One of the most delicate areas of the house is the bathroom. Every homeowner will make great efforts to make sure their bathroom is hygienic and foul odor-free. Even with the best care, a bathroom might develop issues beyond the homeowner’s control, such as a sewage odor emanating from the bathroom drains.
Apart from the unpleasant odor, sewage gases pose a serious health risk to your family, and you should treat them right away. Fortunately, some of the solutions are straightforward to implement. However, if you are not confident in doing DIYs, we suggest you contact a professional. Eco Pro Plumbing provides the best plumbing services. They also offer the best bathtub replacement in Cambridge.
Here are the most common causes of bathroom sewage smells and quick fixes.
- Dry P-trap
One of the most prevalent causes of sewer-like smells in your bathroom is a dry P-trap. A P-trap is a U-shaped pipe that runs beneath the sink or drains. It’s utilized to keep sewage odors out of the bathroom by trapping water behind the drain. If you don’t use your bathroom sinks regularly, the water in the P-trap may dry out, allowing sewage gases to enter your bathroom easily.
It’s easy to solve this issue. Run some water through the sink for a minute or two to solve the problem. You can also pour baking soda down the drains to avoid clogging.
- Clogs in the shower drain
Pieces of soap, shower gel, dead skin, hair, and other debris can clog your shower drains. If you notice a sewage odor in your bathroom and slight flooding when showering, you may have a blocked shower drain.
This problem has a simple solution that you may implement on your own. You can hire an expert to fix it if you are not a DIY person. This is what you must do if you decide to do it yourself. Add a vinegar solution and hot water to the drain in a continuous stream. Next, add 1 cup of baking soda and let it sit for at least two hours. This procedure should be enough to release the deposits. After that, use a drain brush to remove any solid material that may have become stuck in the drain. You’re done once you’ve screwed the drain cover into place. Screw in the drain cover, and you’re done.
- Damaged toilet
You could have sewer gas leaking into your bathroom because of wear and tear on your toilet. A good example is when the wax barrier at the base of your toilet loosens, allowing sewage gas to flow into your bathroom through microscopic cracks.
Small cracks in your toilet bowl can also create water leaks, causing the water level in your toilet’s P-trap to drop. Low water levels in the P-trap may allow sewage gases to enter your bathroom, resulting in a foul odor. If you’re having trouble with something like this, it’s advisable to hire a professional to help you.
- Broken or poorly installed vent pipes
The vent pipe serves as a breather for your sewer system. When it becomes clogged, sewer gases can back up into the sinks and toilet, causing sewage odors in your bathroom. You may hear a bubbling sound coming from the toilet or drain as sewage gas infiltrates the bathroom.
Objects that find their way into vent pipes could block them due to poor installation or solid objects lodged in them. If the problem persists, check the vent for any blockages and remove them or call a specialist.
- Bacteria buildup
The sewer system is an ideal breeding ground for toxic bacteria that can enter your bathroom, eventually causing foul odors. This is especially true when germs multiply at a high rate during the summer.
Bleach can be a useful tool for preventing bacterial growth. However, swishing bleach around the toilet bowl isn’t going to cut it. Therefore, you can eliminate the risk by adding bleach to the flush tank and flushing the toilet a few times.
Read Also: How to Repair a Sump Pump
