Problems With Unused Plumbing
You would expect that the more use your bathroom gets, the more often it needs to be cleaned. However, if you have an extra bathroom in another part of your home that doesn’t get a lot of traffic, that does not mean that you should just leave it be. In fact, you’ll notice that something isn’t right when your unused bathroom smells like sewer.
One reason that your extra bathroom is stinking is because the drain has been unused for so long. Beneath your sink is a P-trap, which is a pipe that has a P-shaped bend in it before the rest of the pipe and plumbing runs through the wall. That P-trap is there to prevent sewer odors from escaping your pipes and spreading through your home. It holds just a small amount of water that creates a seal from your sink to the rest of the plumbing.
The more time that your bonus bathroom goes unused, the more likely that it will develop that bad smell. If that P-trap empties or has dried out, then you can expect that smell to seep through the room, and maybe even the rest of your house.
Fortunately, the good news is that there is nothing drastically wrong with your plumbing. The simplest, and most likely, solution is to run some water through those drains. Try to run water at least once a week in your extra bathrooms, which includes running the sink and shower, and flushing the toilet. That will ensure that your traps are full and blocking off that smell from escaping.
It is possible that running water does not solve the problem, and another step must be taken. If you still experience some of those bad smells, clean the drains a little better. You can do this with a homemade solution of distilled white vinegar and some baking soda. Let that stand for about 15 minutes to allow the chemical reaction to break down anything in the drain, and then flush it out by running the sink.
Do not let your bonus bathroom remain unused for too long, otherwise the smells could persist, or even get worse. For more information on clearing out bad smells from your plumbing in any room of your home, call the professionals at Sunrise Heating and Plumbing today at (616) 293-9326. We pride ourselves on providing nothing but exceptional customer service.