Have you noticed your sink has been smelling lately? Does it smell like sewage? Could it be pollution or rotten eggs? It could be methane. It also depends on how new your sink is. If you just recently had your sink installed, it could be an issue with the venting.
Below are some quick do-it-yourself tips to help you solve your stinky sink problem. However, if none of these tips work, you may want to consider hiring the services of professionals like ABC Plumbing maybe even before attempting it yourself.
Sewer Smells
Smelling the sewer – something that’s supposed to be outside – inside your home is disturbing, to say the least. However, most of the time, what you think is the sewer is really just fetid water resulting from a clog somewhere in your pipes.
A sewer smell becomes a cause for concern when you actually can smell it outside your home. If the smell gets stronger when you go outside, and if you see puddles of stinky water populated with mosquitos and flies, then you definitely need to call in a professional. These are all signs of your main sewer system or line that has either already burst or is on the verge of doing so. Even a small hairline fracture in your piping can cause big problems.
When the Sewer Line Is the Problem
Sometimes the smell has nothing to do with your home. Do you have a lot of trees surrounding your home? Do you know if the pipes that tie into your home’s system from the city’s sewer lines are made from clay? If so, tree roots can actually grow into the pipes, causing a whole host of problems. While clay piping is no longer used for reasons such as this, roots have a way with finding their way into a lot of older materials previously used and causing major problems.
To combat this, you can call in a professional for regular maintenance. A licensed technician can regularly clean the line and even perform a camera inspection of your system to ensure that your drains continue to drain properly and any potential problems are found early on!
Find the Source
If the smell is limited to inside your house, this is better news believe it or not. Next, it’s time to find the source of the smell. If it smells like gas, don’t panic just yet but obviously, if you smell gas don’t light any flames before you get a professional out to verify. If the smell is truly methane, this gas is flammable, and you can’t take any chances.
Check your drains and the pipes under your sink. Do you notice the smell getting stronger anywhere? Do you see any leaks? Can you tell if the smell is coming from a vent?
Venting Issues
If the smell is due to a venting issue, one of our licensed technicians may be able to clear your sinks vent by simply using a handtop cable clean tool a lot of plumbers use in these cases as well as for smaller blockages. However, if the vent was clogged because of faulty installation, then you’ll need to have this repaired as soon as possible. Did you know every plumbing fixture in your home has a vent of its own?
Less Serious Causes
Just because your sink smells, this does not mean you have a dire catastrophe on your hands. The cause of the smell could be any of the following lesser concerning causes:
Bacteria – Your stinky sink could simply be the result of bacteria in your drain pipes. Kill it with vinegar, baking soda, or a splash of bleach. However, unless you’re an actual scientist, remember mixing your own solutions can result in creating more problems, so stay safe!
Sink Trap – Pour boiling hot water onto a clogged sink trap to kill the smell. If it’s leaking, however, you’ll need to call in a professional to help.
Garbage Disposal – Start by giving your garbage disposal some ice cubes to chew on, then chase it with boiling hot water. This should remove any built-up residue that has rotted and started to stink.
To prevent smells from occurring in your garbage disposal in the first place, you can get ahead of the problem by placing a slice of lemon or orange (without the peel) in the disposal every once in a while. This will give your kitchen that fresh citrus-like clean smell. You can also use kosher salt for the same deodorizing effect.
Stinky Sink? We don’t mind just give ABC Plumbing a call at 817-427-3222
