Why Does My House Smell Like Sewer?

A rotten-egg or sewer smell in the house is unpleasant and worth fixing quickly. The good news: the most common causes are simple.

1. A dry drain trap

Every drain has a U-shaped trap that holds water to block sewer gas. In a guest bathroom, basement floor drain or unused shower, that water evaporates and the gas comes straight up. Fix: run water for a minute. If the smell is gone, that was it.

2. A failed toilet wax ring

If the smell is strongest around a toilet, or the toilet rocks when you sit on it, the wax seal underneath may have failed. It's an inexpensive fix, but water can also be leaking into the subfloor, so don't put it off.

3. A blocked plumbing vent

Vent pipes on your roof let sewer gas escape outside and let drains flow freely. Leaves, nests or debris can block them. Signs include gurgling drains, slow drains throughout the house, and smells that come and go.

4. A cracked drain or sewer line

If the smell is persistent, strongest in a crawl space, or comes with slow drains and soggy spots in the yard, a drain or sewer line may be cracked or broken. Older Upstate homes with cast iron or clay lines are especially prone to this, and tree roots often make it worse.

A sewer camera inspection shows exactly where the problem is before anything gets dug up. Here's what to expect from a sewer camera inspection.

When to call a plumber

• The smell comes back after you've refilled the traps.
• Multiple drains are slow or gurgling.
• You notice the smell in the crawl space or outside near the sewer line.
• Sewage backs up anywhere in the house (that's an emergency).

Sewer smell you can't track down in Greer, Greenville, Spartanburg or nearby? call us at 864-365-8900 — we answer 24/7, or see our drain cleaning service.