Do you detect an unpleasant smell coming from your drains? A foul odor is the most common sign that something is going wrong. Once you see it, there’s only one thing you should do—look for the source and get rid of it.
Foul-smelling drains can come from bacteria, clogging, or even a sewer gas leak. Now that you’re thinking about it, here are the top reasons that your drains might smell terrible and what you can do to handle them.
Stench in the Basement Sump Pump
If you notice the scent coming from your basement sump pump, the reason might be because you are directing wastewater to the sump pump instead of letting it flow into the main sewer drain line. When it collects into the sump pump, it can cause a bad smell.
What you can do is reduce the number of pipes that drain into the sump pump. You can also stop the bad smell from happening with repairs. Besides that, you could look into having a proper-fitting cap over the top to keep bad smells from wafting into your home.
Blocked or Lost Vent Pipes
Drain pipes are also connected to vent pipes, which bring fresh air into the pipe network and allow waste gas and water to escape. The drain-waste-vent (DMV) system has vertical lines that enable the air to run through the roof instead of the windows and vents.
In the case where clogs can develop in the main stack, there can be issues, including smelly drains. You need to install vent pipes to get rid of the stench, so talk to a professional plumber to get some help.
Unmaintained Garbage Disposal
If you cannot manage your garbage correctly and accumulate tons of rotting food scraps in the disposal, your kitchen will indeed stink. You will notice it by smelling something moldy or rotten, so make sure you clean the garbage out of the disposal.
How do you handle this problem? First, you can pour down cold water through the disposal and run it for about thirty seconds. If you can, you should place ice cubes into the disposal and add on some lime or lemon slices. The citrusy smell can cover the bad rotting smell.
Grease Stuck Down the Kitchen Drain
When you get grease or fat stuck down your kitchen drain, you will notice it with a rotten egg or mold smell. The problem with oil is that it can get caught quickly, solidifying when it gets cold.
If you make the mistake of pushing grease down the drain, you should pour in two teaspoons of baking soda and some vinegar and chase them all down with a pot of boiling water. The baking soda and vinegar will eat away at the collection of fat and grease, while dousing them with boiling water will wash them all down.
Final Thoughts
Water issues can mess up your home life, especially when foul smells waft through your bathroom or kitchen to the rest of your household. Wherever you might have noticed the smell coming from, it can help if you call a plumbing company right away to address your problem.
For plumbing services in Columbiana, AL, Professor Plumb can help you. We have twenty years of experience, so you can expect high-quality services from licensed, insured, and bonded professionals. Contact us today for your plumbing installation and repair needs!