ASK A WESTWOOD, NJ PLUMBER: WHY DO MY DRAINS SMELL?

Whether it’s brushing your teeth, flushing the toilet, or doing dishes, your home’s drains get a ton of use every single day. All this use can lead to a number of common problems including smelly drains. We’ve responded to countless calls for service and we wanted to put together a quick explanation of why your drains might be emitting a foul odor.

Most homeowners don’t realize that their plumbing system functions thanks to a delicate balance of pressure. As water flows through the pipes in your home, it will push air through the pipes along with it. Whether it’s because of a clog or because of poor installation, this pressure can become imbalanced and lead to a number of different issues—one of them being smelly drains.

Most of the drains in your home have something called a U-bend or a trap. This is a u-shaped piece of pipe located below the sink. If you look under your kitchen or bathroom sink you should be able to find it easily.  The bottom of the U is normally supposed to full of water which creates a barrier or seal between the sink and the rest of drain. This seal prevents the foul-smelling sewer gases from getting back up the drain and coming out of the sink.

But sometimes, because of a pressure imbalance, this seal won’t form or it will dry out. This allows all of the bad odors from your plumbing system to come right up out of the sink and into your bathroom or kitchen.

If your drains are already starting to smell then you need to call a plumber. But in the future, there is one way that you might be able to avoid many types of plumbing problems, including smelly drains. Getting regular maintenance for your home’s plumbing system is one of the best things that you can do for your pipes. Plumbing problems usually don’t happen overnight but instead develop over time. During a maintenance visit, your plumber will look for any signs that the pressure in your pipes isn’t balanced or that you have clogs starting to develop.

When you need a plumber in Westwood, NJ, just call the specialists at BZ Dependable.

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