What’s that Smell?! Bad Odours & Your Plumbing
Bad odours coming from your plumbing can be shocking and certainly unwelcome, and is often something that most home owners don’t quite know how to deal with. It is, however, an issue that you should have checked out and fixed sooner than later, before the odour becomes even stronger. Plumbers are adept at finding the cause of these foul smells, but it’s sometimes possible for a home owner to troubleshoot the problem first, themselves.
For residential plumbing and commercial plumbing, bad odours are often the sign of a few larger plumbing issues. A clogged drain is one of the most likely bad smell offenders, while others include cracked, loose and dry pipes, as well as water in the trap that has dried out and caused sewer gas to invade your home.
A clogged drain is usually the culprit for a bad smell, often because someone has dropped some organic material that won’t properly break down in the drain. For a clogged drain, the first thing you can do is see what can be done with a simple drain snake. However, this may not be possible with commercial plumbing and a plumber will likely need to be consulted, right off the top.
Don’t purchase chemical drain cleaners from the supermarket, as these have been known to do much more harm than good. The chemicals found in many of these products have been known to erode pipes and cause multiple leaks. They can permanently stain counter tops and the wells of sinks. Additionally, they are extremely harmful to the environment, because any chemicals that don’t cling to the newly eroded pipes will end up in the ocean. This produces a wide variety of damaging effects.
A drain snake is a great tool to own and use, especially for residential plumbing. Most clogs lie a foot underneath the sink’s drain and can be removed with this simple device. The snake is usually very effective and won’t cause damage to your pipes. If you try it and find that it is not successful, however, you’ll want to hire a professional plumber.
If you don’t think that the route of the problem is a clogged drain, you should take a thorough look at the pipes. You’ll want to first see if opening and closing the drain repeatedly produces any noticeable results. If it doesn’t, you should open the cupboard doors underneath the sink and inspect the area closely with a flashlight. If there is nothing visibly apparent, turn on the sink and see if there are any signs of dampness or leaking water. Check the cupboard for signs of stagnant water or anything else that’s unusual. If you notice any of these things, consult a plumber straight away.
Looking for someone to help tackle your residential plumbing or commercial plumbing challenges? Give us a call: (306) 343-9576.