Top 3 Reasons for Stinky Drains and Smelly Water in Your Home

It’s easy to forget about how important plumbing can be to a home since most of it is invisible to us. But when something goes wrong, that’s when we realize just how vital working plumbing is to our everyday life. And when that happens, you want a fix as quickly as possible.

With something like bad smells coming from your plumbing, you may believe this is going to be a complicated problem, but in fact, that’s not always true. We’re going to look at some of the causes for odors in your plumbing, and you might be surprised at how easy some of them are to fix.

Fixing a Stinky Drain

This is especially simple if the smell is coming from just one drain. It probably means that your p-trap, which is a series of bends in the pipe under that particular sink, no longer has any water in it.

You might think that’s a good thing, but those bends are designed to hold water that acts as a protective layer.

Without that vapor barrier, the gas in a sewer line that naturally floats through the air and in pipes has nothing preventing it from entering your home.

All you have to do is fill the drain with more water to restore your barrier. Always try this method first before resorting to more elaborate and expensive solutions.

Smelly Water

When the smell is coming from the water, no matter which faucet, bathtub or shower you use, don’t immediately think the problem is with your water supply. Your issue may be in your water heater tank instead.

Bacteria need a “just right” temperature of not too hot and not too cold in order to infest an area. If this has happened in your water heater tank, then all you have to do is turn the heat up.

Bacteria, especially the type that may pose a health risk, is not especially hardy. By increasing the temperature of your water heater tank to between 135-140°F, you can kill most dangerous bacteria.

Odors from the Sewage Line

When it comes to your actual sewage line, there are many different ways that smells can start acting up.

Good ventilation is required to keep smells out, so there may be something on the outside, like leaves or other debris, and all you need to do is clear the blockage.

For problems within the sewage line, now may be the time to get a professional.

Inspect as much of your plumbing as you can, and if you don’t see any problems, the true source may lie in an area you can’t reach.

Only an expert with the right tools and know-how can address these more complex problems.