The last thing anyone wants to have in their home is an unpleasant smell. The cleanest houses can take on a horrible smell when there are drainage issues. If you catch a whiff of a bad odor coming from your drains, you want to eliminate the smell right away. There are many reasons drains smell. Some fixes are simple while others require professional plumbing installation in Pittsburgh, PA, to replace damaged sewer pipes. Keep reading to learn more about the top 3 causes of smelly drains.
Dried P-Traps
This is a professional plumbing term that refers to the curved part of a drainpipe. The P-trap is designed to trap a small amount of water to stop sewer gases from coming up through the pipe and out the drain into the home. Sometimes, the P-trap dries out and smells. This happens when the sink doesn't get used regularly. Plumbers find that guest bathrooms and laundry room sinks develop this problem more often than others because they're used infrequently.
If you suspect this is the problem, run water through the drain for a minute or two. Did the smell go away? Did it come back? Call for plumbing services in Pittsburgh if the problem returns shortly.
Organic Buildup
This is a common problem for kitchen sink drains. These drains handle a large amount of food waste. Over time, the buildup of food particles, grease, fat, and other organic waste rots and causes the drain to smell. Another issue is biofilm buildup. This happens in shower and bathtub drains because of the amount of soap, shaving cream, shampoo, and other substances that buildup in the drain.
Don't use liquid drain cleaners to get rid of the smell or the buildup. Instead, call your local full-service plumbing company for professional drain cleaning.
Broken Sewer Lines
Have you noticed more than one drain in the house smelling? Does it smell like sewage water? When you have a situation like this, the problem most likely lies deep in the plumbing system in the sewer pipe. Blocked sewer pipes don't allow sewer gases through, so they back up into the home and smell awful. Another reason you could smell a terrible odor is because the sewer line has broken.
Fixing a broken sewer line isn't a job you can do yourself. You need the expertise of a plumbing installation contractor who can identify the source of the problem and apply the best solution to fix the problem in a cost—effective and quick manner.
You work hard to keep your home clean. Don't let drainage issues cause stinky issues in your home. Call the pros for drain cleaning and plumbing installation services in Pittsburgh, PA. Stahl Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call us today at 412-273-1000