If you smell something rotten in your kitchen, don’t automatically assume that it is because it is time to take the garbage out. In fact, it may be because of your plumbing. The best way to keep your home clean, inside and out, is to have professional drain cleaning done.
There are a variety of factors that might cause your plumbing to smell bad. There are things that you can do about it to keep this from happening over and over again to you, in addition to regular drain cleaning.
Reasons to Call Your Plumber
Don’t wait until a clog happens or a plumbing emergency occurs before you call your plumber. Be proactive with your plumbing, and you won't have to deal with the smells that come from contaminated drains.
That means being careful with what you let fall into the drains, but also scheduling regular maintenance and cleaning to prevent plumbing problems before they begin.
Is the Sink Contaminated?
Do you have hair traps in your bathroom sinks? If not, you may have all kinds of hair and other debris falling down your drain. When it gets caught there, it starts to decompose, which creates a nasty odor.
Similarly, if you let food particles go down the drain in the kitchen when you are washing dishes or prepping food, you'll be dealing with the same smelly problem. You can avoid this by keeping food, hair, and other undesirable things out of your drains.
To really freshen your drains, get a drain cleaning done. Additionally, every month put a concoction of baking soda and vinegar down the drain. It will foam up naturally and clean it out blockages. After some time, rinse the sink and pipes with hot water.
The other common reason for a smelly sink is that the P-trap is dry. The P-trap part of your piping works by keeping a cushion of water in your pipes to block smelly sewer gas from entering your home. If the P-trap is dry, there is nothing there to keep the gas out. To fix this, just run the water. It's that easy!
Sulfur in Your Pipes
As pipes break down and corrode, sometimes hydrogen sulfur gases are released, causing your plumbing to smell like rotten eggs.
It’s a good idea to get your plumbing inspected if you think that this might be a problem.
It's also possible that the water itself might be the problem, but consult with your plumber to be sure.
