Drain odors are both annoying and unpleasant, and some can be difficult to get rid of. Understanding what’s causing your drain to smell can help you pinpoint how to fix it and get your Shreveport, Louisiana, home back to normal. We can help you understand the three most common causes of smelly drains so you can try to figure out what may be going on.
Dry P-Trap
A P-trap is a handy component of every sink. It works by trapping water to help keep sewer gases from flowing back up through your pipes and up through your drain. If this trap runs dry, there’s no protection between your home and the gases coming back through the pipes. This can lead to nasty sewer smells. This most commonly happens with sinks that aren’t used regularly. If you have a sink that you don’t use often, be sure to run water through it every so often to make sure the P-trap doesn’t run dry. This is an easy (and free!) solution to a smelly problem.
Rot
Most common in kitchen sinks, a rotting smell is something most homeowners have to face at least once. Food or other matter can get stuck in the drain and begin to rot, causing unpleasant smells. If you don’t regularly run your disposal after dumping food down your drain, you’re more likely to run into this problem. Try flushing out your sink with white vinegar while running the disposal, and then put one or two lemon peels down the drain. This should flush out the rotten food and replace the smell with a lemony fragrance, thanks to the peels.
If you don’t have a disposal, white vinegar can still help provide a simple and inexpensive solution. Pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of vinegar. Wait 10 minutes, and then pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain.
Clogged Vents
Besides the P-trap, your plumbing system uses vents to remove sewer gases and release them through vents on your roof. Unfortunately, it’s fairly easy for these vents to get clogged. If you notice an unpleasant sewer smell coming from your home that doesn’t necessarily seem confined to one sink, you may need to get these vents checked out.
Shreveport and Bossier City, LA Plumbing Repair Experts
If you’re concerned about nasty smells in your home, it may be time to bring in the Shreveport plumbing experts at Pioneer Comfort Systems, Call us today at 318-795-8000.