Are you wondering, “Why is that awful smell coming from my drains and from my water?” No question, smelly drains can be disruptive to your household. Don’t fret.
As bothersome as those smells are, they are relatively easy to fix. That’s because there are usually only a few factors that could be behind them.
If you’ve got smelly drains or water, here are some things to look for:
“Stuff” in Your Pipes
Over time, organic matter can accumulate in your pipes- food waste, silt, sand and sludge among other things.
If enough of that matter bonds together, a musty smell will wander up through your drain.
Sometimes the main culprit is grease.
It may be enough to pour a few cups of boiling water down the pipes to get rid of the smell.
Firstly, avoid this altogether by making sure that you keep food scraps out of your pipes. To be sure that the offensive matter is removed, it is a good idea to schedule a drain cleaning.
Sewer Line Broken?
If you have a sewer line problem, there is a good chance that you’ll smell it before you see it. One major sign of sewer line damage is a pungent, musty odor.
Other flags include soggy spots on your lawn, a hike in your water bill, mold growth and damp spots and problems with low water pressure. If you checked off most of these, call for repairs right away.
You do not want to sustain flood damage if the pipe ruptures.
The P-Trap isn’t Working
Your plumbing is fitted with a trap that uses water and gravity to block sewer smells from entering your home.
It grabs on to drain water and creates a cushion between the drain and the pipes leading to the sewer.
If that trap runs dry, then that barrier is effectively removed.
If the seal is broken around the trap, that might explain why the trap is dry.
Another cause is a lack of use, in which case running the water should refill the P-trap.
Water Heater is Making Water Smell
If you’ve linked the odor to the water itself, there is most likely an unwanted chemical reaction going on in your water heater.
The anode rod (which is in place to keep your water heater from rusting) is reacting with sulfur inside the heat. The volume of gas increases, which is why the smell resembles rotten eggs.
