Why Does my Basement Smell Like Sewer

Your home is your castle, and you want that castle to be clean and inviting. If you walk into your basement and smell a sewage smell, then you are failing at reaching that goal. Michael Bonsby HVAC & Plumbing recently launched a new branch of our business, Michael Bonsby Plumbing & Drain Cleaning, and we would be happy to help you with this frustrating problem. We proudly serve homes in Montgomery County.

Here are some steps to troubleshoot the problem before you call.

Check for a Floor Drain

If you have a floor drain in an unfinished basement, then the only water that drain probably receives is condensate water from the furnace. Unfortunately that is not enough water to keep the drain working well, and the trap serving the drain may have dried out. Water can then stagnate in the trap, causing a putrid smell.

To fix this, you need to clean the drain thoroughly. Contact us if you need a professional to clean your home’s drains.

Check the Ejector Pit

If the drain is not the problem, check to see if you have an ejector pit. An ejector pit receives water from the laundry, bathroom, kitchen and other areas of the house, and it is supposed to send that water out of the house. You can tell if you have this if you have two pits in the basement one for the sump pump and another to handle the water.

Ejector pits are supposed to have a tightly sealed lid, but unfortunately sometimes builders or homeowners cut corners and simply install a sump pump without a lid. If this is the case, then you have found the source of your smell. To fix it, you will need to have a professional plumbing team install an ejector pump with a sealed ejector lid.

Check Basement Plumbing

Finally, check any plumbing fixtures in the basement, like your laundry room or an extra bathroom. If these were added after the home was built, they may not be properly vented. Venting these fixtures into the walls without tying the vent to something else will cause a sewer smell in the basement. Similarly, if your upper floor plumbing fixtures are not vented properly the sewage smell can seep into the basement.

Check with a Plumbing Professional

If you have checked these three things and still are confused about your smelly basement, you need the help of a plumbing professional to scope out the problem and find a solution. Contact Michael Bonsby Plumbing & Drain Cleaning, to schedule an assessment and eliminate your smelly basement.

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