Modern Plumbing Industries, Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Sewer Smell’

Are Sewer Smells a Reason to Call for Pumbing Repair?

Thursday, April 3rd, 2014

This isn’t something you want to occur in your house: the lingering smell of a sewer drifting through the air, like an odor coming back up a drain (which, in all likelihood, is exactly what it is). People who encounter this problem will wonder how serious the issue is, and if it means they should contact a trained plumber to repair the problem.

Most of the time, the infiltration of sewage smells into your home does require bringing in a plumber. There’s one significant exception, which we’ll also look at, but the majority of the time sewer smell seepage can mean tough problems that need experienced workers to solve.

Serving central Florida since 1975, Modern Plumbing Industries, Inc. (MPI) can take care of your troubles with your plumbing in Apopka, FL fast and right. You can reach us 24-hours a day when you require emergency service.

Some Reasons For Sewer Smells

We’ll start with the simple one: dried-out p-traps. The p-trap is the U-shaped curve in a drainpipe beneath the sink, which traps a water barrier that prevents sewage gas from coming back up the drains. For sinks that see little use, the p-trap can turn dry, and then nothing will stop the smell from getting out of the drain. Run water for a minute down the drain that’s causing the problem and see if that fixes it.

More serious reasons for sewer odors that will require a plumber include blocked vents and damage to the sewer line.

The first issue occurs when the backflow vents on the plumbing become clogged, usually at the roof where the exhaust from the drainpipe exits. When this happens, because of debris, animal nests, or something else, it forces the sewer gas back down the pipe and then bubbles up through the water plug into the p-trap. (With no other exits, enough pressure exists to force the sewage gas through the water.) If you hear a gurgling noise from your drains along with the smell, vents may be the problem. Do not go to the roof to try to fix this; call for professionals.

Sewer line breaks and blocks are urgent business. If the sewer line pipe that removes all the wastewater from a home to the sewer main in the center of the street becomes blocked because the pipe broke or tree roots grew into it, it will back up sewage into drains and possibly the basement. The sewer line is buried underground, so the work of repairing it requires a team of specialists. Call right away for help if you suspect a sewer line break.

Call Modern Plumbing Industries, Inc. (MPI) for whatever work you need on your plumbing in Apoka, FL to stop that  sewer odor.

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