It might begin with a slight sewer gas smell in the bathroom—a sort of strange rotten egg smell—which is the first sign something is wrong. Your nose will be the first thing to alert you. Sewer gasses come from the pipes in your home, and they are usually well contained by the plumbing system. The gasses come from the breakdown of waste that travels through these pipes out to the sewer, and when you smell them it means there is a problem. This can mean something as simple as a blocked sewer gas vent pipe, but it can also be as complex as multiple pipe leaks throughout your plumbing system.
As a homeowner, you can do simple things to help prevent this problem from happening in the first place. Take a little time to make sure your vent pipes are free of debris, and pour a little water down any drains that don’t get water in them regularly. If you have a sink that isn’t used very often, run a little water in it here and there to keep the p-trap full. If you’ve done these things and your bathroom smells like sewer gas, or you can’t find the source of the smell, someone from Best Home Services can come take a look for you. Sometimes the problem is hard to track down—especially if it’s behind the walls or in another area that’s difficult to access.
What is sewer gas made of?
Sewer gas is a nasty soup of gasses that include ammonia, methane, and carbon dioxide. There is also hydrogen sulfide present.
Dangers of sewer gas
There are three main reasons to be concerned about a sewer gas smell in the house. One is the impact this gas can have on your health, and that of your family and pets. Another is that the gasses involved can be flammable in large amounts. The last, and perhaps most obvious reason, is there is something wrong with the integrity of your pipes that needs to be fixed.
Can sewer gas make you sick?
Not surprisingly, the answer is yes. Depending on the concentration of the gasses within your home, you may experience a variety of different symptoms. Smaller amounts can cause things such as headache and eye irritation. More serious sewer gas poisoning symptoms might include dizziness, nausea, and even difficulty breathing. Since it’s difficult to tell how much sewer gas is being released into your house, any health-related symptoms should be taken seriously. It’s a good idea to remove all people and pets from the home if there is a sewer gas smell present, just to be on the safe side.
Is sewer gas dangerous?
In addition to sewer gas health risks, the gasses are also flammable. While an explosion is usually not likely, again, it’s better to use caution and resolve the situation quickly. Most times when you have a sewer gas smell in the house it’s because of a dry drain or smaller leak in a pipe. Since the smell can be strong, it’s usually noticed before it becomes a very serious issue. Even so, the problem needs to be fixed before it gets worse. Over time, sewer gas issues can become dangerous and extremely unhealthy if left untreated, as the original cause will continue to worsen.
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