Why Your Drains Smell Terrible

08/10/2015

Have you ever walked into a room that smelled like an open sewer, only to discover that the smell seemed to be coming from your drain? If so, you have a problem. There are a number of different causes for drain smells. Some of them can be easily fixed, but others cannot. Let’s take a look at some of those different causes, and when you need to call for professional help.

Possible Causes of Drain Smells

In order to understand where drain smells come from, you first have to understand a little more about the way your sewer system is constructed. When waste water flows down your drain, it first flows through the water trap in the drain pipe. The water trap is a U-bend in the pipe, which is always filled with water. This is to prevent things like sewer gases from escaping the system and flowing up through your drain. There is also a pipe that runs up through your house and vents on your roof. This pipe is to release sewer gases that flow up through the system.

So, the two major causes of drain smells are malfunctions with one of these two systems. If you don’t use the drain often enough, the water in the water trap will evaporate. This will allow sewer gases to escape your drain. It is also possible that the sewer vent is somehow blocked, either by a bird’s nest, debris, or some other issue. This forces sewer gas back down into the home, causing a buildup and eventually leading to bad smells coming out of your drains. The way to fix these issues is to have your drains cleaned, and your sewer vent cleaned as well if necessary.

If your drains smell bad, call Rooter Man. Our professional plumbers serve the entire Albany, NY area.