What to Do About Sulfur Smell in the House
- Check your drainpipes. If you have a shower, tub, or sink that gets minimal use, the odor could be caused by sewer gas filtering into your home through an ...
- Test your well water. If you rely on well water instead of treated water from a municipal system, hydrogen sulfide gas could be causing the smell. ...
- Inspect your water heater. If the rotten eggs reek arises only when the hot water is running, the problem is likely with your water heater. ...
- Replace off-gassing drywall. If your house was built or remodeled between 2001 and 2009, there’s a slim chance that you could be smelling off-gassing from drywall made in China. ...
- Investigate the sewer line.
Why does my house smell like sulfur?
If they find a gas leak, they’ll shut off the gas and you’ll have to engage a licensed plumber that specializes in repairing gas lines to fix the problem before the gas can be turned on. Once you’ve completely ruled out the possibility of a gas leak, know that there are other potential causes for the sulfur smell in the house.
What does it mean when you smell gas in Your House?
Natural gas and propane are odorless, but gas companies inject them with a chemical called mercaptan that gives them a sulfur smell—like rotten eggs—to alert residents to a gas leak. A small gas leak could create the occasional foul odor you’re noticing, so don’t take any chances.
Is it safe to drink water with hydrogen sulfide smell?
While the smell is off-putting, it’s not considered hazardous to your health to use or drink. To test for hydrogen sulfide: Do not run the water in your home for six to eight hours. This allows gas to build up.
How do you get rid of sewer smell in basement floor?
If the dry trap is to blame, the fix is simple: Just turn on the faucet a few seconds and let the water drain out. The water will fill the trap and effectively block sewer gases. If the smell is strongest in your basement, the floor drain trap may have dried out. Pour a pitcher of water down the floor drain to refill the trap.
Why do I randomly smell sulfur in my house?
If you have a shower, tub, or sink that gets minimal use, the odor could be caused by sewer gas filtering into your home through an empty plumbing trap. Sewer gas contains methane, which has a distinctive sulfur smell. The drains from your fixtures all connect to the main sewer pipe that exits your home.
Can the smell of sulfur harm you?
Smelling hydrogen sulfide does not mean that it will harm your health. The smell can cause worry, anxiety and resentment. Repeated odour events may culminate in real symptoms such as headache, fatigue and nausea. Although these are not direct health effects they are undesirable.
What causes the smell of sulfur in the air?
The two most common sources of a rotten egg smell are a natural gas leak, and escaping sewer gas. In its natural state, natural gas is actually odorless. That's why utility companies inject a substance called mercaptan, which emits an odor that smells like sulfur or rotten eggs.
What smells like a gas leak but isn t?
Sulfur is often the cause of a gas smell in homes without gas leaks. It smells identical to the foul rotten odor of gas leaks, but it's not nearly as harmful in this case. Bacteria found in sewage systems or your kitchen sink release sulfur over time, causing the smell to permeate your home.
Is sulfur toxic to humans?
Sulfur is low in toxicity to people. However, ingesting too much sulfur may cause a burning sensation or diarrhea. Breathing in sulfur dust can irritate the airways or cause coughing.
How do you stop sulphur smelling?
Shock your well with chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide to get temporary relief from sulfur odors. Often keeps odors away for 1 – 2 months.
What does sewer gas smell like in house?
If sewer gas is present in your home, the first sign you may notice is the smell of rotten eggs. You may also experience various symptoms of exposure, such as: fatigue. headaches.
What does a gas leak smell like in a house?
Rotten Egg Smell Natural gas and propane have a distinctive smell for a reason. For safety purposes, utility companies use an additive called mercaptan that gives the colorless and odorless gases a smell that is hard to miss. Most people describe this smell like something like rotten eggs, sewage, or sulfur.
What does sulfur do to the body?
Your body needs sulfur to build and fix your DNA and protect your cells from damage that can lead to serious diseases such as cancers. Sulfur also assists your body to metabolize food and contributes to the health of your skin, tendons, and ligaments. The two amino acids that include sulfur are methionine and cysteine.
Can breathing sewer gas make you sick?
The principal risks and effects associated with exposure are: Hydrogen sulfide poisoning. Exposure to low levels of hydrogen sulfide causes irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract. Other symptoms include nervousness, dizziness, nausea, headache, and drowsiness.
Is sewer gas harmful to your health?
The Dangers of Hydrogen Sulfide, AKA “Sewer Gas” A naturally occurring gas, hydrogen sulfide, or “H2S,” is toxic at high concentrations. Prolonged or acute exposure to the gas can cause eye irritation, headache, nausea fatigue, and – in extreme cases – death.
Can smelling rotten food make you sick?
Smell does not usually contain bacteria, which carry disease and are much larger than the gaseous molecules that make up a smell. So the odor itself cannot make you sick.
What is the source of sulfur smell in water?
Contaminated Water: The source of sulfur odors in water is usually hydrogen sulfide, a naturally occurring compound produced by bacterial breakdown of sewage and other organic waste. Its presence in the water usually indicates some kind of contamination that requires treatment.
Why does my septic system smell like sulfur?
They are probably coming from the tank or drainage field and indicate that your septic system needs servicing. If you don't have a septic system and notice sulfur smells outside, you probably have a plumbing blockage that needs to be cleared.
Why does my furnace smell like rotten eggs?
If you have a gas furnace, a nonlocalized sulfur smell throughout the house is a warning. No matter where it's coming from, the rotten-egg smell usually associated with sulfur is an unpleasant one, and it usually means something is wrong. The smell may actually be caused by a sulfur compound, such as hydrogen sulfide — which originates in fetid ...
Why does my toilet smell like sewer gas?
It could also mean that blocked vents are forcing sewer gases through the toilet's trap or draining the trap.
Why does my basement smell like a drain?
The smells can come from microorganisms in the pipes, but often they indicate venting problems that have drained a P-trap and allowed sewer gases to escape. Advertisement.
What does it mean when you smell gas in your house?
If you have a gas furnace, the smell is a warning: Turn off the heating system immediately, vacate the premises and call the gas company! You may have a gas leak. Do not smoke or light any fires.
Where does sewer smell come from?
Sewer smells can originate from inside a water-using appliance, such as a washing machine or dishwasher, or from the drain. Rectify the situation by servicing the drain or cleaning the appliance. If the appliance uses gas, you also need to check for gas leaks. Advertisement.
Leave The Premises ASAP
If there’s the slightest possibility of a gas leak, make sure to calmly leave the house and call your local gas utility or the fire department. Any appliances that work on natural gas or propane (water heater, furnace, stove, etc.) might be releasing the gas.
Test Your Water
People relying on well water instead of municipal water system might notice the smell coming from their water supply—your culprit could be hydrogen sulfide gas.
Check Your Drains
Often, bathrooms that don’t get a lot of use can release methane from the sewer gas that has been filtering inside for a while. This phenomenon is called “a dry p-trap” in the plumbing business (it refers to the p-trap or a u-shaped pipe you can find under your sink or tub).
Check Your Drywall
Depending on where you live and how old your house is, the smell of rotten eggs might be coming from your drywall. This is often the case in hurricane-prone areas of the US, especially in homes built between 2001 and 2009.
Inspect Your Water Heater
Is the smell appearing only when you run hot water in the house? Then the problem might be hidden in your water heater. This might be an uncommon issue, but there are cases of the anode rod in the water heater going bad and releasing a sulfur smell into the hot water.
Call a Sewer Line Specialist
No success so far? You might be forced to call a professional to check your sewer lines. In some cases, a broken drainpipe can cause sewer gases to escape and penetrate your home.
Literally, Check For Rotten Eggs
If all else fails, it’s not a bad idea to look for a more obvious solution—rotten eggs or any other spoiled food in your fridge or pantry. If you manage to fin the long-forgotten food causing you issues, the fix is easy: remove the rotten food, take out the trash and treat the affected area.
Why does my house smell like sulfur?
If you have a sulfur smell in your house, there is a very high likelihood that one of the fixtures in the house has not been used for a while. This results in drying of the water in the P-trap allowing gases to freely flow through it.
What Causes a Sulfur Smell in the House?
A sulfur/rotten eggs smell in the house is a sign of presence of hydrogen sulfide gas. It is an absolutely horrible odor that you cannot live with and will need to be fixed as soon as possible.
What is the smell of drywall in a house?
These drywalls had an excessive amount of sulfur which cause an off-gassing rotten eggs/sulfur smell in your home.
How to get sulfur smell out of P trap?
All you have to do is restore the water that has evaporated from the P-trap. Just turn on the drain faucet and let it run for a few seconds. You will notice that the sulfur smell will stop immediately.
Why does my water smell like rotten eggs?
This is the sulfur/rotten eggs smell you notice when you turn on the hot water faucet.
How long does it take for a well to dissolve hydrogen sulfide?
After the 6-8 hours, plug off a sink and turn on the cold water faucet. Let it fill with water up to the half level mark. If the water in the sink has a strong sulfur/rotten eggs smell then you definitely have hydrogen sulfide dissolved in your well water.
What does it mean when you hear a gas leak in your house?
A hissing sound – A hissing sound is a sign that natural gas is leaking in your house at very high pressure. The fact that you can hear it leak means that your entire house is full of it. That is a very dangerous situation and you will need to leave your house immediately. Don’t try to fix it.
What to do if you smell methane in your house?
If you notice methane or ammonia smells in your home and have noticed either foundation cracks or plumbing problems at the same time, leave the space immediately and call a plumber.
Why does my water smell like sulfur?
However, if your gas has been checked and you still smell sulfur, there could be another danger in your home—albeit a less pressing one. "If your drinking water has an unusual taste, sulfur-like smell, and/or cloudy appearance then there is a fair chance that it has been contaminated," explains Devlin. This could be the result of decaying material ...
What happens if you don't smell carbon monoxide?
If you don't notice any particular odor, but start feeling sudden dizziness, nausea, confusion, shortness of breath, or blurred vision, leave your home immediately, as this may be a sign of a carbon monoxide leak.
What does freon smell like?
While freon, a type of coolant used in air conditioners and refrigerators, is odorless, when it leaks it can create a sweet smell with an odor resembling chloroform, or an oily odor when it mixes with refrigerant oil, according to ...
