If you own a home in the Tucson area, you may have noticed that unpleasant sewer odors increase as summer arrives. These smells result from a combination of factors, including heat, dry conditions, and seasonal weather. Here’s an explanation of the causes of sewer smells in Tucson as temperatures rise, along with what you can do about them.
How Tucson’s Climate Impacts Sewer Systems
Tucson’s climate interacts with sewer systems in a few ways. Here’s a detailed explanation of the relevant factors and how they increase sewer odors.
Extreme Heat
In the Tucson area, summers come with their fair share of triple-digit temperature days. That heat increases the rate at which biological waste in drain and sewer lines breaks down. As bacteria multiply and become more active, they break down waste much faster. Both hydrogen sulfide and methane are byproducts of that process. And the heat causes both gases to rise faster, finding their way into small gaps and imperfections in your plumbing. That lets them escape in and around your home, leading to unpleasant smells.
Low Humidity
Tucson’s hot, dry climate can cause water inside drain P-traps to evaporate more quickly during the summer. This evaporation contributes to sewer gas smells in your home. P-traps under your sinks hold a small amount of water, creating a barrier between your home and sewer gases in the plumbing system. When that water evaporates, unpleasant odors can begin escaping through the drain and into your living spaces. This issue is especially common with guest bathrooms, floor drains, laundry rooms, and other plumbing fixtures that are not used regularly.
Monsoon-Related Pressure Changes
Summer monsoon storms in Tucson can sometimes contribute to plumbing odor issues inside the home. During these storms, rapid changes in humidity and shifting air pressure can affect how air moves in your plumbing vents. Vent stacks are designed to direct sewer gases outside through your roof. This helps prevent odors from entering your living spaces through drains and plumbing fixtures.
When vent stacks become restricted by debris, moisture, or poor airflow conditions during monsoon weather, sewer gases may not vent properly. This can allow odors to back up into your home through sinks, tubs, floor drains, or toilets. In some cases, homeowners may notice the smell becomes stronger during or immediately after heavy rainstorms. If sewer odors appear repeatedly after storms, it may indicate a venting issue or another problem that warrants a Tucson plumbing inspection.
Other Common Causes of Summer Sewer Odors
There are also a few other situations that can lead to increased sewer smells in your Tucson home. One is the type of sewer line your home relies on. As they age, sewer lines can become brittle, making them more prone to cracking. All it takes is some shifting pressure around the pipe to cause breakage. And that’s exactly what happens as the local climate moves between monsoons and drier periods. The water moistens the soil, causing it to expand. Then, dry weather draws moisture out of the soil, causing it to contract.
Over time, this leads to sewer line cracks, loose connections, or corrosion that allow sewer gases to escape. In some cases, those gases can escape through your lawn or enter crawl spaces and basements near the damaged pipe. Sewer odors may then enter the home through small foundation cracks, gaps around plumbing, or other openings. You may notice sewage smells both inside and outside your home, especially near drains, the yard, or the foundation.
Your home’s sewer line can also suffer damage from tree root incursions, which are more common in summer. That can create cracks and gaps to allow gas to escape. Or the tree roots can form a blockage, preventing wastewater from leaving your home quickly. As waste backs up, the odds of noticing a smell increase dramatically.
Even if your drains and sewer lines are not physically damaged, buildup inside the pipes can still create unpleasant odors. Over time, a biofilm can form along the interior of drains and sewer lines, creating an environment where bacteria thrive. This buildup commonly forms from everyday household waste such as grease, cooking oils, soap residue, food particles, hair, and other organic material. As bacteria break down this material, they can produce strong, foul-smelling odors that spread through sinks, tubs, and other drains in your home.
Summertime Odors and Septic Systems
If your home doesn’t have a sewer line but instead relies on a septic system, it isn’t immune to summer odor problems. In some cases, septic systems can be especially prone to odor problems during extreme heat. The primary reason is that septic systems store waste specifically to allow it time to break down. The process produces the same problematic gases as you’d expect in a sewer system. The good news is, septic systems have features designed to keep those byproducts from escaping.
Unfortunately, septic systems may begin leaking gases as they age. All it takes is a poor seal on a tank lid, vent, or baffle. This can allow gases to escape, sending foul odors drifting toward your home. Plus, heavy rainfall during the monsoon season can inundate your septic system’s drain field. That can lead to backups that force built-up gases back through your pipes and into your home.
What To Do About Summer Sewer Odors
There are a handful of ways you can work to prevent sewer odors in the Tucson summer. One is to make a habit of running water through every drain in your home occasionally. That will keep your P-traps from drying out. It will also keep solids and other waste moving through your drains away from your home. If there are sinks you won’t remember to use, you can pour a tablespoon of mineral oil into their drains. That mixes with the water in the P-trap, dramatically slowing its evaporation.
It’s also a good idea to schedule a drain and sewer line cleaning annually to eliminate biofilm buildup. We can also perform a camera inspection to look for damage to your sewer line that could cause gas to escape. If we find any, we can repair the sewer line using trenchless pipe relining. And if your home has a septic system, we also offer septic system services to prevent foul odors. We can maintain your septic system and make repairs whenever necessary.
You should also remember to call for a Tucson plumbing inspection whenever you notice persistent odors. If you keep refilling your home’s P-traps but foul smells remain, it may indicate a more serious plumbing problem. Be especially wary of strong outdoor sewage smells. That can indicate a need for immediate repair to your sewer line or septic system.
Your Local Plumbing Experts
Cal’s Plumbing is the local plumber to call for help whenever you notice unpleasant sewer and drain odors. We’ve served local homeowners for over 70 years. We offer a comprehensive range of services to identify and resolve plumbing problems. That includes Tucson plumbing inspection services. We use the latest tools and techniques, including camera inspection equipment.
If you’re struggling with unpleasant sewer odors in the Tucson heat, contact Cal’s Plumbing.
