I’m here to talk about about unnatural or awful smelling odors that you find in your home and what you can do to eliminate them. Many or these odors can be traced back to the plumbing system. Not all of them, but a lot of them. And here's why:

Most houses are connected either to a septic tank or to a municipal sewer system. There are sewer gases in that system. All over Annapolis and the County there's sewer gases running all over underground through the system. Traps are installed on the plumbing fixtures that protect you from getting sewer gasses in your home. If that trap dries out the seal is broken and sewer gasses can permeate into your home.

First of all where should you look?

1. How often are your guest bathrooms used??
2. That Bathtub in Your Master Bath. How often do you use it?
3. Have you moved the Laundry from the basement to one of the upper floors to make it more accessible?

Do you have a funny odor? Even if you don't have an odor, these are things you should check anyway. Check your bathrooms. Many of us have guest baths or a soaking tub that is rarely used. So those fixtures just sit there, the traps dry out, and then all of a sudden you walk into the bathroom one day and say, Hey, what is that odor? Well, it's probably sewer gas from the dried up trap that's in there.

How do you protect yourself? Turn the water on.

Once a week, go around to every fixture in your house and run it for 30 seconds, won't hurt a thing. Just a little gives you protection from sewer gases that are very obnoxious, unhealthy.

Now for the basement:
Maybe you decided to move the laundry to the second floor where all the clothes were. That's a smart idea. But – were the connections left open in the basement? If you never use that laundry or sink there's a trap and the water in that trap evaporates. When that happens you have a direct connection to the sewer system.

Maybe the laundry was moved or you’ve eliminated a washroom? If you smell an odor in the basement it’ll be hard to restore that trap – You’ll have to find that line and cap it.

It’s pretty scary to think that the gasses from your sewer system can permeate your home. Just once a week visit every fixture in your home and turn the water on. Not only will it keep you safe from gasses it will help you spot or identify any leaks, or malfunctions you may have with your fixtures before it becomes a problem.