Common causes of household odours and how to remedy them

My Plumbing Smells

1. Your floor drain, washing basin or laundry tub has a water trap that has dried out after a lack of use.

Water traps function as a barrier between sewerage gas from household sewerage systems, and the exterior atmosphere of the home. When these traps dry out, sewerage gas can infiltrate the plumbing and cause an unbearable stink. By simply topping up your water trap with a jug of water, the problem can be solved. To prevent your water trap from drying out too quickly again, a few teaspoons of cooking oil can also be added to form a protective seal on the top of the water trap, which slows down evaporation.

2. You do not have a cleanout plug inside your floor drain.

Without a cleanout plug, sewerage gas is also able to enter the home. This often happens when sewer and plumbing lines are cleaned and plugs are not replaced. Fortunately, the problem can be easily fixed by a trip to your local hardware store where a cleanout plug can be bought.

3. The water in your toilet trap has evaporated.

If a toilet is not used for weeks on end, for example, when a family goes on a long-term holiday, one’s toilet trap can also evaporate. By flushing one’s toilet, the toilet trap will be replenished with water and the seal against sewer gas will be restored.

4. You have a broken or damaged sewerage line.

Sewerage lines, which carry waste away from your home, must be completely sealed and in good condition to prevent their contents from causing household odours. If they are not, a plumber will need to be called in to firstly detect leakage, which is indicative of the damaged area, and then repair any breakage before your home will once again be odour free.