A sewer smell in the house is hard to ignore. Sometimes the fix is as simple as running water in a drain you never use. Other times the smell comes from a cracked pipe under the floor or in the yard. This guide covers the common causes of a sewer smell in the house, simple checks you can do and when a camera inspection makes sense. For help, call our sewer and drain leak detection team at (951) 299-3473.
What causes a sewer smell in the house?
The most common causes are a dry drain trap, a failed toilet wax ring, a loose cleanout cap, a blocked roof vent and a cracked or broken sewer line. Each one lets sewer gas escape into the home instead of staying in the pipes.
- Dry trap: the U-shaped pipe under a drain holds water that blocks gas. If a guest shower or floor drain is not used, the water dries up.
- Toilet seal: a worn wax ring under the toilet can leak gas and water.
- Cleanout cap: a missing or loose cap on a sewer cleanout lets gas out.
- Blocked vent: roof vents let gas out above the house. A clog can push it back into drains.
- Broken pipe: a crack under the slab or in the yard can leak sewage and gas.
