Causes of Sewer Odors in the Home

There are very few odors more horrific in the home than the smell of sewage. It may not be a crisis, but from where they sit, it’s certainly an epic plumbing failure. We don’t blame them! Odors from a sewer system contain methane gas, which can cause headaches and other conditions.

Several conditions can cause sewer odors, and the homeowner can remedy some without a professional plumber. Here are some of the causes of sewer odors and solutions to fix them.

The dry trap

A dry trap is just what it implies. Each shower, tub, and sink in the home has a P-trap. The P-trap is the P-shaped loop you can see underneath the sink if you look beneath the drain fixture. That curved pipe is filled with water, which keeps the sewer gases out. If the drain isn’t used for a while, the water in the trap evaporates, permitting the gases from the sewer to seep into the home. By running water down the drain, the P-trap will fill, recreating the seal that keeps sewer odors out once more.

Drain clogs

When a drain is clogged, it can cause an odor as a result. The homeowner might quickly remedy a simple clog. If it’s complicated or further down the line than a homeowner is capable of reaching, call a professional plumber! We can come out and get it running again, thereby eliminating the smell. We will explain more about how in our next blog.

A broken drain pipe

Sewer smells can come from the broken drainpipe, such as those caused by newly formed roots invading the pipe if the crack is small. The roots will later clog the line. Regardless of the reason, a broken drain pipe should always be fixed right away, so it doesn’t have a chance to get worse.

The vent pipe

A vent pipe is where the buildup of gases from behind the p-trap can escape, usually through the roof of your home. But if the vent pipe itself becomes clogged, the gases may divert back into the house. Typical causes of a vent pipe clog are leaves, bird nests, rodents, balls, and things of that nature. Another thing that may happen with a clogged vent pipe is that the water won’t want to drain, which will create an odd gurgling sound if it doesn’t stop up completely.

Sometimes, a vent pipe will be too short, which may also cause odors, but that hardly ever happens. Homes are built much better than they ever were before.

An old or broken wax ring

Wax ring problems The wax ring on the toilet can sometimes get old and shrink, which will allow gases to escape in the bathroom. Once in a while, one will break, or the flange will break, which may also cause a problem beyond the leak. A wax ring can be tricky because a toilet can be heavy and hard to place correctly. Call a plumber for that one.

If your home has a sewer odor and you can’t figure out the reason or banish it yourself, give us a call, and I’ll come out and take care of it. Sewer odors are never fun.

911 Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing can service all commercial and residential HVAC and plumbing needs. Call 602-795-2900 today!