When your sewer line gives off foul odors, DIY project websites claim to have solutions that don’t require a plumber. Some of these ideas offer temporary relief. However, without professional assistance, the issue may worsen until you’re dealing with a broken pipe or massive clog.

1. Your P-trap Dried Up

Your sewer line has a U-shaped pipe called a P-trap that collects wastewater, which keeps odors out of your house. When the P-trap dries out, odors and gases can leak out. If you haven’t used this appliance in a while, running the water could resolve this issue. However, if odors persist, you’ll need a plumber to inspect your P-trap.

2. Your Vent Pipe Is Broken

Vent pipes release sewage odors when you flush your toilet. Sewage odors in your house may indicate a clogged, broken, or incorrectly installed vent pipe that’s trapping odors inside your house. A plumber could inspect your vent pipe and replace it with a new one.

3. Your Pipes Are Blocked

When you bathe, you’ll wash soap, shampoo, conditioner, hair, and skin cells down the drain. Over time, these substances build up in your pipes and create a gunk called “biofilm.” In the kitchen, oils and food particles go down the drain. Grease, cooking oil, eggshells, coffee grounds and fibrous foods get stuck in the pipes and create blockages.

Misusing the toilet also blocks your sewer line. If you flush anything but toilet paper, you’ll create a blockage that takes hundreds of years to break down. Likewise, tree roots can creep into your pipes and form a tight, impenetrable cluster.

Drain cleaners may temporarily loosen your pipes, but without professional assistance, the gunk continues to build until it seals off your sewer line. Plumbers use advanced techniques, such as hydro jetting, to clear blockages and scrub the inside of your sewer line until water flows freely again.

4. Your Lines Sprung a Leak

Leaky pipes may cause water damage, expose your family to bacteria, and release foul odors. Since sewer lines are underground, you can’t inspect them yourself without digging a trench in your yard. Plumbers use small cameras to inspect your pipes with minimal invasion. If possible, they’ll discuss trenchless repair options, such as pipe relining or pipe bursting.

5. Your Plumbing Is Outdated

Old, outdated pipes are more susceptible to cracks, leaks, and deterioration. Sometimes, plumbers have to dig up your pipes to replace them with new lines. However, they’ll use technology to pinpoint the source of the issue and disturb your yard as little as possible. Afterward, they’ll refill the trench and restore your lawn’s appearance.

Once a plumber repairs your sewer line, you’ll have clear drains and fresh water again. Call NCPD Service for sewer line services in Asheville, NC.