Is it a Sewer Odor?

Although, there are other possible reasons for strange (and often fowl) odors in a home, besides plumbing related smells, it can be very difficult to tell by yourself.  There are, however, some fundamental steps you can take to narrow it down a little first.

Obviously the first step is to “smell around”.  Try to figure out where the smell is the strongest.  Go into closets, into the kitchen and bathrooms, smell the drains, even smell the vents outside your home (if your house is on a crawlspace, you will have little, screened vents every few feet).  Don’t forget that you get used to smells after just a short time, so make sure you “refresh” your senses every once in a while.  Going out in fresh air helps, as does smelling coffee.

If what you smell is “dank” or “moldy”, the chances are that it is “water damage” related.  If it has the smell of rotten eggs, it is fuel gas related.  Most people know what natural gas smells like.  Just about everyone knows what sewage smells like.  If you smell any of these, it is time to call a plumber… especially if you think it is gas related!

The most difficult distinction is that between sewage and a dead animal.  The odors can be very similar.  Still, calling a plumber can be really helpful just in case.  If it turns out to be a dead animal, he can still (hopefully) find it, dispose of it, and disinfect the area.

What Can Cause Sewer Odors?

Knowing the possible causes of a sewer odor, can not only help you figure out if that is what you have, but it can help you to come up with a possible remedy.  Maybe it is something you can fix yourself.  If not, at least having an idea what the plumber may need to do will help keep you from being surprised when he tells you (it is always good to be prepared).

The simplest cause/solution is from sludge, or debris in the drain itself.  This happens a lot in garbage disposers, as well as lavatory sink drain, and even tubs and showers.  This is usually just a matter of thoroughly running the disposer (if it kitchen sink related) and running some hot water and vinegar down the drain.  Lemon juice can be helpful as well. Commercial grade degreasers work well too, but your plumber will likely need to do this.

Another problem can be that you have a p-trap in your home that is not holding water, like it should.  This is usually a vent problem – either a vent is clogged, or not properly installed (as can happen with “handyman” additions).  This means you will definitely need a plumber to either unclog a clogged vent, or properly install one.  You can find more information on traps and vents at our P-traps article, as well as on our Drainage Waste System article.

A third possibility is a breakage.  While sometimes a vent might break in a wall somewhere, a far more common scenario is a drain pipe breaking (or a hole in a sewer pipe), and leaking sewage somewhere.  Often this is under your home, where you have no idea, until it gets to a point where it’s flooded with sewage under your home, and the odor gets strong enough for you to smell it.  This is pretty much a worst case scenario, as far as sewer odors goes.  Unfortunately, it is also very common.

These are just a few of the things that can cause sewer odors.  In most cases, with these problems, and others, some detective work is needed to detect them, and locate the cause.  If you need an expert odor detective, Allstar Plumbing is your Sherlock Holmes.  Give us a call today, and we will find that ever elusive odor!