Foul Basement Smells?

An unpleasant foul basement smell can make your home non-conducive because it spreads quickly through the home’s ventilation system. While the smell can be difficult to track but If it is strongest in your basement, your sump pump may be responsible. Most homeowners don’t think about cleaning their sump pump until a problem occurs. A smell generated from the sump pump may mean the appliance needs attention or it may mean a more serious problem in the sewer line.

Excess Water Can Cause Foul Basement Smells

If there is stagnant water inside your sump pump, you shouldn’t be alarmed because a little water is expected to remain in the appliance after use, but this water should remain below the cut off line. If you are in the dry season and the sump pump has not been used for a while, mildew, mold, and bacteria will start growing in the pit of the pump, thus creating a foul odor.

Fortunately, there is an easy solution to this problem. The addition of a little diluted bleach to the sump pump pit will clear the smell. You may also want to remove the excess water with the aid of a wet or dry vacuum while scrubbing any grime that remains. Once the cleaning is completed, make sure you add some freshwater back to help trap the foul odors. If the sump pump goes dry again, you may experience foul odor, hence you should add some freshwater.

Other Problems That Can Cause Foul Smell from the Basement

A Breach in the Sewer Line

A foul smell from your sump pump may be more than stagnant water. Your sump pump was designed to pump out excess water out into the lawn or street where it is directed into the public storm drainage system. In some older homes, sump pumps may be discharged directly into the public municipal sewer system. This setup is simply illegal because the sewer system may become flooded and create a sewer backup into the sump pump.

If there is a blockage of the sewer line outside of the house your sump pump may start drawing in the sewer water that has already seeped through into the home. If there is a leak in the public sewer line, you may have to contact the municipality to repair it.

Get Help from the Experts

Whether the issue of foul smell is emanating from your basement or not, perhaps you should allow the expert plumbers to inspect your home and trace the source of the problem. Leak Detection of Atlanta has been at the forefront of fixing leaks in the basement and issues with sump pumps for the purpose of making sure they work efficiently to prevent flooding, backups and other problems. The earlier sewer line leaks and sump pump malfunction are detected, the earlier and more efficient you can prevent the foul smell from making a mess of your home. Please contact us at Leak Detection of Atlanta today to schedule leak repair or detection in your area in The Metro Atlanta area.