What Causes Sewage Smells To Develop In Homes?

• Sources of sewage odours in the home
  • Washing machine blockage
  • Outside drainage
  • Water traps
  • Damaged septic tank
  • Issues with your roof ventilation
  • Odours in the shower​
• Recruit a professional cleaning company
• Contact our team

Identifying the cause of sewage odours in your home is difficult, and can make living in your uncomfortable.

To prevent bad smells from ruining your enjoyment of the property, it is a good idea sort out the issue right away.

Sewage odours could also have a detrimental impact on human health, particularly for those who come into contact with sewage on a regular basis. The Health & Safety Executive have numerous sources on their website about how employers can protect workers from the effects of sewage, which should be implemented within the workforce.

Have a read of our blog to find out some of the principal reasons for sewage odours in the home and how a professional cleaning company can help.

Sources of sewage odours in the home

The bathroom is popular spot for smells to develop due to the number of drains in these areas. 

But the sewage odour could also originate elsewhere, from outdoor drainage and clogged washing machines, to dry water traps and faulty venting.

Washing Machine Blockage

A blocked washing machine is a common nuisance in households, and is often caused by washing power collecting too much in the machine. The detergent, mixed with outside dirt, can lead to your washer to become clogged.

In the event this happens, it is sometimes recommended to run the washing machine on a cycle with just hot water. This can help breakdown the build-up of grime within the appliance and assist in returning it to its original condition.

You should be careful with your washing machine to prevent unpleasant odours developing in the future. It may also negate a visit from the plumber if you stop the problem before it becomes too serious to handle.

Outside drainage

Drains in outdoor areas could become blocked from occurrences such as too much rainfall or fallen leaves.

As the homeowner, you are responsible for dealing with this. However, the local water company is tasked with remedying this problem if the drain falls outside the boundary of your garden.

You can find useful information from Citizen's Advice about what to do in this situation here. Additionally, the government website provides a service where you can report a blocked drain that has impacted your neighbourhood.

Due to the complexities of drainage, you should not attempt to repair it yourself. Call in the professionals, who will have the necessary knowledge and skills to carry out the work.

The sewage in your garden could also lead to flooding if drains start to overflow. Here at ICE Cleaning, we offer flood damage restoration services that can help you in this situation. We are available 24/7, 365 days a year to support our customers.

Water traps

These are found inside sinks and are one of the ways of preventing unpleasant odours from developing in your home. However, water traps can start to smell if they become too dry from non-use.

You should make sure to run water through all taps in the property as a precautionary measure to stop this from occurring.

Additionally, tipping a large volume of water into the trap can help it to operate normally again. If maintained regularly, preventative measures may not necessarily be needed.

Damaged septic tank

Unpleasant odours can also occur in your home as a result of your septic tank becoming too full, or if it has not been cleaned out for a long period of time.

Getting the tank serviced routinely will increase its longevity and prevent bad smells from forming in your house. After all, their purpose is to stop these scents from coming into your home in the first place.

To identify the cause of the odour, you may notice that your washer is not operating at normal speed or the sink is making bubbling noises.

Issues with your roof ventilation

Roof ventilation is another essential component blocking unpleasant odours from your property, and should be serviced routinely by a roof cleaning company. This could involve making sure that nothing is blocking the vent, such as leaves or debris. 

One issue you may face with your roof ventilation is leaks. They can allow bad smells to fester within the property, and need to be treated promptly.

When vents are blocked, it can lead to unsafe living circumstances. If you have identified this as the problem, you must call a professional cleaning company right away to begin the odour neutralisation.

They will be able to assess the problem and get to its root cause. Work will then need to take place to fix the issue.

Odours in the shower

Though this is not as likely to be the cause of sewage issues, the collection of products and dirt in the shower can result in bad smells. This will lead to a build-up of bacteria within the shower, and will need odour removal treatment to be fix it.

We would recommend maintaining a regular cleaning schedule in your bathroom, including washing the shower. Don’t forget to give the drain a deep clean too by removing the plug, as this is where grime can often settle.

Recruit a professional cleaning company

During the visit, our technicians eradicate the smell of sewage. Prior to the service, we will perform a thorough risk assessment to assess the extent of the odour and what potential hazards might arise.

We will use advanced technology to remove all traces of the smell and neutralise the area by sanitising it before we leave. It is best to deal with sewage smells as soon as they appear to prevent the issue from getting worse or affecting your health.

To find out more about the odour removal services we offer, click here.

Contact our team

To rid your property of unpleasant odours, get in touch with our team today on 0208 066 0360 or enquiries@icecleaning.co.uk. Our team will do everything they can to restore your home to a fresh and clean environment once more.