Top 3 Causes of a Smelly Drain and Smelly Water

Do you find yourself holding your nose every time you enter your basement because of smelly drains? It could be that something has damaged your sewer line and wastewater isn’t flowing properly away from your home. The technicians at Compton Plumbing Services offer solutions such as drain cleaning, sewer line repair, 24 hour plumbing repair, and gas line repair.

There are many reasons for a smelly drain or smelly water that can be attributed to plumbing issues in your home. Here are the top three reasons for this common problem.

1. Check P-Trap Under Sinks

The P-trap is easy to find because it is shaped like a “P”. It’s the curved piece attached to the piping that runs under your sinks.

Its function is to provide a water wall between your home and sewer gases coming up your pipes.

In certain circumstances, the trap dries out. This means there is nothing to prevent the bad-smelling gases from entering your home through your drains. The result is a very smelly drain.

If the seal is broken, get it fixed to make sure that water stays where it should. Make a habit of running the water in your kitchen and bathroom sinks regularly to keep the trap from drying out.

2. Clear Clogged Drains

If pipes are clogged, the lack of airflow and ventilation could be causing the smelly drain.

Smelly sewer gases need a path to escape and if they can’t get out, they usually end up back in your home.

Things like food scraps, bird and rodent nests, plant matter or tree roots can cause this.

To avoid this problem (and especially if it is a recurring problem) call a plumber and schedule drain cleaning or hydrojetting.

3. Water Heater Causing Smelly Water

If it’s smelly water rather than the drain, your water heater may be to blame. There is an anode rod inside the tank that keeps it from rusting out.

Unfortunately, if this rod runs into high levels of bacteria, a chemical reaction is unleashed that creates large volumes of sulfuric gas, which smells like rotten eggs. That’s often the case with smelly hot water.

It’s not uncommon for bacteria to grow in your water tank because it is a warm and moist environment. To fix this, replace your old anode rod with a sturdier aluminum model.