Exposure to sewer gas for extended periods of time can lead to dire consequences for your home and your health. It’s also generally unpleasant to come home and be bombarded by the smell of sewage and rotten eggs. Of course, you want to make sure that the cause of this smell really is sewer gas. Learn how to test for sewer gas by reading this blog.
Effects Of Sewer Gas
If you allow yourself to be exposed to sewer gas, you could make yourself vulnerable to the effects of methane, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon dioxide. Prolonged exposure to these elements can lead to organ damage, irritation in the eyes, nose, or throat, headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and, in extreme cases, death. Whether you’re experiencing mild headaches or extreme health problems, you don’t want to put off testing for and getting rid of sewer gas for another moment.
How To Test For Sewer Gas
Now that you understand why you need to take care of that sewer gas odor as urgently as possible, you’ll learn how to test for sewer gas. You will finally have confirmation that this is the source of that foul smell.
1. Toilet Test
The toilet test is the first method you can try to determine if sewer gas is the source of that foul odor. This test involves removing the caps from both sides of the toilet and very quickly sniffing those areas. If you don’t immediately smell that odor, cover those sides with plumber’s putty and wrap a towel around the toilet’s base. After that, keep the bathroom door closed for an hour. If the smell goes away, then you’ll easily be able to solve this problem by replacing the toilet seal. Otherwise, you’ll need to call a plumber to resolve the issue with a smoke test.
2. Conduct A Smoke Test
If the toilet test doesn’t yield satisfactory results, reach out to your plumber so they can conduct a smoke test for sewer gas. Your plumber uses very specific equipment to insert a colored vapor or fog into your pipes. After the pipes are full, your plumber will use the vapor to determine where the sewer gas leak is coming from by leaving behind non-toxic residue in those areas. This test can be used in any part of your home to test for sewer gas and not just your bathroom.
3. Purchase A Sewer Gas Detector
Another way to approach how to test for sewer gas is by purchasing a sewer gas detector. This device can be purchased at any home goods store. They are sold by many different brands, so pick one that you consider trustworthy, or explore reviews and recommendations online. One of the major perks of these detectors is that they can detect any potentially combustible gases in addition to confirming the presence of a sewer gas leak. These are also user-friendly, so you should be able to use this device to test for sewer gas easily.
Getting Rid Of Sewer Gas
Once you’ve tested your home for sewer gas, you’ll need to think about the next steps, specifically how to get rid of the source of said sewer gas. The approach to getting rid of that odor often depends on the source. For example, if the cause is a toilet seal that needs replacing, that next step will be relatively simple.
However, if the cause of sewer gas in your home is related to a more complex problem in your pipes or HVAC system, you’ll need to find a reliable plumber to take care of the problem. But how can you find a reliable plumber to get rid of the sewer gas problem in your home? If you live in Houston, you only need to contact us at ASAP Plumbing Experts today!