Nothing stinks your house up faster than sewage smells. If you smell a rotten egg smell coming from a toilet or other drain, don’t ignore it. You need a plumber in Menlo Park to investigate the problem.

Reasons You’re Smelling that Smell

Sewer gas doesn’t have a smell. It’s methane, which is odorless. However, sewer gases as not entirely comprised of methane. They also contain hydrogen sulfide. This is the gas that gives off that rotten egg odor. Hydrogen sulfide gas occurs when organic matter breaks down and decomposes. In addition to methane and hydrogen sulfide, sewer gases also contain the toxic gases carbon dioxide and ammonia.

Why Your Toilet Doesn’t Always Smell Like Rotten Eggs

It’s a very good thing your toilet doesn’t always smell like rotten eggs. You wouldn’t be able to live in your home comfortably. One of the best things about modern plumbing is that when it’s working well it moves sewage and sewer gas in and out of the home unnoticed. So, if you smell that rotten egg odor coming from your pipes, toilets, or other drains, you know it’s because there’s something wrong with the plumbing.

How to Handle a Rotten Egg Smell

To get rid of the smell, a plumber needs to figure out why it’s in your home. There are three common reasons that homes smell like rotten eggs. Keep reading to learn more:

A dry trap is one of the most common reasons for this smell and easy to fix. When toilets or other drains aren’t used for a long time, the trap goes dry. A dry trap allows sewer gas to back up into the toilet and cause your home to smell like rotten eggs. Fixing this problems is as easy as pouring water down the toilet to let the trap fill back up.

• A clogged drain is another reason you might smell a bad odor. Try plunging the toilet if you suspect a clog is the issue. If you can’t clear the drain using a plunger, call us for professional drain cleaning services.
• A broken vent pipe or drain line is another reason your house might smell awful. This is a serious situation that requires emergency plumbing services. If a plumber discovers this is the problem, they’ll speak with you about remedying it asap.

 

When Do Sewer Smells Become Dangerous

A faint sewer smell isn’t hazardous. You want to get it looked at right away so that it’s not left untreated, but you’re not in real danger. It’s when the smell is very strong that deadly situations can happen, especially in small areas. Sewer gas also carries bacteria that you don’t want in your home. At My Menlo Park Plumber Hero, we recommend calling for plumbing service anytime you catch a whiff of this nasty odor.

For professional help you can count on, contact My Menlo Plumber Hero. We’re here for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our friendly plumbers will take care of the problem quickly and get your home smelling better in no time.