If something starts to smell a bit off in your bathroom, it’s easy to get concerned and to be unsure how to solve the problem. The Best Plumbing experts are here to help! There are three main reasons why you could have a sewer smell in your bathroom or home:
1. Sewer Backed Up in Your Drain
It is possible that sewer could be backed up in your shower drain. To check that this is not the case, use a flashlight and shine it down into the drain of your shower. You can also run the water to make sure that everything is draining as it should be.
2. Your P Trap is Dried Up
In the bottom of your shower there is a drain that has a small indented area to hold water. This is called a P Trap, and they are also installed in sinks and toilets. The P Trap holds water at all times, allowing water to continually pass through, while stopping sewer gasses from coming up and entering your bathroom. If you don’t use the shower or a floor drain often, the P Trap can dry out and allow methane gas from the sewer to enter your bathroom. Add water back into the P Trap in order to stop this unwanted airflow.
3. Loose Pipes or Undone Cleanout Caps
If pipes have become loosened or a cleanout cap has come undone in your bathroom or basement, this can create an area where sewer gas comes into your home. When this happens, the smell can be especially tricky to locate. Inspect all of your pipes and cleanouts to ensure that nothing has come loose.
If you are having trouble locating the source of a sewer smell, give us a call at Best Plumbing.
For more sewer and plumbing tips, check out our blog and Youtube channel.
