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Do You Have Drains and Water with a Foul Odor? Top 3 Reasons Why

Every problem has a solution, but that solution can only be properly implemented once you understand the cause of the problem. This is especially true when it comes to issues with your plumbing, like a bad smell.

One of the biggest risks with ignoring a bad smell in your plumbing is that you’re ignoring the health of residents as well. A bad smell is clear warning sign that there’s some kind contagion or contamination in your home, and your body is trying to warn you of the danger.

If you’re wondering why you may have a bad smell coming from your plumbing, here are three common reasons.

You Have No Vapor Barrier

It’s normal for sewage gas to drift throughout both the sewage network outside your home and even up through the line into the pipes of your home itself.

Sewage gas is, after all, just like any other gas, such as the oxygen you breathe and will go wherever it likes.p-trap

In a normal home, you don’t smell it coming up from your drain at all, and that’s because you usually have protection in place.

That protection is your p-trap, which is the bend in the pipes under a sink, and it is supposed to contain water.

When water is present, it prevents gases from coming in. If you smell something, you just need to pour in water to restore that barrier.

Your Water Tank Is Infested

When a bad smell is coming from every water source in the home, but only when water is running, then clearly, your water is the source of the smell. The cause of the smell, however, may not be with the water supply being pumped into your home.

If you only notice the smell when the hot water is turned on, then your home is causing it.

What’s probably happening, in this case, is that your water heater tank has its temperature set too low. At lower temperatures, a water heater tank is dark, moist and provides a secure, comfortable breeding ground for bacteria, and it is the bacteria that causes the smell as well as poses a health risk.

Turning up the temperature to approximately 135-140°F is usually enough to kill them.

Your Sewage Line Is Compromised

Problems caused by a fault somewhere in the sewage are much trickier to address.

blocked-drainThe sheer size of a sewage line means that more problems can crop up at more locations, making identifying and addressing a problem more complicated.

You could have a simple issue of a blocked vent, in which case, taking a few seconds to clear out leaves or other debris will fix the problem.

If the smell is being caused by a partial blockage deeper in the line, then DIY solutions are no longer up to the task.

You’ll need a professional who understands plumbing intimately and has the right equipment to solve a problem of this scale.

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