Problem Overflow

Smoke, smells and damp getting into your apartment, and how renters stop them.

Drain & sewer smells

Common drain & sewer smells problems and how to fix them.

  1. Drain & sewer smells Easy · About 5 minutes

    A sewer smell from a drain you rarely use

    The trap, that U-bend, has dried out and lets sewer gas through.
  2. Drain & sewer smells Easy · About 10 minutes

    A smell from the floor drain in the basement or laundry area

    The trap has dried out, or the drain is unclean.
  3. Drain & sewer smells Easy · About 15 minutes

    The kitchen sink smells

    Food film is growing on the drain walls and the strainer.
  4. Drain & sewer smells Easy · About 10 minutes

    A sewer smell around the base of the toilet

    The seal under the toilet may be dried out or loose.
  5. Drain & sewer smells Easy · About 20 minutes

    A sewer smell that comes and goes, or shows up with rain

    The vent stack on the roof, or the main drain, may be blocked or low on air.
  6. Drain & sewer smells Easy · About 20 minutes

    The washing machine or its drain pipe smells

    Damp soap and lint build up inside, and the standpipe may be dry.
  7. Drain & sewer smells Easy · About 5 minutes

    A rotten egg smell: is it sewer or gas?

    Sewer gas and natural gas both smell like sulfur.