When everything in your household plumbing is working just right, your home will remain free of any unpleasant smells. But if something goes wrong, you could have a mysterious stink invading your kitchen, bathroom, garage or basement. When that disagreeable event occurs, you need to know where to look to find the offending problem. Check out the list below of places to look and how to address each problem.
Possible Causes of Offensive Plumbing Odors
When there’s a sour or stinky smell in your home and you’ve already emptied your garbage and there are no other obvious causes, start working your way through this list to find another source.
1. Sewer gas leaks: These smell just as bad as you would think they smell. Decomposing waste in the sewer system will emit hydrogen sulfide which is the gas that escapes from sewage. There are three possible ways sewer gas can escape into your home:
- Dry P-trap: This is the curved pipe under sinks, tubs and floor drains. If one of these drains is not used frequently, the water that should remain in the trap to block gasses will dry out. Gasses will creep from the sewer into the house. Pour water in any drains that haven’t been used in a while. Especially check garages, basements and unused bathrooms.
- Damaged wax ring around the base of the toilet: If this seal is not in good shape, sewer gas can leak into your home. Have a plumber replace it.
- Damaged vent pipe: Plumbing vent pipes release sewer gas outside the home. These pipes run vertically from near a bathroom or the kitchen and are sealed inside the wall. If one is cracked or damaged, gases can seep into the home. A plumber can use smoke to detect cracks so they can be fixed. Vent pipes can also get blocked on the outside by leaves or animal nests which will have to be cleared to eliminate the smell.
2. Clogged drains: Food, grease, hair and other debris can get trapped in a drain and provide a good environment in which bacteria can grow. As these bacteria thrive, they create a foul, rotten smell. To clear this gunk, first pour baking soda into the drain and follow it with an equal measure of vinegar. Cover or plug it and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then open it and flush it well with hot water.
3. Musty sink overflow drain: There’s a small hole in some of your sinks that allows overflowing water to escape. Soap scum plus bacteria and mold equals a musty odor. Clean this hole with a bottle brush dipped in hot water and vinegar or bleach. Flush with boiling water afterward.
4. Hidden mold or mildew: Any wet area can develop mold or mildew. Check under sinks and look for places you may have had leaks in your walls. Check visible pipes anywhere in the house for leaks. Fix any leaks right away. Then you can clean any area that was developing mold or mildew with a bleach or vinegar solution to keep mold and mildew from returning.
5. Stinky garbage disposal: Just because you run your garbage disposal every day doesn’t mean that all the debris, grease and starch gets cleared out. This residue gives bacteria a place to grow. Run ice cubes along with rock salt through the disposal to scrub the blades. Follow with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to clear away odors then run cold water down the drain.
6. Smelly hot water: This can result when the anode rod inside your water heater needs replacement. An anode rod is made of metal that corrodes more easily than the inside of the water tank. Therefore, it attracts any corrosive substances like oxygen, hard water minerals or salts and spares your tank from corrosion. If there is any bacteria in the water when this rod corrodes, hydrogen sulfide can be released and that smells like a sewer! To solve it, flush and disinfect the water heater and replace the anode rod if it’s showing significant signs of corrosion.
When to Call a Professional to Address Smells in Your Home
As you can see, some of these smells can easily be handled by you with home remedies. But some of these problems take some skill to find the source. If you try these solutions and still sense the odor, that’s when it’s time to call us. We have teams ready around the clock to handle smells, leaks or any plumbing emergency. Call Rocketman Plumbing at 505-243-1227 today for help with stinky smells from your plumbing!