Keep Sink Traps Clear to Minimize Sewer-Gas Odors

Detect an awful odor coming from your sink?

All plumbing fixtures in the home are connected to the same waste system. Sewer gases are prevented from backing up into the house by p-traps.

A p-trap, the curved drainpipe under your sink, traps water between the fixture and the sewer line. It’s a water door. A p-trap can become filled with so much hair and grease that water is displaced and sewer gas is allowed to escape into the house.

Keep p-traps clean and clear by pouring a mild acid or caustic down the drain. Vinegar works well if used regularly--weekly would be ideal.