When your drain starts to smell like rotten eggs, you know there’s something wrong. You can quickly get rid of that rotten egg smell in many cases. There are tried and true ways to determine what’s causing the smell, and how to fix it, and how to keep it from returning.
Rotten Egg Smell Causes and Potential Fixes
Bacteria are typically what causes this horrible smell. Bacteria can produce hydrogen sulfide gas, which has that rotten egg smell that’s assaulting your nose. As unpleasant as it can be, this smell is an early warning signal that something is wrong. Taking care of it promptly can prevent bigger and more expensive problems down the road.
First, make sure the drains are the source of the problem. Occasionally, the sulfurous smell could be coming instead from the water itself. If you notice that it’s your hot water that smells, your hot water heater may have a corroded anode rod that is causing a chemical reaction. A rarer case would be contaminated water. It’s common for well water to have a rotten egg smell because of bacteria or natural decay. However, if the smell comes from your drains, there are several causes and solutions.
Your P-Trap (or U-Trap) Is Underused
If you look under your kitchen or bathroom sinks, you may have exposed pipes. You’ll notice that those pipes curve. This is why they’re named after the letter’s “U” or “P,” as these are the shapes of the respective pipes.
P-traps can easily become clogged, allowing water and debris to remain in this area until it is cleaned out. While the shape of the pipe increases the likelihood of clogs, they are designed this way to reduce smells. The water in the trap creates a seal to keep sewer gas, including hydrogen sulfide and its rotten egg smell, from coming back up into your home. You need to be careful not to put large food scraps or garbage down your drains. This prevents clogs from forming in the P-trap. Usually, water flows regularly through these pipes and keeps things moving along. However, if the pipes aren’t in regular use, there could be a problem.
Consider whether the smell is coming from the drain in a room that you don’t use very often, such as a guest room or laundry room. You might also notice smelly drains when you return from vacation. In both cases, your P-trap may be dry, and that’s allowing gas to escape up the drain and out into your home. The fix for this one is easy. You just need to regularly run the water in those sinks, showers, and tubs that don’t receive that much use. A few minutes should do the trick.
While water is supposed to sit in the P-trap, if it sits there too long, it can also start to smell. Usually, it will evaporate first, leading to the dryness that causes the smell. However, if there’s a clog, it won’t evaporate, and that clog can be another reason for the rotten egg smell.
Clogged Drains or Vents
If your drains are clogged, you may notice the presence of the clog before the smell develops or in addition to the smell. However, if it’s a rarely used sink, you might not notice. In addition, you may simply notice that water is draining slowly and assume it isn’t a big deal.
Another type of clog that can develop is in your plumbing vent. These are the vents, usually on your roof, that help to prevent a vacuum from forming in your system. Birds’ nests and other debris can block them.
You can call us at Rosenberg Plumbing & Air to remove clogs if plunging the drain doesn’t solve the problem. If you pour chemicals down your drain to dissolve a clog or try other do-it-yourself methods, you could damage your pipes. Our plumbers can quickly identify where the clog is and remove it using safe methods.
Dirty Drains or Garbage Disposal
Even when you flush drains regularly through daily use, debris and film can build up in them. No matter how careful you are, you probably send more than just water back down the drain to some degree. Biofilm refers to a mass of bacteria that thrives in the damp environment of a pipe. This is an area where there can be hair, skin cells, and other organic matter to feed upon.
Your garbage disposal could also be the culprit. Keep in mind that your garbage disposal is designed to handle small food scraps that it can easily break down. In addition, there are certain food items you should never put down your disposal. This includes pieces of bone, starchy rice and pasta, and stringy vegetables such as asparagus, which can get caught in the blades and promote clogs further down your pipes. Cleaning your garbage disposal can be beneficial for eliminating smells. Routinely pour a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar down your drain, and allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes before pouring hot water down your drain to rinse everything away.
You also need to make sure you’re running cold water down your drain when your disposal is in use. This helps flush small bits of debris down your pipes, so odors cannot occur. Using hot water during operation can allow grease and oils to remain in liquid form. They can then solidify further down your pipes and cause clogs.
How to Prevent Your Drain From Smelling
Cleaning your drains and making sure that unused ones get regularly flushed with water can help prevent the rotten egg smell from taking over your home. You can arrange for Rosenberg Plumbing & Air to clean your drains annually as a preventive method. In addition, we can clear clogs that are starting to form but have not yet caused a backup in water flow. This includes clogs that may be somewhere along the sewer line or that are simply too tough to eliminate using DIY methods.
It’s not unusual for buildup to develop in drains over time, and that buildup can appear first in slow-draining sinks and showers and then in clogs. When you schedule regular maintenance for your drains, we can remove that buildup before it becomes a problem. This saves you time and money in the long run because you will be less likely to need expensive repairs or deal with the inconvenience of living with smelly or blocked drains.
Rosenberg Plumbing & Air Can Help
At Rosenberg Plumbing & Air in San Antonio, TX, we can perform preventive drain cleaning periodically to help keep odors away and ensure that your drains and pipes remain in working order. From drains that smell to pipes that are blocked and more, our plumbers can help with repair needs. Whether there’s currently a foul odor coming from your drains or you want to schedule routine drain cleaning, rely on the best in the area.
Contact Rosenberg Plumbing & Air for all your drain cleaning needs in San Antonio today.
Tags: drain cleaning, Plumbing tips