There is nothing more gut-wrenching than walking down into your basement, only to smell a strong and foul sewer odor. As the basement is situated partly or entirely below the ground floor, you may immediately think of sewer waste backing up into your home. Know, however, that there are a few sources of bad sewer smell that can impact the air quality inside your basement.

That said, here are four areas to check for sewer smell to find the source. Keep on reading to see why you need to get in touch with a licensed plumber in Fort Worth.

1. Floor drains

The sewer stench in your basement may have come from the floor drains. These drains are meant to hold a small amount of water to seal the pipe and prevent the sewer gases from escaping into your home. As the drains dry up over time, the seal can open, allowing sewer gases to escape into the basement. When you have this problem, you can pour a gallon of clean water down the drain. That way, the water will reseal the pipe and make the basement odor-free.

2. Vents

As your basement is enclosed under the ground floor, it doesn’t easily get vented. As a result, it prevents sewer gases from exiting the home. Instead, the sewer gases get trapped inside the basement and stick to the fixtures and appliances. To address this problem, make sure that the laundry rooms and bathrooms are properly ventilated. In most cases, the smells on the upper levels can end up in the basement.

3. Ejector pump

The ejector pump ejects wastewater from a lower level without the help of gravity. The pump is installed on the floor in a basin with a sealed lid and a vent. It is meant to release the gasses emitted from the wastewater. Unfortunately, your ejector pump may have a missing lid, bad seal, or clogged vent, allowing the sewer gases into your basement. When confronted with this problem, make sure that your ejector pump has a properly sealed lid and unclogged vent.

4. Sewer line

It’s highly likely that the sewer stench may have come from a damaged sewer line. The ruptured sewer line may cause a wastewater leak that can get into the ground and make its way into your basement’s sump pit. With a damaged sewer line, you need to leave it to the plumbing professionals to repair it and stop the leak. That said, it’s best to hire the service of a plumbing company in Forth Worth.

Conclusion

At this point, you now have a good idea of what’s causing the bad sewer smell in your basement. As outlined above, be sure to check these four areas in your basement: the floor drains, vents, ejector pump, and sewer line.

If the foul odor persists even after having checked the four common culprits and after having performed the necessary steps listed above, better call your local plumber for a thorough inspection.

We are a plumbing company in Forth Worth, TX that provides plumbing installation, repair, and maintenance. If you need a licensed plumber in Fort Worth to help address the sewer smell in your basement, get in touch with us to see how we can help!