Three Big Reasons for Stinky Drains and Smelly Water

Did you know that sometimes a bad smell coming from your drains is just because there is something blocking your pipes? If you’ve got food debris gathering, it can start to deteriorate, which smells bad. You can freshen your drains by sprinkling baking soda and vinegar.

It’s also a good idea to get your drains cleaned on a regular basis to prevent blockage from bigger matter, like tree roots and animal nests. This causes smelly sewer gas to linger in your home.

If that’s not what is behind the odor, here are three big reasons that could be behind the problem.

1-Start With the Sewer Line

If you have damage to the sewer line that is carrying wastewater away from your home, that problem could most definitely be causing a foul smell to linger. This odor has a musty element to it. One way to check is to see if the odor is coming from all of your drains, rather than just one. If it is, chances are it is the sewer line.

Other signs of a sewer line problem include an increase in water bills, damp spots on walls in your home and low water pressure. This isn’t a problem that you want to leave to chance. Call for help today.

2-The P-Trap Problem

The P-Trap is the part under your sink that is curved and attached to the pipe.

It has an important job: to keep smelly sewer odors from entering your home.

It accomplishes this by using a cushion of water in the trap, which serves as a plug between the sewer gas and your household drains.

When that trap is dry, the smell will flow freely.

Check to see if the seal is leaking. It can also dry out if the sink or fixture hasn’t been used in a while. Run the water and see if that helps.

3-Water Heater and Smelly Water

If it’s the water rather than the drains that is smelly, there is a good chance that it’s the water heater that is causing your problem.

This is due to the anode rod inside your hot water tank. While this rod has an important job to do (it prevents your tank from rusting), sometimes the chemistry is out of balance (it’s made of magnesium) and can over-produce sulfuric gases.

That’s what gives your water that yucky rotten egg smell. Get the anode rod replaced and you should be good to go.