Why does basement drain smell

Solution: Dump around a gallon of clean water down the drain to reseal the pipe and keep the odor out of your basement add a mild household cleaner to the water for a fresh scent.

Note: This applies to rarely-used toilets, as well. If the water in a toilet bowl has dried up, simply flush the toilet again. Without this plug, sewer gas has a direct path into your basement. Solution: Remove the grate on the drain opening and see if the plug is missing.

New plugs can be purchased at about any hardware store. Solution: Make sure your ejector pit if you have one has a properly fitted lid with a good seal. Inspect the waste discharge pipe and vent pipe for any cracks or obstructions. But, floor drains contain something else.

They contain a section that bypasses the water trap. This is the area below shown in yellow. This section contains a plug that stops the sewer gas. Whenever you clean the drain, this plug needs to be put back in place. When this device is missing sewer gas will be able to enter your home and stink it up. Has it been a while since you flushed the toilet? If so, the water in your toilet trap Yep, toilets have them too! A toilet flange mounts your toilet to the floor and connects the toilet to the drain pipe.

If this seal starts to leak for some reason sewer gas can enter your home via your toilet. If your toilet is wobbling, it could indicate a problem with this seal. Maybe it has dried out or the toilet was improperly installed. Remove the toilet and replace the wax ring.

Do you have a bathroom or laundry room in your basement? If so, you have something called an ejector pump. Its job is to pump wastewater up to the sewer line. You see, sewer systems work with gravity and if your toilet is below the sewer line the wastewater will need help reaching it. Ejector pumps work in tandem with an ejector pit also called a sump basin. This pit is supposed to be properly sealed and vented.

If the cover is missing or the seal has been broken, sewer gas can enter your basement. Basements have a floor drain in case of overflow. Because they are rarely used, they are often the source of sewer smells. Over time, this seal can open up for a variety of reasons, including little use. This releases sewer gases into the basement. The easiest way to solve the issue is to pour a gallon of clean water down the drain to keep it working.

Does your home have a partially finished basement? Is the laundry room downstairs? Do you have a rarely used bathroom? Confirm that all basement fixtures and appliances are properly vented and in good working condition.

If everything appears to be working in the basement, you should also check other fixtures and appliances on other levels, as sometimes they can be the cause of problems. Sewer lines will not exist indefinitely without problems. Over time, age, general usage, landscaping issues, and more can damage the sewer line.