Take a fragrant bath or an invigorating shower, clean yourself up in the morning or relax before going to bed - a person starts his day and ends his day with a bathroom. The bathroom, as a zone of comfort, hygiene and beauty, must perfectly match its purpose. Cleanliness and order play a crucial role here, and the appearance of an unpleasant smell can ruin everything. Let's try to figure out why the bathroom smells like sewage and how you can eliminate this smell.
There can be several reasons, from a local clogged pipe to problems in the general sewer system of an apartment building. The main thing is not to try to mask the problem with air fresheners, but to decide to get rid of it radically.
Malfunctions in the public sewer
Problems in the sewer distribution of the house can cause an unpleasant smell not only in the bathroom, but throughout the apartment, as well as in the entrance. In this case, you will not be able to resolve the issue on your own. The municipal organization or other management company is responsible for the central sewerage. Therefore, your actions are limited to the following:
- Leave a request to the responsible organization to identify and eliminate the problem.
- Wait for its execution and check the result.
Problems with sewerage in the apartment
The cause of an unpleasant smell in the bathroom can be an incorrect connection of the sewer wiring to the central unit. Sewerage, as a non-pressure system, functions due to the slope of the pipes. And if mistakes were made during the installation of the wiring at the construction stage of the house, the following problems may appear:
- failure of the water seal in the siphons of sinks, showers or bathtubs, which prevents the spread of odor from the sewer;
- broken or leaking pipes.
Important! Only the correct angle of inclination of the sewer pipes will ensure the normal operation of the sewer in the apartment. For pipes with a diameter of 50 mm, the minimum slope is 0.025, normal - 0.035. For pipes with a diameter of 110 mm, the minimum slope is 0.012, normal - 0.02. The slope is calculated in centimeters per linear meter of pipe.
How to resolve the issue
Unfortunately, in this case, small means to get rid of the problem will not work. You can temporarily remove the smell by replacing the water seal or sealing the break. But sooner or later it will be necessary to radically solve the problem. Efforts and means in this case are estimated at the level of overhaul: you will have to tear off part of the tile and re-install the sewer.
Problems with the siphon (water seal)
All sinks, showers, bathtubs and toilets are equipped with a siphon. It works on the principle of a water seal - a water plug that serves as a barrier to the penetration of odor from the sewer. If the siphon fails, a sewer smell may appear in the bathroom.
Causes of siphon malfunction and solutions
Wrong installation
If the pipe in the siphon of the sink or bathtub is installed higher than necessary, this can cause the smell from the sewer to go over the water seal and penetrate into the room through the sink hole. It is necessary to position the pipe 2–3 cm below the water level so that the water seal can perform its task.
No water in the siphon
This situation can occur after prolonged non-use of the sink or tub. It is enough to run running water for a few minutes, and the siphon will be filled. And if you plan to leave for a long time, you can pour 100–200 grams of vegetable oil into the drain hole of the sink. The oily film will not allow the water to evaporate, and the bathroom will not have an unpleasant smell.
Siphon clogged
To prevent the appearance of smell from the drain hole, you need to periodically disassemble and clean the siphon.
The following available means are suitable as the prevention of blockages:
- Pour 4 tablespoons of soda into the drain and pour a glass of hot water;
- soda, poured into the drain of the sink, pour half a glass of vinegar. Close the drain hole with a cork so that the resulting foam actively works inside;
- Dissolve ½ cup salt in ½ cup hot water and pour down the drain. Wait 10 minutes and clean with a plunger.
Tip: It is not recommended to abuse specialized products to eliminate blockages, since the aggressive chemicals contained in them corrode rubber seals at pipe joints.
Breakdown of the water seal
The water seal can be torn off due to the large slope of the sewer pipes, their too small diameter, freezing, or the ingress of foreign objects into the fan pipe (ventilation riser). What to do:
- Install a siphon with a ventilation valve. The valve opens when the water is drained, and additional air enters the system.
- Clean out the exhaust pipe. A blockage in the ventilation drain makes it impossible for air to pass through the sewer system, and the outlet for bad odors is your sink or bathtub drain. Workers of the utility organization should identify the cause of the blockage of the pipe and eliminate it as soon as possible.
Siphon defect
Any thread chipping or layering can cause the siphon to malfunction. Before buying, you need to check the siphon for defects.
Tip: When choosing a new siphon, opt for a more complex angular design that can hold the water seal better than a simple curved pipe design.
Sewer leakage or insufficient tightness of pipes
The cause of a disgusting smell can be a pipe leak due to improper sewer wiring, chips or pipe wear.
What to do if the pipe is plastic:
Find a leak: inspect the joints and the pipe along its entire length.
If it leaks at the junction:
- clean the joint from dirt and cement;
- dry;
- wrap with a special winding;
- lubricate with sealant;
- do not use the sewer for several hours.
If the leak is along the length of the pipe, the best solution is to replace it. In the case of plastic pipe, this is quick and inexpensive, and the compromises in the form of clamps and gaskets are a temporary solution.
A small hole in a cast iron pipe can be sealed with an aluminum clamp and a piece of rubber. If the damage is severe, the pipe section must be replaced.
Tip: if no leaks are found, for complete certainty and to eliminate this cause of an unpleasant odor, it makes sense to re-seal all the joints of the sewer pipes. To do this, replace the rubber seals and process the joints with sanitary silicone.
Insufficient bathroom ventilation
Poor ventilation is the cause of condensation on pipes, mold and unpleasant odors. The bathroom must be equipped with a forced ventilation hole. Decorative openings at the bottom of the bathroom door will serve as an additional source of air and also help to get rid of moisture. Windows with a micro-ventilation mode will significantly improve air circulation throughout the apartment. The high humidity will be compensated and there will be no bad smell.
From time to time it is necessary to check the sufficiency of the draft of the ventilation hole with the attached piece of paper: if the draft is good, the sheet is kept on the grate. Otherwise, feel free to contact the housing office with an application for checking ventilation.
conclusions
Whatever the reasons for the appearance of a sewer smell in the bathroom, you can still give general advice:
- always make a choice in favor of quality materials and plumbing;
- when repairing, use the services of professionals, when doing the work yourself - competent instructions;
- take preventive measures;
- Don't make a temporary solution to a problem permanent.
