If a bad odour is coming from your drains, trust me, you’re not alone. This is a common issue. But, what causes it?
It could be just bacteria or it could be something more dangerous like a sewer gas leak. When a foul smell is coming from your drain, you should do some sleuth work to find the cause.
If you’re asking yourself: “Why do my drains smell so bad?” this list of possible causes may be helpful.
1. BACTERIA BUILD UP
The odour could be caused by something as basic as bacteria or gunk buildup. Take into account the things that go down your drains, like food, hair, and dirt. If those things get stuck in your pipes, it can produce a bad smell. Smells go hand in hand with blockages, so it’s probably a sign that it’s time to have your pipes cleaned.
This will hopefully eliminate the smell and any blockages. In some cases, it’s best to hire a professional drain cleaning service to ensure your drains are cleared correctly.
2. DRY P-TRAP
If your drain has not been in use lately, you might need to just run the water for a bit and then refill the P-trap to fix the smell. A drain pipe a goose-necked section to stop sewer gas from wafting into your home. If the sink isn’t used, the water in the trap will evaporate. This empty drain causes a smell in your home.
To prevent P-traps from drying out, run a little water in each of your faucets once a month.
3. CLOGGED OR MISSING VENT PIPES
Most people don’t know that the drains pipes are connected to a network of vent pipes, which bring fresh air in and allow wastewater gas and odour to leak out. Together with the drains, this is called the DWV (drain-waste-vent) system. Normally, these vertical vent pipes go out through the roof, preferably some distance away from windows and vents.
4. STINK FROM THE SUMP
If there’s a bad smell coming from your basement sump pump, check your main sewer drain line to make sure it’s not running into your sump pump. Some homeowners will have water from the washing machine run into the sump pump, which can build up over time and cause a bad smell.
5. GREASE
If fat or grease gets stuck in your kitchen sink drain, it can cause a rotten egg or mold smell when it congeals. You should never pour grease down the drain. Pour two teaspoons of baking soda down drain, then vinegar, followed by boiling water. This will dissolve the gunk, and the hot water will wash it away.
6. DRAIN TRAP
Plumbing experts recommend installing a proper drain trap to prevent sewer smells from coming into your home. If it’s not done, there’s nothing to block the smell from coming into your home. The drain trap would need to be installed by a professional.
7. WATER CONTAMINATION
Water issues such as sulfates can be the cause of a bad smell. If sulfate-reducing bacteria gets into the hot water heater, it can produce a rotten egg smell.
If you think the cause of the smell is the water itself, you should contact a professional plumber to examine your water pipes and the quality of your water.
Those are seven possible reasons for the bad smell coming from your drains. If the problem persist, you should contact a professional drain cleaning service.
