The bathroom may be one of the most extensively used room in your home. If your toilet has developed an odor that resembles rotten eggs, it is an issue that you need to have resolved as quickly as possible. It is likely that the odor you have identified is sewer gas.
It can stem from the septic system of your household or even a sanitary type of sewer system. It often results from the presence of bacteria within the water of your toilet.
If the toilet water is the only source of the smell, it means it is only impacting one pipe line. Continue reading to learn about sewage gas and its impact.
What is Sewer Gas?
Sewer gas is a highly complex mixture of other types of gases. Many of these are non-toxic, but there are those that are considered to be toxic. It is created when the household waste goes through the process of breaking down.
It is a result of the decomposition process of your home’s sewage and the sludge. It is mainly made up of methane gas; however, it may also include carbon dioxide, hydrogen, ammonia, nitrogen, and sulfur dioxide.
Methane has the ability to displace the oxygen that is found within a small space. As a result, it can be potentially deadly. Combined with hydrogen sulfur gas, sewer gases can be highly hazardous to the health.
Where is the Smell Actually Coming From?
If you notice a rotten egg smelling coming from your toilet, it means that some component of your plumbing lines is not functioning appropriately. The following outlines a few of the most common possibilities:
- Dry Trap Problems – All of the drains that are part of a sewer system have a trap that is shaped like the letter “P”. This is the “dry trap”. In most instances, this trap contains water and a type of seal that helps to keep sewer gas odors out. If the water evaporates from this or the seal is damaged, it could allow sewer gas to enter.
- Breakage or Leakage – The next reason why you may notice a rotten egg smell coming from your toilet is that there has been a break or the development of a leak within the drain line for your sewer system. As a result, the smell of sewer gases may creep into various areas of your home and your toilet.
- Blockage – The third most common reason for the development of the rotten egg smell from a toilet may be a blockage within the septic tank. The clog may be at or near the drains, within the toilet itself, or some other location within the septic tank. Due to the inability of the sewage to flow appropriately through the septic tank system, the sewer gas backs up into the drains or into the toilet – where you are able to smell it.
Can Sewer Gas Make You Sick?
Due to the fact that sewer gas is often a mixture of various gases, it has the potential to make you sick.
At low levels, this probably will not occur; however, at large levels or in small, confined spaces, the health risks drastically increase.
The real danger is not in the home, it occurs if you make an attempt to enter the septic tank yourself in order to resolve the issue. Be it a hole, a tunnel, or other component of your septic tank, sewer gas can be fatal.
For this reason, you must always enlist the assistance of a plumbing professional to eliminate the rotten egg smell coming from your toilet. Failure to do so could result in serious health complications, such as gastrointestinal illness and respiratory complications.
We Can Help!
We here at Reynolds Plumbing are trained and have the experience to handle that rotten egg smell coming from your toilet and any other septic issues you may be experiencing in or around your home. We possess the training, the skills, the equipment, the tools, and the general level of expertise to quickly and safely get rid of that rotten egg smell and get your septic system running optimally – once again.
Our experienced plumbing professionals will conduct a thorough inspection to get to the source of your problem. We also offer line cleaning, general maintenance, and repairs to all septic systems.
For more information or to learn about the various septic system solutions that we offer, give us a call today.
