Why Does My Bathroom Sink Smell Like Sewer Gas

This is not only irritating but it can also be a health hazard.

Why does my bathroom sink smell like sewer gas.

The water in the drains traps evaporates and isn t replaced giving sewer gas free entrance into your home. So what is the p trap and why do you need it. If you are smelling sewer gas in your kitchen something has gone awry with the system. Like many others your sink probably has a hole at the top that allows fast drainage when the sink is full of water.

It s smart of you to address the offensive odor right away though. It occurs most often in guest bathrooms that don t receive much use. Besides the obvious unpleasant smell the methane in sewer gas can actually be flammable in large quantities and breathing it in can be hazardous to your health. Before you contemplate about calling a plumber you can always try to use cost effective measures.

Your pipes could be leaking from rust corrosion a blockage or holes along the pipes or pipe joints. A rancid odor coming from your sink drain may just be coming from debris in the p trap but if it smells like a sewer it probably means venting problems in your drain system. A sewer gas smell in your bathroom drains is more than just unpleasant. The possible reason is clogging of the pipe that leads to dry p trap.

In some cases inhaling high levels of sewer gas can lead to health problems. It s the section of piping underneath your sink that is shaped like a u. It can also be a health and safety hazard. In most cases if you smell sewer like gas in your bathroom sink there is an odor escaping through your drainage system.

Prolonged exposure to sewer gases can cause nausea. Sometimes it happens that the sewer smell in the bathroom comes from the sink. The bad news is that any number of things can cause a sewage smell in your bathroom and it can be difficult to pinpoint the source of the odor. As discussed above the issue could be brought about by a dry p trap or a clog.

Sewer odors originating from your septic tank may be due to a clogged drain that caused the pipes to dry out a faulty pump that no longer replaces old wastewater with new a blocked vent system or frost or ice buildup on the outdoor plumbing vent. Common blockages tend to be caused by tree roots grease and items that shouldn t have been flushed down the drain. When the vents are blocked flushing a toilet can create sufficient vacuum to suck water out of the trap and allow sewer gases into your home. The first reason you could be noticing a sewer gas smell in bathroom has to do with the water in your bathroom s p trap evaporating which leaves the room susceptible to odors.