Sewer Smell Locating Services

The last thing any of us wants in our home or business is a foul sewer smell. To plumbers, it smells like money, to the rest of the world it is just disgusting. We offer professional sewer smell locating services. The cause of sewer smells can be a multitude of things. It could be a dry p-trap, broken seals or issues with the sewer line or sewer venting. Not only will we diagnose the sewer smell, we’ll also provide sewer smell locating services in your Phoenix home or business. We speak home owner and you can trust your home with our pros at Robins Plumbing.

Sewer Smells or Sewer gases in your Phoenix home or Business? Know when to call the professionals

Sewer smells can be more than annoying, they can be hazardous to the your health depending on your sensitivity. We’ve heard of people experiencing headaches, drowsiness, and nausea from sewer gas odor in their homes or businesses. This is caused by some sewer odors that contain Hydrogen Sulfide which is extremely flammable and highly toxic. Hydrogen sulfide is naturally occurring in sewer lines. It’s also one of the major contributors to that unique and very distinctive sewer smell.

Sewer smells caused by dry p-traps

Sewer smells can be as simple as a dry p-trap at a sink and bathtub. It can also be as complex as a broken sewer or vent line. We do have some simple DIY plumbing tips to help you find a sewer smell in your Phoenix area home or business if the issue is a dry p-trap. The cause of dry p-traps is one of two things. Either the p-trap isn’t being used enough and is drying out over time or the p-trap is broken and not holding water. The whole purpose of a p-trap is to hold water which acts as seal or barrier to your sewer system. This prevents sewer gases from exiting into your home or business. When a p-trap is dry it allows sewer odors to escape back into your home or business causing a sewer smell. This is especially common in guest bathrooms that are not used frequently. It’s also common with floor drains in businesses and laundry rooms that are not maintained with water. The quick solution to a dry p-trap is to simply fill it with water. If you notice the issue happening frequently it is time to call the pros. Our plumbing experts at Robins Plumbing will diagnose if there is a cracked p-trap or if you need a trap-primer. A trap-primer will keep your p-trap that isn’t used frequently enough primed with water to eliminate sewer odors escaping into your Phoenix home or business.

Sewer smells caused by broken seals

A broken seal on your sewer or drain system could be causing that sewer smell. Broken seals can also allow sewer gases to escape into your home. The most common broken seal that allows sewer odors to escape is from the wax ring underneath your toilet. The wax seal under your toilet is designed to be a seal between the flange and the toilet. This seal is often broken from plunging your toilet. The smell coming from the base of your toilet could also be caused by breaks in the bead of caulking around your toilet. Caulking isn’t just for a finished look, it serves an important purpose. The caulking at the base of your toilet is mean to keep moisture from getting under your toilet. Improper or a broken caulking bead around the base of your toilet can allow water, urine and other debris to seep under the toilet. This creates the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and odors to escape. The solution to a failed wax ring is to have the professionals at Robins Plumbing lift the toilet and reset it with a new wax ring. This creates a solid seal between your sewer system and your toilet. It will also include a new bead of caulking around the base of the toilet. Some DIY people will say that if the caulking is all that’s wrong with your toilet to just put a new bead of caulking down and call it a day. We still recommend pulling the toilet. We also recommend cleaning out all of the bacteria and debris that is causing the smell rather than just sealing it under your toilet. 

Is it time to call the Phoenix plumbing professionals for your sewer odor problem?

If you’re past the point of a dry p-trap it’s probably time to consider calling the professional team at Robins Plumbing. A licensed professional plumbing company like Robins Plumbing will have the skills and the equipment to be able to diagnose and repair your sewer odor or sewer gas issue.

Specialized diagnostic equipment used to find sewer odor

Years of skill– Let’s get real! There is no substitute for experience and skill when it comes to the plumbing profession. Having the skills and knowledge to find a sewer odor is no exception. Often the greatest tool there is when it comes to finding a sewer odor and diagnosing the issue is skill and plumbing experience. Sewer smells are one of the more complex plumbing issues to diagnose. They aren’t trackable with a visible consequence like water or sewage. Sewer smells can be caused by simple issues like dry p-traps. But they can also get as complex as pressure balancing an air system that causes suction and pulls sewer gases through the system. There simply is no substitute for skill and plumbing experience when it comes to properly diagnosing a sewer smell. An experienced professional knows what equipment to use and when to use it.

Sewer camera inspections– Sewer camera inspections are one way to locate sewer smells if the odor is caused by issues with the sewer line or the sewer vents. A sewer camera offers an inside view of your sewer system with a specialized camera lens. It’s designed to go into the sewer line or down the sewer vents. This allows the plumber to visually see any defects in the sewer line that could be causing a sewer odor.

Smoke test machines– Smoke test machines are another specialized piece of equipment designed to locate difficult to find sewer smells. Smoke test machines are specifically designed to fill a sewer system with smoke at a low pressure. The smoke allows the plumber to locate where smoke is leaking from what should be a sealed sewer system

Services in Phoenix & Beyond

When you’ve found yourself in need of plumbing services in the Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale, or Chandler area, you can trust Robins Plumbing. We will provide you with prompt and expert care! Contact our team today! In addition to our leak detection and sewer smell locating services, we also offer a variety of residential and commercial plumbing services. Our services include: drain cleaning, water heater repair and replacement, sewer camera inspection and locating, backflow prevention, commercial and residential jetting, water treatments, trenchless sewer repair and more. Visit our reviews online to see what others have to say about our local plumbing company!