Do You Need a Plumber If Foul Smells Escape From Your Toilet?

Bad smells emanating from your toilet bowl are not just a sign that it has been used recently. If you notice that there is an increased frequency of foul odours coming from your toilet, then that may well be a sign of a problem further down the line. Of course, slow-draining sewers can sometimes cause rotten smells, especially during the summer months. However, if the problem persists even after you have passed plenty of water through the system to clear it, then it is probably because there is a blockage in the pipe which is consequently causing your toilet to smell. What should you do about it?

Check for a Localised Blockage

Firstly, it is a good idea to establish whether it is the U-bend in your toilet that has gotten clogged up or your drains. Lift up an inspection pit cover and take a look to see whether water flows freely through it. If it does and your toilet bowl does not drain rapidly or fills up so it is almost going to overflow, then you may have a local blockage. You can use a toilet plunger to try and get rid of such a problem, but bear in mind that a professional plumber may be required if you cannot do this within a few minutes. Sometimes, it takes a little professional expertise to shift such localised blockages.

Rod Your Drains

If your home's drains are blocked because you can see a build-up of water in the inspection pit, then you will need drainage rods in order to shift the problem. Drainage rods can be screwed together, and when you push them down into the drainage pipe where the blockage is, you need to keep turning them clockwise. This will ensure that they do not unscrew from one another and become detached. After all, this would make the problem worse. What's even more of an issue when trying to rod your drains is that you are likely to get splashed with sewer water. Again, getting a plumber to do this work is advisable, particularly if you have never done it before or don't have adequate protection equipment, such as eye goggles.

High-Pressure Clearance

Sometimes, using pushrods to clear a blockage in a drain under the ground will not suffice. If you notice that nasty smells and gurgling noises still emanate from your toilet bowl, then the blockage may be more serious than you had thought. If so, hire a plumber who has a high-pressure water jet system. These are more effective than drainage rods since they can be inserted into a subterranean pipe and left to work their way along it until they reach the cause of the problem. Such professional plumbing tools are not available everywhere, so it is worth checking with your local plumber to see if he or she has one available that can be put to use.

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