3 Simple Tricks For Finding Sewer Odor In Your Bathroom

Our 24/7 office gets the phone calls all the time with customers saying, “I have an intermittent sewer odor in my bathroom, I have checked the traps in my shower and my sink and still have an odor.”

Most people don’t know what to do from here, So we are breaking down three amazing steps to help you try to track down that nasty odor.

Step #1

Pop the caps off both sides of toilet bolts. These are located on each side at the base of the toilet. If you can put your nose close to these areas, and do a quick sniff check, it may be obvious right away. If not, take plumbers putty and cover the entire bolt and plastic washer up, covering the toilet holes.

Step #2

Once you cap off the bolts with plumbers putty, then take a  damp towel and wrap it around the base of the toilet. If you have carpet or wood floors, then use a large heavy dry towel to wrap around the base of the toilet

Shut your bathroom door, let an hour or so go by and walk back in to see if the odor is gone. If the odor is gone, then you detected it and all you’ll need to do is remove your toilet and replace the wax seal.

We love using the new anti-leak non-wax seal.

Step #3

If the above steps didn’t work, then remove electrical outlet covers only, then put your nose a few inches away from the socket and see if you are getting a strong odor from inside the wall.

Now, if none of the above steps work, then it’s time to hire a Sewer Odor Detection Company .

We would recommend they use smoke testing equipment. So many home owners go to a big box store like Home Depot or look for a sewer gas detector online, and only find a methane gas sniffer .

This can possibly work, but the downside is that it will not pinpoint a sewer gas smell source unless you have access to the entire waste and vent system. Your nose is essentially doing the same exact thing.

If you call in a plumber or odor detection expert who states they have smoke testing equipment ask them these questions before you book their services:

Question #1 – Is your smoke detection equipment non-toxic?

If they say no, then be aware the smoke they would be using is toxic and can cause secondary odor damage to carpet, walls and furniture. It has a long term stagnation and it’s not good for your lungs and eyes.  This type of smoke is great for outside sewer odor detection work, such as use for outside sewer cleanouts, roofs, etc.

Question #2 – Do you have a colored micro camera?

This is important, the pipes in your walls are small in diameter, so a small color camera is critical.

Question #3 – Do you guarantee you will find my sewer odor, with NO charge if you don’t find it?

A smoke test company should have NO problems offering you a GUARANTEED sewer odor detection if in fact it’s a sewer problem.

The next step would be to perform a hydrostatic water test.

This is a bit more involved and you have to be very careful as it can cause water damage inside the property.

This process is when you cap off the plumbing and fill it up with water, if the water level drops, and you begin to see water coming through the floor, ceiling or walls, then you know that’s where the issue is.

This has so many variables that determines cost.  Costs and be on the higher side if it’s a difficult location to access, or if the sewer gas is intermittent and very faint.

Costs can be as high as $3,900 or as low as $550 for a single pipe.

If you have a sewer odor inside your property, there are no enzymes or filters that will remove the odor. The plumbing system has a crack or breach that will always be an issue.

But, if your problem is an outside issue, one inexpensive way is to install a vent pipe filter like Odor Hog .

Hydro jetting is a great method for cleaning a line that has massive build up, but the P traps in your property is what will prevent sewer gases from coming up, so the answer to the question is no. It is certainly is a benefit, but not a cure.

Hydro jetting is a great method for cleaning a line that has massive build up, but the P traps in your property is what will prevent sewer gases from coming up, so the answer to the question is no. It is certainly is a benefit, but not a cure.