Possible reasons
To understand why it smells like sewage in the toilet, you should study the general system of disposal of used water in the apartment and the house as a whole.
The drainage system consists of the following parts:
- plumbing siphons;
- indoor pipes;
- risers.
To prevent the smell of sewage from entering a private house, a siphon equipped with a water seal is called on. The water plug in the bend of the siphon serves as a protection against the penetration of a strong odor from a common riser. If the water from the siphon disappears for any reason, the stench begins to penetrate the room.
In addition to problems inside the apartment, the smell can be caused by a malfunction of the common riser. In order for it to function normally, an inflow of outside air through a fan pipe installed in the upper part of the riser is needed.
Violation of the position of the fan pipe or its blockage disrupts the normal process of natural flow, as a result of which air from the basement begins to penetrate into the siphons and pipes through poorly sealed joints, leading to the appearance of a smell of sewage in the toilet or bathroom. Siphons in the bathroom located near the floor are especially vulnerable.
There are several reasons why it can smell sewage inside the apartment:
- improperly designed or assembled sewage system in an apartment or private house. Mistakes made in the layout of the drain pipe lead to inefficient waste disposal and odor. The solution in this case is only one - dismantling and laying the new system;
- failure to comply with the required angle of the drain pipe indoors. A wide angle of inclination does not allow water to leak quickly. The waste stagnates, from the sink in the kitchen and the sinks in the bath starts to stink. With such a problem, it is also necessary to replace the system or carefully seal the joints;
- dysfunction of the siphon. It can occur due to the difference in atmospheric pressure and pressure inside the sewage system, as a result of which air jams can form. Such malfunctions can also occur due to improperly selected diameter of the risers, clogging and icing;
- violation of the tightness of the joints. Leaks are easy to spot in small puddles at the pipe junctions. You can deal with this phenomenon by replacing rubber gaskets at the pipe junction;
- malfunctioning ventilation. Stagnation of air in a humid place leads to the appearance of foci of mold, the spread of fungus and an unpleasant odor. The ventilation shafts pass from the first to the last floor, any blockage of the channel leads to the failure of the entire system;
- blockages inside the drain pipes and siphons. Trash in pipes is the most common cause of stench. To get rid of a smell, it is enough to remove internal pollution.
Problem Solving Methods
Before you start studying the issue of how to remove the smell of sewage in a bathroom or toilet, you must correctly determine the cause of its occurrence. A correctly discovered flaw will indicate what to do with the problem.
To check the operation of the ventilation system, use a regular sheet of paper. It must be attached to the grill covering the ventilation hole. If the leaf holds - the draft is excellent, the smell problem is not due to ventilation. If the leaf fell - you need to look for the cause of poor traction, maybe the channels are clogged. Another popular way to test cravings is to bring a lit match. With good ventilation, the flame will deviate towards the shaft.
If the problem is not ventilation, begin to check the drain in the sinks and bath. Faucets open to full pressure and monitor the flow of water into the drain hole. If the water leaves slowly, there is a blockage. If the water leaves well, but the smell remains, just pour boiling water into the drain, which will cleanse body fat.
If, after checking the ventilation and pipes, there is no answer, why does the private house smell of sewage, check the joints of the pipes and the base of the toilet for leaks. A clean white napkin is placed under suspicious joints and observed. If it gets wet - the joint is not tight.
If after all the checks the smell remains, then the problem is not inside the apartment, but in the common house riser. In this case, you can’t cope on your own, you need to call the plumbers.
Troubleshoot ventilation issues
How to get rid of ventilation problems? First of all, you need to find the cause of traction loss. Often, hood performance drops when:
- clogging of the channels occurs;
- the doors in the bathroom are pressed too tightly to the box;
- neighbors from the lower floor installed a powerful fan in the mine.
When assessing, it should be borne in mind that on hot days the draft in the ventilation shaft is worse due to the outside warm air, which prevents the inside warm air from escaping. To eliminate the difference, you just need to leave the door to the bathroom ajar.
To determine the problem, you need to remove the grille that covers the ventilation hole, and then, using a flashlight, look at the condition of the channels. If garbage is found, they get it with a wire with a bent end, well, or with your hands.
If the tight fit of the door leaf is to blame for poor ventilation, you can install ventilation holes in its lower part or cut the lower part of the door leaf to obtain a small clearance.
If the owners do not want to violate the integrity of the door, it is recommended that you do not completely close the door to the bathroom, because a small gap will be sufficient to allow for indoor air circulation.
The best solution for normalizing ventilation in the bathroom is to install an exhaust fan.
Cleaning siphons and pipes
Among the tools of each owner there will be a plunger and a metal cable for cleaning pipes in the sewer system. To work with them does not require experience or special skills.
The plunger is suitable when you need to quickly clean a clogged siphon in the kitchen or bathroom. With a stronger blockage, especially located away from the drain, he can not cope. You can read more on this topic in this article.
When working with a plunger, the following sequence of actions is followed:
- the bath or sink is filled with water so that the rubber part of the plunger covering the drain hole is completely hidden;
- after that, it is enough to make 5-7 sharp movements by the plunger up and down. Pressure is generated in the drainage system, which helps to release the siphon from the accumulated debris, pushing it further down the drain pipe;
- plunger is removed and again allowed to run water. If she does not leave fast enough, the operation is repeated.
The cable will help to cope with the accumulation of debris in the far sections of the pipe. When working with a metal cable, it should be borne in mind that plastic pipes can be damaged from contact with metal, therefore it is better to clean the cable with metal pipes only.
The order of work with the cable:
- the end of the cable is pushed through the drain hole all the way to the blockage;
- when the tip reaches the stop, the cable begins to rotate around its axis counterclockwise. Thus, you can hook the garbage and pull it out, or push the cork into the common house riser;
- after completion of work, the cable is removed, and hot water is passed through the drain;
- so that the cable retains its shape, after work it should be thoroughly washed, dried and applied with a protective lubricant.
You can remove the stench not only mechanically, but also chemically.
The market offers ready-made formulations in the form of gels, liquids, powders or granules. When working with them, you must follow the instructions on the packaging or bottle.
You can cope with traffic jams with home remedies:
- pour 200 g into the drain. soda and leave for half an hour, after which the pipes are cleaned with hot water;
- enhance the effect of soda will allow 200 ml of vinegar. Flush the pipes also after half an hour;
- citric acid is diluted in boiling water and poured into a sink. Hot water can be shed after acid ceases to form foam.
Joint Repair
Traditionally, flax or fum tape is used to seal the threaded joints of plumbing pipes, but sealant is best suited to ensure a tight fit of the drain pipes.
When choosing a sealant, you should pay attention to the composition and purpose. Only plumbing sealants that provide protection against fungus should be purchased.
The composition of the sealants is divided into the following types:
- silicone. They have high elasticity and do not lose their original properties when temperature changes;
- acrylic. Less elastic sealants, but also retain water perfectly and are not sensitive to temperature jumps;
- polyurethane. This type of sealant has a pungent smell at the time of drying, but after building strength, unpleasant odors go away. An additional plus - this sealant can be painted;
- acrylic silicone. Suitable for sealing any plumbing elements and repair work.
Before starting work with sealant, it is necessary to dry and degrease the seal. Apply sealant in a continuous line around the entire circumference of the joint.
It is possible to start operation of the sewage system only after the sealant has completely dried. The drying time for each species is different, therefore, before sealing, you need to read the instructions for use.
Recommendations for the prevention of unpleasant odors
To protect residents from the smell of sewage in the apartment, you need to constantly monitor the condition of the internal sewer system. Each owner with his own hands is able to perform the following protective actions and eliminate the prerequisites for the appearance of unpleasant odors:
- Place plastic nets on the sinks in the kitchen, bathroom and shower to catch large particles.
- Once every 30-40 days, pipes should be cleaned with mechanical or chemical agents.
- In high-rise buildings, it is recommended to constantly evaluate the state of ventilation. Once every 6 months, it is enough to examine the ventilation shaft in the bathroom.