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Why Does My Drain Smell Bad?

A photo of a man in a suit plugging his nose to avoid a foul smell
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Did you ever hover over the sink or shower drain and were greeted with an unpleasant smell? If so, congratulations — you have a “smelly” drain on your hands. While you may be somewhat perplexed, at first, as to why the drain now bears a foul odor, there are a few common reasons why this could have happened in the first place.

Reasons Why Your Drain Smells Bad

Bacteria Build-Up

Think about it: Typically, a series of odds and ends plummet down your plumbing drains — which are carried away from your home and deposited into the sewer. However, there’s always a chance that one of those items (such as food) could have gotten stuck in the drain and is lingering around longer than you’d like it to.

In this case, a video camera inspection can help a plumber get to the root of the problem and come up with a solution that can help lodge “the suspect” from the pipe — providing water with a smooth “highway” to travel down once again, as well as eliminate the smell.

Another thing to consider: This can also happen when you misuse your garbage disposal. So, if you’re unsure whether or not a particular food product can be disposed of down your device, consider tossing it out into a nearby garbage can to avoid a potential plumbing problem.

P-Trap is Dried Out

The reason why drains have a p-trap is so water can help block sewage smells from having the chance to “float” out of the drain’s opening. However, if the p-trap happens to be dry, there will be no H2O in place to block that gnarly smell from rising.

Typically, this is the result of rarely using a specific plumbing fixture in your home. To help combat this, consider running water down the drain to revitalize the p-trap and “bring it back to life.” Of course, to help prevent this issue again, make sure to show a little more TLC to that plumbing fixture every now and then.

Drain Repair Services in Los Angeles

If you think your drain needs to be repaired, give your friends at Red Lilly Plumbing a call at (323) 319-4102 to schedule your appointment with Los Angeles’ go-to plumbing company!
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