from side to side, as that might indicate a failed wax ring. Again, Anta Plumbing can help you fix this problem.

3. Dry trap problems are common in drains that are not regularly used. P traps should contain water, which creates a barrier that prevents odors from seeping into the home. However, if a drain is not used regularly, the water will evaporate. This is easily fixed by pouring water into the drain.

4. Sometimes, debris collects inside the inner chamber of the drain, causing an odor to escape. When this happens, the smell will be most noticeable around the sink, and flushing bleach down the overflow (small hole inside the bowl near the rim), the problem should be alleviated.

5. Small leaks in the vent lines of your plumbing system or around the toilet or shower base could also result in bad smells. You should call a plumber who can quickly find holes and corrosion in vent piping, as well as loose fittings.

6. Older cast iron piping often leads to smells seeping through the cracks in pipes. If you suspect that as a cause, the entire pipe will have to be inspected. Professional plumbers offer video sewer inspections that can help find problems without having to dig up any pipes or creating trenches. Consider replacing broken pipes with PVC drain pipes.

7. Clogged vents frequently cause sewer odors inside homes. Call Anta Plumbing to disconnect the vent pipes and clean them all the way to the roof. We make use of hydro jetting to scrub clean the insides of your pipes, leaving them as good as new.

If you suspect any of the issues above, you can inspect your plumbing to ensure the water seals are correct and go on the root to check the vent stacks for clogs. Sometimes dead rodents become lodged inside the pipes. Installing new bowl-wax rings can help prevent sewer smells from seeping into the house.

If there are sewer leaks in the pipes under your foundation, you can call Anta Plumbing to do a video sewer inspection and professional leak detection. Smoke tests can also help us to quickly find leaks. Either way, when we find the problem, you can rely on us to repair it in no time.