The idea of sewer odors drifting through your home is an unpleasant scenario. Unfortunately, it something that you may have to deal with at some point, and it indicates trouble with the drainpipes or possibly even the sewer line that runs from your house to the center of the street. There are different reasons that your drains may start emitting terrible smells, and most of them will require calling plumbing professionals to fix. Below, we’ll look at 4 of the more common reasons for bad-smelling drains.
- Dried p-trap: The p-trap is the curved pipe segment underneath most sinks. The point of this curve is to trap water, which prevents sewer gas from flowing back up the pipe. But if the sink isn’t used often, the water will evaporate, and the sewer gas will have an easy way into your home. This is the easiest of the problems to fix, since all you have to do is run water down the drain for about a minute to restore the water barrier.
- Blocked drain vents: Your drainage system has vents to allow sewer gas to escape through pipes that lead to the roof. This keeps pressure from building up in the pipes. But if those vents become blocked, the pressure will force the sewer gas up through the p-traps and into your home. Professional plumbers will need to look into the vents and find what repairs need to be done.
- Rotten organic material: This is an issue with kitchen sinks. If too much organic material builds ups along the drainpipe walls, it can start to decay and give off a foul stench. Plumbers can use special drain cleaning tools to fix this.
- Damaged sewer line: This is the most serious problem, since it can lead to sewage backing up into your home. If you notice bad smells from drains all over the house, plus numerous clogs, don’t wait to call for help! You’ll need our expertise to repair or replace the sewer line.
Need drain cleaning? Or drain repair? Then call on My Drain Company Inc. We serve Los Angeles, CA and the San Fernando Valley area.
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