Have you experienced the smell of sewer gas in your home? Although there are a number of probable causes for this, one thing you should do is have the problem looked at. Why do we say that? As well as the horrible odor, if sewer gas is leaking into your home, it could become a health hazard for the household. Among the risks, other than the smell, are the potential for fire or explosion, hydrogen sulfide poisoning which is very dangerous and the risk of asphyxiation due to sewer gases displacing the oxygen in the home.
As we mentioned, there are a number of possible causes for sewer gas to leak into the home. One of those causes is if plumbing fixtures have started to dry out which can also mean that plumbing traps become dry and no longer prevent gas from coming back up into the home because the water barrier is no longer there. This can happen during periods of dry weather or when toilets, showers and sinks etc. are not often used.
You could also experience a leak of sewer gas if there are cracks in the plumbing drain or vent pipes. Cracks in vent pipes, although harder to identify, can cause a good amount of sewer gas to enter into the home. Other causes are from plumbing vents which are positioned too close to air intakes, cracks in the home’s foundation and sometimes wind and air flow around the home can allow sewer gases to enter.
No homeowner wants to deal with sewer gas leaking into their house but as we can see there are numerous causes for this. The important thing to do, though, is have the problem identified by a professional so that you ensure the safety and wellbeing of you and your household.
