Professional Plumbing Services | CBJ Plumbers

Call for a FREE Estimate!

06 - stinky plumbing

What Causes Your Plumbing to Stink

There are times when your plumbing is horrible. We don’t mean to imply that your pipes are dripping or that your toilet isn’t flushing properly. We are being literal. The smell coming from your plumbing might occasionally be downright revolting. At times, the stench itself might be downright revolting. There are a variety of causes for odorous plumbing, some of which are more obvious than others. No matter where the smell is coming from, no one should have to live in a house with offensive plumbing smells.

We attempt to demystify (and diffuse) unpleasant plumbing scents by outlining the four most common origins of them, as well as providing tips on how to avoid and prevent them. If you follow these suggestions, your bathroom will remain a sanctuary rather than a… stank-estuary.

sewage pipe that has ruptured 

There are several things that could hurt your sewer line. Up until the pressure causes it to burst, the line may become clogged. Tree roots could sever the connection. The line itself may split and sink into the ground as a result of the soil’s properties. A sewer line that is broken is dripping sewage. Poor sewage smells. Sewage odors coming from your drains and outside your home may be the most evident sign of a sewer line breach. 

If you think there has been a rupture in the sewage system, listen for continuously clogged toilets, gurgling sounds emanating from the drains, and insect problems. Regrettably, sewer line breakdowns have no professional, affordable treatments. Call the specialists right away. Experts will need to either dig up your lawn or use trenchless sewer repair to solve the problem before it gets worse.

Verify the cleanliness of your garbage disposal. 

A number of products go down your garbage disposal. Since it exists to assist you, that isn’t always a problem. In the end, take out the trash. But if garbage disposals are not regularly cleaned and maintained, trash can build up inside them over time. The interior food waste in your disposal may start to smell terrible. 

There are numerous ways to clean your waste disposal. Be cautious to unplug your disposal before performing any sort of cleaning. A little dish soap, water, and a sponge should be all that’s needed to clean it out after that. Additional choices include vinegar and baking soda. After cleaning your disposal, try running it after dropping some ice and lemon peels down the drain. Natural oils from citrus peels could coat the garbage disposal’s blades and give off a pleasant odor.

You have problems with the p-trap.

The phrase “p-trap” (which is oddly appropriate) refers to the “p” or “u”-a shaped segment of pipe that is situated beneath your sinks, showers, and other plumbing equipment. In order to stop dangerous sewer gas and odors from rising and escaping your drain, enough water is stored in the p-trap. 

If you don’t use your toilets and showers much, the p-traps may dry out. Insufficient water in the p-traps could allow foul sewer gasses to pass through your pipes.  Your infrequently used fixtures can be fixed by simply running water through them.

Bacterial biofilm has accumulated on you.

Biofilm and hair on the underside of the drain cover.

The bad smell emanating from your shower drain could be due to biofilm buildup. The accumulation of waste from shower products like oil, shampoo, soap, or lotions can ultimately change into a substance known as “biofilm.” Biofilm will begin to stick to and ingest natural bacteria as it accumulates in the drain. You can smell this biofilm bacterium. 

Fortunately, treating biofilm is easy. To get rid of the collected germs, all you have to do is clean naturally. Wash the drain with five to ten gallons of hot, but not boiling, water. A cup of white vinegar and a half cup of baking soda are then added. Put it to sleep.  When two hours have elapsed, pour another pot of hot water down the sink. It’s important to get rid of the biofilm and the smell.

When the Plumber Is Smelly, smells Good

If your plumbing smells like rotten eggs, get professional help in getting rid of the odor. The good news about odorous plumbing problems is that they are frequently very easy to fix. If you need a more technical solution for your problem, contact the experts at West New York Plumbing and Heating. All it takes to fix a terrible plumbing problem is a plumber who smells good.