Did you know that your drains can stink? That’s right, drain odor is most definitely a thing, and it is far from pleasant. If you’ve ever walked into your kitchen or bathroom to discover an unpleasant, and seemingly mystery odor? Well, the culprit is most likely your drains.So, what gives? Why do your drains stink and what can you do about it?

First of all, don’t panic. If you have stinky drains, then all is not lost. There are several things you can do, on your own, to eliminate your drain odor problems quickly and efficiently. But first, we should probably tell you what causes your drain odor problems in the first place. So, without further ado, let’s get into it!

What Causes Your Drains To Smell Bad?

In most cases, drain odor stems from drain clogs and the odor-causing bacteria they harbor. In addition to providing odor-causing bacteria with a bountiful breeding environment, the clogs themselves can smell bad. However, clogs and their bacteria buddies are not the only two sources of unpleasant drain odor. Other culprits behind your stinky drains may include:

• Escaping Sewer Gasses: As sewage decomposes, it releases noxious fumes and gases. These gases are unpleasant and smell like, well, old sewage. Sewer gases can permeate through your drains when there are empty drain traps. Usually, sewer smells occur in drains that are not regularly used.
• Mold and Mildew: Mold and mildew smell awful and are directly attributed to the existence of mold or mildew in or around your drains. Usually, mold and mildew smells occur in drains when there is a leak in the drain or pipes that connect to it.
• Plumbing Mistake: Plumbers, like everyone else, aren’t perfect. Sometimes they make mistakes. Simple errors — like forgetting to install drain traps or sewage vents — can cause severe drain odors.

DIY SOlutions for Clog-Based Sinky Drains

If you know, for a fact, that your drain odor problems are due to a drain clog, then you have a few options for solutions. Let’s break them down in some detail:

• Try Bleach: Since bleach kills most odor-causing bacteria, it is an ideal chemical for curing your stinky drain problem. To use bleach to clear up a stinky drain, fill the sink attached to the drain with hot water. Then, once the sink is full, add about a cup of bleach to the sink and let all the water drain. Repeat the process as many times as necessary to eliminate the smell.
• Boiling Water May Do The Trick: First of all, be careful using boiling water to kill drain smells. You can burn yourself, and using too much can damage your plumbing. However, if you choose to use boiling water, you can safely do so by pouring a little bit (like less than half a cup) down the drain at a time. Don’t use more than a gallon of boiling water during the process.
• Good Old Vinegar and Baking Soda: Vinegar and baking soda can do wonders for a smelly drain. To use them to clean your drains, simply pour a generous helping of dry baking soda down the affected drain line. Then, slowly pour vinegar down the drain until it has reacted with all of the baking soda. You’ll know you’re done when you don’t hear or see any more bubbles when you pour in more vinegar.
• Snake the Drain: While snaking your drain will do nothing to help kill odor-causing bacteria, the process is excellent at breaking apart and removing clogs. You can purchase a drain snake at your local hardware store for around $15. To use a drain snake to eliminate drain odor, insert the snake into the drain and jiggle it around. Then slowly remove the snake from the drain to pull up the clog. Repeat until the snake comes back up clean, and your drain odor problems are eradicated.

DIY Solutions for Sewer Gas-Related Drain Odor

If you have sewer gas-related drain odor, then your only two DIY solutions are to use either water or mineral oil. Since sewer gasses escape from unused and dry drains, simply pouring a little water or mineral oil down the drain may help block the escaping gasses. If mineral oil and water are not enough to eliminate escaping sewer gasses, then you’ll need to contact our team of plumbing professionals for assistance. There are several reasons sewer gasses may escape from your drains, and none of them are good.

If All Else Fails, Contact GR Sewer + Drain for Help

Here at GR Sewer + Drain, we pride ourselves on being drainage and sewer system experts. So, if you still have stinky drains after trying some of the previously mentioned DIY procedures, then don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’re always standing by to help eliminate your smelly drain problems.

The expert plumbers here at GR Sewer + Drain want you to know that hydro-jetting is an efficient, fast, and affordable way to clear your drain and sewer lines of any types of obstructions. However, just like with any other plumbing service, hydro-jetting is not without its pros and cons. In this post, we’ll talk about precisely what hydro-jetting is, what its for, and the pros and cons of the service.

What is Hydro-Jetting (High Pressure Water Jetting)?

Hydro-jetting (AKA high pressure water jetting) is a method of clearing drains and sewer lines of clogs and obstructions using highly-pressurized water jets. It is efficient, effective, and environmentally friendly.

To get a better understanding of what hydro-jetting is, let’s compare it to the pressure washers that you can rent/purchase at your local hardware store. Both tools use pressurized water to clear and clean messes. However, the primary difference between thee two tools is that hydro-jetting machines utilize water that is under much, much more pressure than a common pressure washer. Since water doesn’t easily compress, that added pressure translates directly into greater cleaning power!

What are the Pros of Hydro-Jetting Services?

The pros of hydro-jetting include:

• Hydro-jetting clears stubborn clogs with just water
• It can also cut through tree roots that have invaded your sewer line
• Hydro-jetting can be done to both commercial and residential drain lines
• Hydro-jetting is environmentally safe and green
• High pressure water jetting services will clear the entire drain line rather than just a small section of it (rooter services will only clear an opening as large as the diameter of the rooter augur)

What are the Cons of Hydro-Jetting Services?

The cons of hydro-jetting include:

• Hydro-jetting can be too much for older and weaker pipelines to handle
• It can’t help clear drain lines that have been obstructed by serious damage like a bellied line
• Hydro-jetting can be less effective at removing extra serious drain obstructions than rooter or auger drain cleaning services

Contact Us for Reliable Hydro-Jetting Services Today!

Well, there you have it; the pros and cons of high pressure water jetting (hydro-jetting) services. If you would like to learn more about hydro-jetting, or if you’d just like to schedule a drain line inspection to see if you could benefit from the service, then please do not hesitate to contact the plumbing professionals here at GR Sewer + Drain We’re always standing by to help you with any and all your drainage problems!

When it comes to plumbing issues, sewer clogs and blockages are probably the most common. Almost everyone will have to deal with a clogged sewer line at one point in their life or another, but not everyone knows the signs of a sewer clog. Some of the major signs of a sewer clog are:

• Gurgling and bubbling drains
• Strange smelling drains
• Backed up toilets and plumbing fixtures
• Sewage seeping into your yard or lawn

Gurgling and Bubbling Drains

If you have noticed your drains bubbling or making a gurgling noise whenever they’re in use, then you probably have some form of drain clog or obstruction. Clogs and obstructions cause air to become trapped in your pipes that get released when the pressure increases from whatever you’re flushing down the drain causing bubbles and gurgling sounds.

Strange Smelling Drains

Have you been noticing a strange or bad smell coming from your drains? If so, this can be a sign of a clog. Bacterial colonies develop on clogs and obstructions that can cause less-than-appealing odors to seep up from your drain line. If you have noticed any strange smells coming from your drains, then contact the GR Sewer + Drain drain cleaning professionals straight away.

Backed Up Toilets and Plumbing Fixtures

Another sign of clogged and obstructed sewer lines are backed up toilets and plumbing fixtures. If several of your plumbing fixtures and appliances have been backing up or draining slowly, then its time to call in the drain cleaning professionals.

Sewage Seeping Into Your Yard or Lawn

If you have noticed sewage seeping into your yard or lawn, then you definitely have a serious clog or obstruction (or your septic tank is overflowing). Seeping sewage can cause health issues and destroy your yard. Call in the GR Sewer + Drain experts at the first sign of seeping sewage.

Have a Sewer Clog? Call Us Right Away

Regardless of the source of your sewer clog, if you have one, then you need to take care of it right away. The longer you wait to take care of a clog or blockage, the worse your plumbing problems will become. So, don’t hesitate! Contact our team of drain cleaning professionals today!

Spring is finally here! If you’re anything like us you’ve probably been itching all winter to get some work done. Now that the weather is nice we’re sure your ready to get some cleaning done, but we recommend you join us in taking care of your plumbing this spring also. With a little effort now you can make sure that your plumbing will be good to go all summer long.

Inspect your Water Heater

If you turned your water heater up over winter to account for the weather make sure to turn it back down in the spring. It is recommended to keep your water heater at 120 degrees F to avoid scalding yourself, save energy, and get the longest life out of your water heater. If your water heater is over 10 years old it could be a good idea to have it replaced while the weather is still nice. New water heaters are far more efficient than older ones and will be able to keep up with your needs much easier.

Drain the Sediment out of your Water Heater

Sediment collects at the bottom of your water heater which will reduce efficiency. Make sure to drain your water heater once a year to avoid sediment buildup and extend the life of your water heater.

Check your Water Supply Lines

Check the water lines under your sinks and the supply lines to your toilets to make sure you don’t have any leaks. Even minor leaks waste a lot of water over the course of a year and can cause water damage over time. It’ll be a lot less uncomfortable to wedge yourself under that sink now than in a few months when you’re in the full heat of summer.

Schedule a Drain Inspection

If you’ve noticed slow moving drains in your home make sure to schedule a drain line camera inspection. A professional inspection can find leaks and root invasions before they get worse and cause serious damage to your home. Make sure to walk along the path that your sewer line takes to the street as well and look for muddy areas or areas where the grass is higher than the rest because that could mean that you have a leak in your sewer line.