Why Your Bathroom Smells Like A Sewer & How To Fix It?

by Jilli S. Consultant

Have you ever walked into a bathroom and wondered from where that awful smell is coming? Bathrooms should be neat and hygienic, but at times they can generate a bad odour. The major reasons why your bathroom smells like a sewer is mentioned below with the remedies to fix them.

Clogged Sink/Basin Traps

Over the time period, sink/basin traps can get clogged up due to hair, toothpaste and bacteria, which can produce an odour in the bathroom. There are two ways to fix this issue viz. (a) clean the sink/basin trap including the waste and plug or (b) replace/change them with new.

Decomposed Rubber Seal on Toilet Waste

An open toilet trap has a rubber seal on the toilet waste. Plumbers recognise this as the pan collar. At times, the rubber seal decomposes over the period of time letting sewer gases to escape into the air. To fix this issue, it’s ideal to call a plumber to replace/change the rubber seal, which means the toilet pan has to be removed. If the toilet pan is hard to get removed, the plumber can cast an epoxy sealant (like ferope) above the rubber to rebuild the seal.

Partly Clogged Toilet

Indeed, a clogged toilet with its contents still remaining in the toilet bowl will cause a horrible smell if left to worsen. You can unclog the toilet yourself through plunging; however, if it doesn’t work, you will need to call an expert emergency plumber with a drain cleaning machine or Jet Rodder to remove the waste matter away.

Dry Floor Waste

In case, you have bought a home where the bathroom hasn’t been used for some time or you seldom use a bathroom, you’ll need to check if there is a water seal in the floor waste. The finest way to check this is to light up a torch down the grate and if you can see water, the floor waste is sealed, but if you can see the pipe down, the floor waste is dry and is letting the major sewer gases to flee through the drain. To generate a seal, open the valve of the bath, shower or basin, which is linked to the drain so that the floor waste fills with the water. In case, the floor waste is found in a bathroom that has remained unused, fill water in a bucket and pour it down the grate.

Lack of Adequate Ventilation

If a bathroom lacks adequate ventilation then mould and mildew can form easily. One of the finest ways to avert mould in the plasterboard walls or on a bathroom’s ceiling is to have a window open while taking the shower or switching on the exhaust fan to absorb the steam. Also, due to a water leak inside the bathroom walls, mould can be formed. It’s highly recommended to take the assistance of a licensed plumber to find the source of the leak and get it fixed in order to avert more mould.

If you want toilet repairs or drain cleaning work to be carried out urgently, right away get the assistance of an emergency plumber in Sydney!