Action Plumbing, HVAC, & Electric

Your Local Plumbing, HVAC, & Electric Experts

Tag: toilet odor

In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the common reasons why your bathroom, and specifically your toilet, is letting off foul odors well beyond the normal scope. The toilet doesn’t always smell great based on its common uses, but there are situations where significant odors will linger well beyond their normal levels, even when it’s been hours in between uses, and these often signal damage or other issues taking place.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’re happy to offer numerous toilet repair and related services for those experiencing any issues with this vital plumbing fixture. What are some of the other possible causes of these foul sewage odors in or around your toilet, and how can you both be rid of them and be sure they aren’t signaling a larger problem that needs to be remedied? Part two of our series will look at these areas in detail.

Bacteria Presence

One toilet odor issue that’s a bit less common in Utah due to the dry air, but still may take place at times, is the presence of bacteria that makes its way up through the toilet and into your breathing air. These bacteria are most prone to this effect during humid conditions – this means if you’re able to keep your bathroom relatively dry, like the state itself, you should be able to avoid this concern.

If you determine a humid bathroom space has allowed these bacteria up through your sewer system, bleach is the primary solution. Pour it into the overflow pipe or the flush valve of your system, rather than the bowl itself, as this will ensure it hits the entire system.

P-Trap or Vent Pipe Concerns

Under your sink and/or toilet in the bathroom, there’s a section of piping called the P-Trap. Shaped like a U, this pipe is meant to hold a small amount of water specifically to guard against smells making their way up into your bathroom.

If this water is allowed to evaporate, however, this protective layer vanishes. If this has happened, which is more common for lesser-used toilets where water sits for long periods, either pour water down the drain or flush the toilet to re-fill the P-Trap. If the odor persists, you have a more significant issue and should call our plumbers for repairs.

Sink Overflow

Finally, your bathroom sink actually may be the cause of the odor in certain cases. This can happen if your sink has an overflow mechanism meant to relieve the pressure if the sink is overfilled – but this same mechanism can collect sewage and other buildup, and eventually smell really bad. In some cases you can clean this on your own, while in others you’ll need our plumbers for a full drain cleaning.

For more on how to diagnose the cause of poor odors coming from your toilet area, or to learn about any of our drain cleaning, toilet repair or other plumbing or HVAC services, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today.

As we’re all well aware, toilets and bathrooms can get stinky for somewhat obvious reasons. Bodily waste doesn’t exactly smell great, but a good toilet will remove any significant odors through proper flushing and drainage – and if you’ve noticed that your toilet is not doing this, and is remaining stinky and putting out putrid odors even well after it’s been used, this could be a problem.

At Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’re happy to provide numerous toilet repair and related services for any homeowner experiencing odor or other issues with one or more of their toilets. For us to adequately assess and remedy a smell issue in your toilet, we must first investigate the cause of the issue – and there could be a few different such causes. This two-part blog series will look at several of the underlying reasons why your toilet might be letting off poor odors even between uses.

Broken Toilet Seal

All toilets today come with a wax ring inside their base, and this feature is responsible for sealing the toilet – not only against moisture leakage, but also against odor. It’s meant to be airtight, keeping many of the smells that exist in your pipes and below your toilet from making their way into your breathing air.

If this seal is damaged or broken, however, both air and moisture can make their way through. The first signs here will often be a toilet that rocks back and forth when you sit on it, or you may also begin to notice smells and/or leaks at the bottom of the toilet. In these cases, call our plumbers right away for a repair of your wax seal.

Rare Usage

In some homes, certain toilets won’t get a whole lot of use. Some have a basement toilet, for instance. These toilets may smell when they’re flushed for the first time, or because their water has evaporated and allowed smells to travel from inside the drain up to your air. If you have one of these toilets, we recommend flushing it at least once or twice a month just to prevent this and other risks.

Clogs or Blockages

Another of the most common causes of odors from the toilet: Blockages or clogs, which can take place due to long-term buildup or due to a single instance of an incorrect item being flushed down. Other signs of blockages include slow draining or even toilets overflowing when they refuse to drain, but in many cases odor is present well before these events take place – and you can prevent such concerns by remedying the blockage right away, something our plumbers are happy to help with.

For more on the causes of odors coming from your toilet, or to learn about any of our toilet repair or other plumbing services, HVAC services and more, speak to the staff at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today.