The foul smell emanating from your kitchen or bathroom sinks… you know that can’t be right, and you also want it fixed as soon as you can. There are a number of reasons that sink odors can begin, and some of them are simple to fix, while others may require extensive plumbing excavation.

Below, we’ve listed some of the ways that you can solve the problem of a bad-smelling sink. The method that works will depend on the reason the problem started. When you feel in any doubt about what to do, call on Brooks Plumbing in Olympia, WA for fast, professional assistance.

• Run water down a sink with a dry p-trap: If the sink that has the terrible odors coming from it is one that has not seen recent use—such as a sink in a guest room—then the reason for the bad smell is probably that the p-trap under the sink has dried up. The p-trap is the curved portion of the drainpipe, and it is designed to catch a plug of water inside it that prevents sewage gas from coming back up through the drain. If the p-trap water evaporates, nothing will prevent sewage gas from entering your home. All you need to do to is run water down the drain for a few minutes to restore the water plug.
• Call plumbers for repairs to the drain vents: Drain vents are responsible for removing the sewer gases inside the wastewater system and releasing them up through openings on the roof. If these vents should become blocked from animal nests or debris, the pressure will force the sewer gases up through the drainpipes, even pushing through the p-trap (creating a noticeable gurgling sound). Do not go up to the roof to try to clear the vents; call plumbing professionals to safely handle the job.
• Have drain cleaning performed: Odoriferous sinks can be suffering from excessive build-up of organic deposits. This not only leads to unpleasant smells, but also increases the chances of clogs and will cause a dangerous increase in water pressure inside the plumbing. To handle the job of cleaning drains, you need to leave the acidic and toxic store-bought chemicals on the shelves and instead call in experienced plumbers to handle full service drain cleaning that will give you sparkling clean plumbing once again.

If you are experiencing bad odors from many different drains at once, the problem might lie inside the sewer line—and this requires extensive and immediate repairs from professionals before it leads to sewage backup into your home. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking sewer smells from a sink are only a minor inconvenience! Call for local Olympia plumbers right away if the simple step of pouring water down a dry sink doesn’t solve the trouble.

Since 1994, Brooks Plumbing has taken pride in delivering “Quality in Everything We Do.” Whatever you need to fix your sink and drain troubles, we can handle it.

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