Diagnosing and Curing Sewer Gas Smells and Septic Tank Odors InspectAPedia® -
How to prevent or cure sewer gas odors from septic systems, building plumbing, & other causes
Sewer gas smell diagnosis - plumbing checklist & gas sniffer equipment advice
Septic gas smell diagnosis - septic system checklist
Other causes of sewage odors, septic odors, sewer gas, rotten egg, or other indoor gas odors
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This page describes how to diagnose, find, and cure odors in buildings including septic or sewage or sewer gas smells or "gas odors" in buildings
with a focus on homes with a private onsite septic tank but including tips for owners whose home is connected to a sewer system as well. What makes the smell in sewer gas? Sewer gases are more than an obnoxious odor.
Because sewer gas contains
methane gas (CH4) there is a risk of an explosion hazard or even fatal asphyxiation.
Sewer gases also probably contain hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S) In addition some writers opine that there are possible
health hazards from sewer gas exposure, such as a bacterial infection of the sinuses (which can occur due to any sinus irritation). Depending on the sewer gas source and other factors such as humidity and building
and weather conditions, mold spores may also be present in sewer gases.
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to the author. Technical review by industry experts has been performed and is ongoing - reviewers welcomed and are listed at "References."
First Steps to Check for the Source and Cure of Sewer Gas Odors
What steps are useful to avoid smelling (or blowing up from) the gases that form and naturally want to escape from residential septic systems? How can we diagnose sewer odors at a building site to determine
if it's a venting problem, a failure of the septic system, or the failure of a neighbor's septic system, or perhaps even a leak from a fuel gas line or appliance?
First Check for Very Dangerous Conditions: fuel gas leaks, sewer gas leaks, gas accumulation
Check for leaks in fuel gas lines and appliances: the mercaptan put into LP gas and natural gas is inserted there by the
gas company as a safety feature so that people may notice that they have a dangerous (explosive) gas leak in
their home. Some people may confuse this odor with a septic tank gas odor.
The photo shows black stains on copper tubing at the flare fitting connecting an LP gas line to a shutoff valve. Some service technicians
point to stains on piping as an evidence of a possible chronic leak in the gas line at this point.
If you suspect that there is a fuel gas leak in a home, or even if there is a gas odor from any source, leave the building and call
your fire department for assistance. Even so simple a task as dialing a telephone could provide a dangerous spark and cause an explosion. In New York City there seems to be about one terrible gas explosion
a year that is blamed on either a fuel gas leak or a sewer gas leak which accumulated explosive gas in a building. Also see Gas Piping and Tank Defects.
Observe septic system safety procedures When opening a septic tank for service or repair, observe the safety precautions I describe earlier
on this web page.
We have had reports of a septic pumper having his face burned by exploding methane when he lit a cigarette during pumping, a homeowner who generated an explosion of the septic tank that rocked the entire
neighborhood when he built a brush fire atop the septic tank.
We have also read of deaths occurring when untrained service people entered a pumped-out septic tank to inspect it.
Continue tracking sewer gas odors by using the diagnostic odor tracking articles listed below.
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Thanks to Slade Franklin
for the reminder that a leaky wax ring at a toilet can lead to septic odors in bathrooms. 11/2007
Thanks to J.V. (privacy protected) for the reminder to make a detailed inspection of the plumbing vent system when sewer gas odors are present. 07/2008
Thanks to Roger Hankey & Cheryll Brown, www.hankeyandbrown.com, ASHI home inspectors in Minnesota, for the deteriorated transite pipe gas flue vent photograph and comments. Mr. Hankey is a past chairman of the ASHI Technical Committee, serves as co-chairman of ASHI legislative committee, and has served in other ASHI professional and leadership roles. 7/2007.
Thanks to astute reader Conrad for discussion of the procedure for diagnosing and curing the cause of sewer gas odors in ductwork, 01/31/2010. Additional measures useful in tracking down the source of odors coming from duct work can be found at DUCT & AIR HANDLER ODORS.
Track the septic odor strength to a source: The photo shows how this pays off. A family room over this crawl space had the strongest septic odors. An abandoned waste line was no longer connected to a bathroom but it had been left open in the crawl space, permitting gases
from the septic system to enter that area.
Is the sewage odor stronger outside or indoors? If indoors, is the odor only at a specific bathroom or fixture? Perhaps there is simply a particular bathroom which is missing
a plumbing vent.
If the sewage odor is strongest outside that suggests a septic or sewer gas problem in the septic or sewer system, but don't rule out unusual site or wind conditions discussed below.
Track the septic or sewer odor source to its strongest point. Before tearing up your own property or drains or building, let's
be sure the odor is coming from your property and not from a neighbor or other facility.
Plumbing Vent Piping Defects May Release Sewer Gas Odors Indoors
See Plumbing Vent Defects for an explanation of sewer gas leaks from building drain vent piping.
Install proper and complete drain-waste-vent (DWV) piping in the building: sometimes a building drain system has inadequate or
missing plumbing vents. The first photo just below below shows our client observing a very questionable plumbing vent on a new house. The vent is
so far from vertical that we wondered if it had been connected to anything inside, and even if it was, we took this detail to
suggest work by someone who lacked proper training - so we were alert for other plumbing defects in the building.
Plumbing vents outside but by a window or door: Just as is shown in the second photograph above, plumbing vents which terminate outside but right next to an upper story window permit sewer gas entered the room when the window is open.
Plumbing vents which have been accidentally closed off or blocked: some plumbing vents include a screen which can slide down, closing off the vent and causing sewer gas backups in the building. We've also found plumbing bents blocked by wasps nests, birds, and once even a frog. Our photos above show how we simply raised the screen back up to open an old sheet-metal vent.
Leaking plumbing vent system piping: check that all of the pipe connections in the building's plumbing vent system have been properly made and sealed. Particularly with plastic piping it's possible for an installer to push vent pipe sections together while forgetting the glue.
Because the vent is passing only gas, no one notices that it's leaking until there is an odor complaint, the pipe falls apart (which may never happen), or there is a sewer gas explosion. An experienced plumber may spot a loose vent piping correction quickly, especially in an attic or basement. It helps if you've already traced the sewer gas smell to its strongest location.
Pressure test the vent piping or drain piping systems: It is also possible to perform a pressure test of the vent piping system or the drain piping system - a procedure which will diagnose for sure whether or not the plumbing vent system is leaking sewer gas. A plumber installs seals at appropriate locations and pressurizes the piping to check for leaks. [Thanks to J.V. for this detail.]
Missing plumbing vents: I've seen systems with no vents at all - which often leads to sewer gases reentering the building through sink and shower traps.
Plumbing vents which are too short in their above-roof projection can be blocked by snow and ice in freezing climates.
Plumbing vents which are blocked by ice freezing inside the vent line: in freezing weather if a lot of water vapor is passing up the vent line, for example from long steamy showers or perhaps from a hot water fixture left running or leaking into the drain system, frost can form in the vent piping where it passes through a cold attic and outside. When the frost becomes heavy enough it can block the plumbing vent system completely.
In freezing climates, check that a plumbing vent is not being blocked by frost or by snow-cover.
Waste line sounds heard
in piping or at plumbing fixtures, such as "drain gurgling" or "glub glub" sounds, or similar noises may indicate defective or clogged plumbing, We discuss how to diagnose and cure drain sounds at Plumbing Drain Noises. . Also see Wet Weather or Cold Weather Septic Odors or Sewage Odor Diagnosis & Repair Guide
Transite pipe plumbing vents - an cement-asbestos material, can become delaminated and clogged with age, blocking the plumbing vent system. See Transite Pipes, Chimneys & Flues [Photograph courtesy of Roger Hankey].
Plumbing vents terminating indoors: We sometimes find plumbing vents which terminated in the house attic rather than being vented outside - the plumber didn't want to cut the hole in the roof, perhaps because she didn't have the proper tools, ladder, or roof vent flashing at hand.
We've also found plumbing vent lines that had been cut indoors where a fixture was removed or moved, leaving an open vent line that should have been capped or sealed.
Check for blocked building plumbing vents such as a vent blocked by an insect nest, birds nest, or even a dead
animal. Incidentally, a dead animal anywhere in a building might be mistaken for a sewer gas smell as the animal decays.
Live animals can block a plumbing vent too. I found a live frog in one building plumbing vent, right at the rooftop, as shown in this photo!
In freezing climates, check that a plumbing vent is not being blocked by frost or by snow-cover.
See Cold Weather Septic Odors or Sewage Odor Diagnosis and
also see Plumbing Drain Noises. Waste line sounds heard
in piping or at plumbing fixtures, such as "drain gurgling" or "glub glub" sounds, or similar noises may indicate defective or clogged plumbing, We discuss how to diagnose and cure drain sounds
here.
Plumbing vent distances to fixtures: Plumbing codes require that plumbing vent lines be installed sufficiently close to plumbing fixtures to vent those drains (typically 5' or less) and that the vent system conducts any sewer gases
outside and above the building (not in the attic).
House Traps and Sewer Gases: Some residential plumbers like to install a trap in the main house sewer line at the point where the line exits the house wall to head for the septic tank. Such traps may protect copper
waste lines from corrosive sewer gases. They also may prevent gases from a septic tank from passing back up the waste line and up the house plumbing vent stack.
Problems With Plumbing Fixtures or Fixture Traps Can Release Sewer Gas Odors Indoors
Look below the sinks for antiquated or un-vented drains - if you see an "S" trap rather than a modern "P" shaped plumbing drain trap, the fixture is almost certainly not properly vented. Don't forget to check for smells at your garbage disposer drain too. If that
is the odor source you may be able to remove the odor by cleaning liquids or even simple vinegar.
Inspect the building plumbing traps for leaks, defects or improper or missing traps:
The photo shows a plumbing "trap" that is guaranteed to produce odors: it's not a plumbing trap at all, but rather this plumbing drain uses a car radiator hose.
This was a great idea for an emergency "Sunday night" plumbing repair, but not something to keep in a home.
Note that there is
no bend in the trap to hold a water seal - sewer gases will pass readily out of this sink drain into the building. This home made drain pipe also leaks, as you can see by
the black mold on paper located below the sink.
Check your toilets for leaks at the toilet base. The wax ring used to seal the toilet base to the waste pipe at the floor may
be deteriorated or leaky, especially if the toilet is loose or was previously loose.
A wobbly toilet compresses the wax ring seal, leading to leaks and sewer gas odors in the bathroom. In the photograph shown here, stains around the toilet base suggested that this toilet had been leaking at its base - a condition both unsanitary and smelly.
How to check for a loose toilet: Straddle the toilet and gently pinch it between your knees. Then gently push on each side of the toilet to see if it moves. If the toilet moves it may be leaking into the floor (and ceiling below) - an unsanitary condition. The toilet needs to be removed, any damaged
floor repaired, and then the toilet is reinstalled using a new wax toilet sealing ring before bolting it securely to the floor.
A toilet may be leaking sewage and or sewer gas through a bad wax ring seal even if the toilet is not wobbly on its base.
So if we suspect this cause it's reasonable to go ahead and replace the seal - it should not be a big job unless you manage to break the toilet itself. Make sure that the new wax ring is properly seated and that the toilet is bolted securely to the floor.
Don't push the toilet down on the wax ring and then pull it up again and then put it back without installing a new ring - I'm afraid that you'll compress the ring and it will leak again even though the toilet is bolted down again. Instead, center the ring carefully and center the toilet carefully during installation, press the toilet down onto the ring but not excessively. Let the toilet bolts make the last 1/8" of bolt-down of toilet to the floor so you know you've compressed the wax ring into a good seal between toilet and waste pipe.
Building Drain & Sewer Line Defects Can Release Sewer Gases & Odors Indoors
Check for a cap left off of a sewer line cleanout:
Our client is pointing out an open sewer line in the basement of a home she was purchasing. The cap had been left off of a cleanout port where main waste line exited the building.
We suspected more trouble than just an open drain cleanout permitting sewer gases to leak into the basement.
Because this "work" appeared to have just been performed, right before our property inspection, we wondered if someone had been asked to attempt to clear a blocked connection between the building sewer line and the community sewer (or private septic system).
Inspect the building drains and gas lines for leaks: Plumbing drains and traps may smell regardless, as they are usually a reservoir for organic debris.
But if you notice a sewer gas smell particularly at one or more plumbing drains, the fixture may not be properly vented. If the plumbing fixture "gurgles" or makes funny noises when it is draining, or when nearby fixtures are draining, I would certainly suspect that the fixture is not well vented or may not be vented at all. Try flushing the toilet in each bath and listen to the nearby shower, tub, or sink drains for gurgling noises.
Septic System or Sewer Piping Blockage or Failure Can Produce Sewer or Septic Gases Outdoors OR Indoors
Inspect the septic system for evidence of failure: our photo shows green septic dye in the yard during a septic loading and dye test. If the sewer or gas odor or smell is strongest outside, and if you rule out an unusual site shape or wind blowing odors down from your plumbing vent system,
your septic system may be failing.
Sewage odors may be noticed from a failing drainfield even if at the moment you don't see a wet or soggy area which shows actual sewage effluent on the yard surface. If this is the case
you may want to request a septic system inspection as well as a tank pumpout and inspection afterwards. See Cold Weather Septic Odors or Sewage Odor Diagnosis
which also discusses sewer gas odors that can occur when a drain or septic system are partly blocked or sluggish. Also see Septic System Safety.
Check for a sewer line vent through the building foundation wall: I often find that a vent has been placed at a house foundation wall just above where the sewer line leaves the building. I suspect the plumber thought that this would aid drainage into the septic tank. Millions of homes have been built without this vent so I doubt it's needed. See if that's an odor source, and review the installation with your plumber.
Install a gas diverter in the septic tank: the sludge in the bottom of a septic tank is being digested by anaerobic bacteria and perhaps also other microbes which form methane gas as a product of the decomposition of sewage. In some septic tanks the sludge layer may produce an occasional "burp" of gas that forms a large methane/hydrogen sulfide bubble. In a single compartment septic tank such bubbles can force unwanted solids up the tank outlet tee and into the absorption system. If this is suspected, special gas deflection devices (much like an upside down chimney cap) can be installed on the tank outlet tee.
Sudden and unusually large septic system system usage that causes a large volume of water to enter the system, such as many loads of laundry or many visitors to a property which served by a small septic system might temporarily dilute the bacteria in the septic tank. It would be odd for this problem to persist. Normally bacteria would recover, probably in a day or so. If a septic system drain, tank, or drainfield are partly blocked, usage surges can produce this condition more often and at an increasing rate as the system deteriorates.
Prolonged cessation of usage of the septic system, such as a home being left vacant for years. It would be odd to have to do anything special about this condition as when the system is returned to use it should recover quickly. However if the home has been vacant for a long time and/or if you simply don't know the condition of the septic system, it would be smart to have a septic contractor locate the tank, open it, pump it, and report on its condition both for operating confidence and more, for safety. (Is the septic tank cover safe?
Acidic septic tanks: An Australian website suggested that (for the Australian climate) the septic tank contents may become
too acidic. They recommend the following remedy, which I do not recommend in other areas without first consulting with local septic experts. And certainly do not attempt this process nor any process using any other septic additive or product before you know in fact where the odor is coming from. If, for example the odor is from improper plumbing vent installation, flushing lime down a toilet is not a fix it's simply silly.
Reduce the septic tank acidity by preparing a mix 0.5kg of lime with 10 liters of water.
Flush the lime mixture down the toilet 2 or 3 times a day for 3 to 4 days, until a total of about 5kg is used.
Alternatively the 5kg of lime to 10 liters of water can be inserted into the septic tank in one dose, however this can be more difficult to flush through the system, especially with new dual flush cisterns.
If the odours persist, repeat this process after 7 days.
This Australian septic system advice was paraphrased/near-quoted from advice given by Adelaide Hills Council, Australia. In some areas such as South Australia,
aerobic wastewater treatment is used to treat effluent to a sufficient level of sanitation that it can be used for irrigation
within the property - in other words it is dispersed on the soil for the purpose of both disposal and for irrigation.
How to Diagnose, Prevent, or Cure Odors and Hazards from Gases in Septic Systems
In a properly constructed drain-waste-vent system and septic tank installation, sewer gases produced in the septic tank find their easiest escape path back up through the scum layer and into the septic tank inlet tee
and from there up the DWV system to the building plumbing vent stack system where gases are vented above the building roof.
More septic or sewer gases may escape and make their way through the tank's outlet tee top into the soil absorption
system where the gases are distributed over a larger (leachfield) area and further filtered and deodorized by the soil. Where a building is connected to a municipal sewer, the building drain-waste-vent system (DWV) includes
traps and vents to be sure that any sewer gases passing back up waste lines are vented safely above the building roof.
A variety of mistakes or just plain bad luck about site terrain shape and prevailing wind, or something more serious like a failing septic system can, however, produce sewer odors at a property. Here are some
steps to diagnose and correct gas odors at properties served by septic systems. Some of these steps also apply to homes connected to a municipal sewer as well.
At SEPTIC & CESSPOOL SAFETY we've already explained that gases produced in a septic tank are dangerous, as a potential
source of explosion and as a cause of death by asphyxiation if someone falls into or deliberately enters a septic tank.
The gases that form in septic tanks are primarily two, methane, CH4, and hydrogen sulfide H2S. It's the H2S (a "rotten egg" smell) that people mostly notice if gases from a sewage system are not properly vented
at a building. Other gases produced by the decaying organic matter in the tank are also mixed into this brew as well.
Experts [Burks/Minnis, Kahn et als, Jantrania] will tell readers that septic tanks and their covers and access covers and piping fittings should all be sealed air-tight with proper rubber gaskets. In nearly 50 years of looking at septic tanks and systems, I've yet to see a conventional concrete tank which is sealed with gaskets.
Some steel and certainly some of the newer fiberglass tanks may be in fact more precisely designed and built, but concrete septic tanks and covers are a bit rough and will be leaky in most installations.
Site Conditions, Weather Conditions, or Failing Neighboring Septic Systems or Plumbing Can Produce Local Sewer Gas Odors
Check neighboring properties and drains: before digging up your yard and septic tank, walk around the neighborhood. Is the smell getting stronger as you walk away from your property? Perhaps a neighbor has a failing septic system or is having work performed on their septic system.
Check for unusual site and wind conditions: I've encountered buildings where all of the plumbing vent installations appear to be to code and complete, but where unusual terrain shape (house at the bottom of a large hill) and prevailing winds conspired (in some weather conditions) to blow septic gases back down from above the roof to a bedroom window or even to ground level. Depending on the building roof shape, orientation, and prevailing or even uncommon wind direction, wind blowing at the building can cause downdrafts around a plumbing vent stack, sending normal sewer gases and odors back closer to the ground or even into the building. If your sewer gas odors seem to correlate to windy conditions I'd check this out further. Extending the plumbing vents higher or installing a wind block at the vent top might help.
Other Sources of Smells that are less like "sewer gas" odors (in my opinion) include the odor of burning electrical components. If you trace odors to an appliance or fixture or switch, shut off electricity to that device (or un-plug it if it's an appliance) and have the system or appliance checked by a licensed electrician. Burning electrical components and insulation, and overheating florescent light ballasts can make quite an odor but that's the just a warning sign of an unsafe condition that needs prompt attention.
Submissions are invited: Contact Us if you have other examples of tracking down septic or sewer gas smells to their source. Credit and link-exchanges given.
Septic system odors may occur from a few other common conditions which you may not have considered:
Inspect the building water heater: if the "sewer gas smell" is noticed particularly when hot water is being run at a sink, tub, or shower, have your plumber check for a bad water heater sacrificial anode.
The sacrificial anode rod in a hot water tank is intended to slow corrosion in the water heater tank but when the anode deteriorates it can cause a "rotten egg" smell in the hot water supply which may be mistaken for sewer gas.
We discuss the hot water tank sacrificial anode and dip tube in more detail at Check the Sacrificial Anode & Dip Tube of Your Water Heater Tank.
Check the building water supply: if the "sewer gas smell" is a "rotten egg smell" and if it is noticed particularly when hot or cold water are being run at a sink, tub, or shower, your water supply
may contain excessive hydrogen sulphide or H2S. This is not likely to be the case if you are on a municipal or community water supply but could occur if your water is supplied by a private well. Have the water tested
for sulphur and H2S. If this condition is confirmed, the H2S is not a health concern but remains an aesthetic one. It can be corrected by installation of a proper water treatment system such as a chlorine injection system, a potassium permanganate filtration system, or by other methods. More information about causes of and cures for hydrogen sulfide odors in water is at Identifying Odors in Drinking Water.
Use of improper or excessive cleaning chemicals in the building, or perhaps excessive use of antibiotics (such as by a nursing home served by a septic tank and whose residents consume a lot of antibiotics) can kill off bacteria in the septic tank. This is an unusual condition unlikely to occur in a normal homeowner environment.
Tests for Indoor Sewer Gas & Septic Odors - Indoor Gas Leaks using the TIF 8800
Tests for sewer gas or septic odor gas leaks:
When looking for gas leaks and tracking gas smells, one method to get more precise is to use an instrument sensitive to a broad range of combustible organic gases. I use a TIF 8800 combustible gas analyzer set at its most sensitive setting to sniff for gas leaks.
This instrument will respond to a very wide range
of volatile organics, including pipe dope on a plumbing joint, so be careful. It will also respond a little at almost any plumbing drain since the trap is often producing some organic gases.
But if you find that
there is one drain that responds unusually strongly, or if you find a leak in a fuel gas line, you've found a problem to correct before going further. Many home inspectors have this tool and can be hired to apply it
carefully in your home, or it may be less costly (than hiring an inspector) to just buy the tool itself. Also see SEPTIC METHANE GAS for more sewer gas test advice and reference material. Also see Using the TIF 8800 Gas Detector.
Septic Tank Capacity vs Usage in Daily Gallons of Wastewater Flow, calculating required septic tank size, calculating septic tank volume from size measurements
What is a Septic System An Engineer's View - Types of treatment tanks, adsorption systems, pumps, and other special equipment are discussed in some further detail in this text
Components of a Septic System- the Basic Parts of a Conventional Septic Tank and Leachfield, a chapter in the Home Buyers Guide to Septic Systems
A Toxic Gas Testing Sampling Plan for Residential Indoor Air Investigations
Pennsylvania State Fact Sheets relating to domestic wastewater treatment systems include
Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-161, Septic System Failure: Diagnosis and Treatment
Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-162, The Soil Media and the Percolation Test
Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-l64, Mound Systems for Wastewater Treatment
Pennsylvania State Wastewater Treatment Fact Sheet SW-165, Septic Tank-Soil Absorption Systems
Document Sources used for this web page include but are not limited to: Agricultural Fact Sheet #SW-161 "Septic Tank Pumping," by Paul D. Robillard and Kelli S. Martin. Penn State College of Agriculture - Cooperative Extension, edited and annotated by Dan Friedman (Thanks: to Bob Mackey for proofreading the original source material.)
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