Are you searching for “Septic Systems Smells & What To Do About It”? If so there is probably something going wrong with your septic system. Where the smell is coming from can help you narrow down what kind of problem you are having, and that will help knowing what to do about it.
Outside Your Home
Smells that happen outside your home generally relate to the storage system or leech field having some problems. This can be caused by a variety of issues. We will delve into some of them below.
- If you’ve got a ‘conventional’ or ‘traditional’ style septic system, and you are experiencing and odor, this can be an indication that:
- Tanks could need to be pumped*
- There could be a failed drain field or tanks could be leaking sewage**
- If you’ve got an aerobic treatment system with septic orders coming from the tanks or when sprinklers are enabled, especially if the odor is a strong rotten egg smell, this could indicate the following:
- Tanks need to be pumped**
- A manhole may be uncovered partly or the concrete lid could have a break, or if the lid is plastic the seal may be leaking.**
- An appropriate amount of air may not be getting to the aeration tank, which could be the result of the air system being clogged, clogged air filter, broken air lines, or air compressor or aerator being improperly operated.**
- Water over usage, such as washing more laundry in a single day.
- The septic odors have been trapped near ground level by higher air pressures, especially in extremely hot and windless days.
- A neighbor may have a septic issue where the odor is coming from their activated sprinkler system.***
- Another operational issue that was not listed above, that is peculiar to your certain aerobic treatment system brand.
Inside Your Home
When you are smelling odors inside your home and think it is coming from drains there might be an issue inside the home’s plumbing or even things like the vent system having problems. Read more below to get an idea of what might be wrong with your septic system.
- If you are experiencing septic odors coming out of the drains within your home, it is likely caused by a dried out p-trap. This could occur in a bathroom which is not used often, which allows septic gasses to escape into the home. A remedy for this is periodically filling the sinks and tubs in the rarely used bathrooms with water, allowing it to drain. Additionally, if a floor drain exists, such as in a laundry room, you should also fill it with water periodically to avoid the p-trap from drying out.
- The septic odors may occur due to a clogged plumbing vent on the roof. These are vents that work to equalize the pressure within drain pipes while keeping odors at bay. These need a cleaning now and then, similar to how gutters need to be cleaned.
- If the septic odor continues, you should likely reach out to a professional plumber.
Septic System Problem Solutions
*You need to contact a professional, reputable septic pumping company.
**You need to contact a professional, reputable septic repair company.
*** You can contact a local septic permitting agency and submit a complaint. You will need to provide information, such as the street address of the offending system. If the issue continues, contact the permitting agency again to request an update on the complaint.
Phoenix Septic System Inspections
Tracking down the cause of septic smells can be tricky. Our professional septic system technicians can come to your home and inspect the system to help find the problem, and offer affordable solutions to fix it. Many times septic maintenance and repair requires specialized tools and knowledge. Let us use our years of experience to help you solve all of your septic system problems quickly. Call 602-254-5448 today to make your septic problems a thing of the past.
