Help! My Drains Stink!
- Written by Samantha Ball
Is your house consumed by an unfortunate, rotten egg-like odour? The most likely culprit is your drains.
If your drains stink, that means your pipes have probably become blocked, causing a foul smell in your drains. High-pressure water jets are used to clear blocked pipes and keep them clean, but you can avoid this odour for good by protecting your pipes from the following.
1. Tree Roots
Tree roots spread out as they grow, sometimes stabbing through water pipes. The resulting blockage can cause an unfortunate smell, so be sure to monitor the trees closest to your home as they grow.
2. Toiletries
Though all drain blockages result in terrible smells, there may be no worse stench than a backed-up toilet. You can prevent this odour by never flushing your personal care products, like wipes and sanitary pads, down the toilet. They're simply too large, and the results can be disastrous.
3. Foreign Objects
Foreign objects represent some of the most common causes of terrible toilet blockages, and they are typically flushed by children. Establishing strict house rules about what's allowed to be flushed down the toilet will save you from having to plunge a bouncy ball out of your pipes in the future.
4. Cooking Oil
Cooking oil can cause immense damage to your pipes when poured down the drain and not into the bin. Oil congeals once it cools off, clogging your pipes, worsening over time, and stinking up your house in the process.
5. Food Scraps
When non-liquid foods like tea leaves and pasta go down your drain, they tend to stay there. Scraping your food waste into a compost pile instead will keep your drains clean and odour-free.
6. Mineral Build-Up
When minerals dissolve in hard water, they can glob up and clog your pipes. Already severely damaged pipes may need replacing, but a water softener is a highly effective way of preventing this smelly build-up.
7. Soap
Have a bathroom drain stinking up the house? Fatty and greasy soaps are a common cause. For more severe blockages you will need to call a plumber, but trying out fat-free soaps ahead of time may save you from having to get your pipes pressure cleaned.
8. Hair
Everyone knows how nasty it is to pull hair out of your drain, but many underestimate just how pungent a smell it can cause. Hair is a common cause of clogged-up drains, so purchasing a drain catcher will be worth the couple of dollars it costs.
9. Natural Debris
Does your house smell like sewage? The reason may be that your sewage pipes are overloaded with natural debris. Debris like rainwater and leaves tend to build up after bad weather. So, be sure to keep your gutters clean, or you may experience some foul-smelling consequences.
10. Cat Litter
Cat litter already smells. Washing it down any of your drains will only keep that smell around even longer. When it comes to cat litter, always bag it up and toss it in the bin. If you don't, it'll clog up your pipes and stink up the entire house.
Can't Get Rid of the Smell?
Are all these tips coming to you a little too late? Some blockages will require a licenced plumber to clear. Thankfully, there are plenty of local businesses that can help. Just be sure to pick one that is licenced, insured, and offers a workmanship guarantee.
Daily Bulletin
