What Causes Sewer Gas To Leak Into A Home?

​Anyone who has experienced sewer gas leaking into their home will likely not forget the terrible smell that accompanies it.  While this is an obvious side effect from a sewer gas leak, its important to have a professional look for the cause of the leak.  As well as the offending odor, there are a number of other risks associated with sewer gas leaks.  Some of those risks are potential for fire or explosion, the risk of hydrogen sulfide poisoning which can be extremely dangerous and asphyxiation due to sewer gases displacing the homes oxygen.
 
Its important, then, to identify the reason sewer gas is leaking into your home.  There are a number of possible causes for this.  One common reason is dried out plumbing fixtures.  If plumbing traps become dry, they can no longer stop sewer gases from backing up into the home, this is due to a lack of water barrier.  This could also happen with sinks, showers and toilets etc. that are not frequently used or during periods of dryer weather.
 
You could also find sewer gas leaking into the home from cracks in plumbing drains or vent pipes.  Cracks found in ventilation pipes, while harder to identify, should be checked as they can be the reason for the leak.  Other reasons for sewer gas to leak is cracks in the home’s foundations, plumbing vents situated too close to air intakes and simple air and wind flow around the home.  The safety of your household is of utmost importance, so If you are smelling sewer gas in your home, don’t ignore it but have it checked out.  

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