When you smell a rotten egg odor in your home, it’s likely from sewer gas. This happens often at the Colorado Springs mitigation and restoration business. This blog answers common Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about sewer gas, including what causes the smell, how it can affect your health. At CMS Restoration, we help Colorado Springs homeowners and businesses respond to water damage, sewage damage, and related restoration concerns caused by plumbing problems. Check this FAQ for answers about sewer gas.
Table of contents
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
What is Sewer Gas?
Sewer gas is the name for a blend of noxious and non-toxic gases produced and stored in sanitary sewer systems by the decomposition of organic matter in waste from homes and industry. The odor that people think of first, which is a rotten egg odor, comes from a gas called hydrogen sulfide. Sewer gas is mainly a mix of hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, methane, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide.
Resource: dph.state.il.us
Health Risks of Sewer Gas
Yes. Even a little sewer gas can make you feel sick, and larger amounts, especially hydrogen sulfide and methane, are very dangerous to your health and can start fires.
Common Causes of Sewer Odors
Some of the causes of sewer gas smells in the home are:
- Dry P-trap
- Broken pipes
- Blocked or dirty plumbing vent
- Loose toilet
When the water in a P-trap evaporates, the P-trap no longer acts as a barrier for sewer gas from entering the home.
Locating The Source
If the sewer gas odor is coming from plumbing, you may notice it strongest near drains, toilets, or sinks.
Signs of Sewer Gas Leaks
In addition to a rotten-egg odor, if you notice clogged drains or slow drainage, or higher-than-normal indoor humidity, these may be other signs that sewer gas is leaking into the home.
Sewer Gas From Outside?
The sewer gas smell could be coming from inside or outside the house. If the city sewer main is clogged, a nearby sewer tank has a problem, or a roof vent is clogged, sewer gas can be released and enter the home through windows.
Resource: nachi.org
Health and Safety Issues
Contact With Sewer Gas
Even though it can take a lot of time before you get sick, even small amounts of sewer gas can cause people to get headaches, feel sick to their stomachs, feel lightheaded, and feel tired.
Managing Symptoms of Exposure
If you or anyone else in your home is feeling sick, you should leave the home immediately and go to the doctor. Once you are safe, contact a plumber to inspect your home.
Risks of Long-Term Exposure
Long-term exposure could be a problem. You may begin to develop breathing problems, feel chronic fatigue, and begin to experience brain fog. Most people will not have long-term health issues unless the exposure is prolonged and at a high level.
How to Stop Sewer Gas Smells
One way to prevent the smell of sewer gas from the house is by running the water from time to time in unused sinks or flushing toilets when someone is staying in the home for a short term. This way, you will keep the P-trap full of water. Also, make sure you clear debris off your roof vent.
Caring for Your Plumbing
Make sure you have an annual plumbing inspection. It will tell you if you have a slow plumbing leak, check your plumbing pipes, and clear slow clogs.
Plumbing Concerns in Older Homes
There is a higher likelihood that a clog or break has occurred due to tree roots in older homes built with cast-iron and clay pipes. You should schedule a sewer inspection every few years if you own an older home in Colorado Springs.
Finding and Repairing Leaks
First, open windows to ventilate. Finally, open every faucet to let water flow through, and flush every toilet to refill any dried-out plumbing traps.
Checking Traps and Leaks
Use a flashlight to shine light on the pipes under your sinks to spot any dampness. To check for dry traps specifically, pour water down each drain. If the smell goes away, a dry trap is what was causing it.
DIY vs. Professional Help
Dry traps are a simple fix for you to do by just turning on the water. If the problem involves broken pipes, a loose wax seal on the toilet, or a clogged plumbing vent, these issues require a trained pro to fix safely.
Professional Help
When to Call a Plumber
Call a plumber if you try adding water to the drains but still detect the odor, hear unusual gurgling noises, or if you have reason to suspect a leak in the walls or under the foundation.
Choosing a Plumber in Colorado Springs
Find one that is licensed and insured and has great local reviews. You can also ask neighbors for suggestions and search business directories.
What Happens During an Inspection?
A pro may do a visual inspection of plumbing, vent checks, and maybe even a smoke test. In a smoke test, smoke is pumped through the plumbing system in order to find leaks.
Colorado Springs Specifics
Is it harder to deal with sewer gas smells in Colorado Springs because of our weather or geography?
The dry weather here causes water in rarely used traps to evaporate more quickly than in more humid locales, so dry traps are common.
Weather and Elevation Impacts
The elevation doesn’t cause leaks, but temperature fluctuations can freeze and thaw the ground, allowing pipes to shift and crack.
Local Building and Plumbing Rules
The Pikes Peak Regional Building Department mandates building and plumbing codes for venting and trap placement. Significant repairs will have to follow these local building codes.
Pricing and Repairs
Repairs
Prices vary greatly. Refilling dry traps usually costs nothing, replacing a toilet wax ring could cost a few hundred dollars, and fixing a broken main sewer line can run you a few thousand dollars.
Insurance Coverage
Many home insurance policies cover damage to property from sudden plumbing damage. Insurance usually does not cover the cost of fixing the damaged pipe, nor will it cover property damage resulting from normal wear and tear.
Affordable Alternatives
The least expensive way to prevent sewer gas issues is to stay on top of basic maintenance. Keeping drains clear and traps filled with water should handle the most common causes.
Professional Help
Local Resources
Colorado Springs Utilities can assist you with questions about water and sewer lines. They can also help to determine if the issue is due to their lines or yours.
More Information Online
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website provides comprehensive information for the public about indoor air quality and sewer gases.
Community Groups
These discussions are common on local neighborhood apps and social media groups. These platforms can be valuable in connecting others to get contractor leads and home repair tips.
Final Thoughts
At CMS Restoration, we strive to provide safe, healthy homes in Colorado Springs. Contact us for professional mitigation and restoration services for any water or sewage damage caused by plumbing problems.