How to eliminate odors from your drains
No matter how careful you are, something will eventually slip into your drain, causing it to smell bad. Food, hair, or grease can release a stench if stuck in your plumbing system for so long. You can start to sense a foul smell after one to two weeks. Luckily, you can utilize these tips to get rid of the odors. Here’s how to eliminate odors from your drains entirely.
What are the reasons behind my stinking drains?
Some might wonder about the causes behind their badly-smell drains. These things are fair common and easy to recognize.
Bacteria
Anything getting stuck in your plumbing system can be a perfect environment for bacteria to grow. They release a foul smell after digesting the junk.
You’ll notice the smell circling the sink or tub as the usual sign. In other cases, the smell can spread to several rooms, causing discomfort.
Errors in the system
Odors from your drains can result from an error during the installation process. Perhaps some key parts of the system weren’t installed as intended, thus making the entire setup dysfunctional, leading up to the smell.
Gases
Right below your plumbing system is usually the sewer. Sometimes, gases pass through the sewer and flow upward into your drains.
You normally won’t notice any smell from the gases due to the drain traps (or P-Trap and S-Trap). It’s the U-shaped section of the pipe that you usually see below your sink. When there’s no water in the drain trap, the gases pass through and move up to your sink. That’s why you can sense the odor.
Your drain is clogged
Objects getting stuck inside your drain for too long can cause it to smell bad. Since the clog is hidden, you can’t see it from the outside. The only signs are slow to drain and awful odors.
Mold
Molds are usually formed in moist spaces between pipes. They can also release an uncomfortable smell if they’re left unchecked. Water leaks or dripping faucets are perfect places for molds to develop and grow. You can check out how to replace dripping or faulty faucets here.
How to eliminate odors from your drains
Figuring out which of the mentioned factor makes your drain smell, you can use these countermeasures to get rid of the foul smell.
Using boiling water
Bacteria built up inside your drain can be killed and washed away by boiling water. You can do this 2 to 4 times per month to keep your drains clean and functional.
A quick reminder: After using hot water but the smell is still there, please make a call to us to check your drain out.
Utilize baking soda
You can either use baking soda with hot water or vinegar to pour down your drain. It will help clean your pipes and eliminate nasty odors.
However, with vinegar, it’s better to add it after you’ve poured baking soda down the drain since the mixture of the two is bubbly.
Modify the trap water level
The S-Trap and P-Trap require water in them all the time. Every 3 to 4 months you need to add more water in. To do this, pour 3 to 4 cups of water down the drain, then add half a cup of oil. This will prevent the water from evaporating too fast.
The draining snake
A draining snake is extremely useful in removing the objects causing the clogs in your drains. When the clog behind the foul smell is taken out, the smell goes away with it.
Please be mindful that the tip of the snake can cause serious problems to your drainage system if you don’t tread lightly. The cost of repairing the damage caused by the draining snake can be expensive.
Hire a professional
If none of the solutions above seem to work, it’s time for you to call a plumber to help you with your problems. They have the right methods to spot the culprit behind your smelly drain and fix it in a short time. If you’re in San Jose, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ll be right over to support you.