Sewer gas is not only unpleasant to smell but also contains bacteria and methane gas that can be dangerous to your health. Children, the elderly, and people with respiratory problems are especially susceptible to these gases. If you smell sewer gas, get outside for fresh air and seek medical attention if symptoms like trouble breathing or dizziness occur. If you have a sewer leak, it’s time to call your local pipefitter. Learn more : Find out

The first thing to do is check all your floor drains, toilets, and vents for water seals or other obstructions. Sometimes, simple issues like dried-out water seals or missing clean-out caps or plugs are the cause of a sewer gas leak. If you can find the source, fixing it is usually as easy as pouring water down the drain or opening up a vent cap to release the trapped sewer gas.

Proactive Home Maintenance: Regular Sewer Gas Testing Tips

Another common source of a sewer gas leak is a failing wax seal or neoprene seal around a toilet. These seals are designed to keep sewage and other waste from seeping back up into the home through the toilet drains, but they can fail over time. If you notice a sewer odor coming from the toilets in your home, call your plumber for a quick test and repair.

A pipefitter can use a special equipment called a smoke tester to check for sewer leaks in your home. The smoke tester blows inert smoke into your plumbing and sewer system through a roof vent stack or a drainage clean-out vent, which will show your plumber where the vapor is coming from. Depending on the size of the leak, your plumber may need to cut open walls to locate the leak and make repairs.