Bad odors can quickly invade the house at the start of summer. This unknown cause may be at the origin.
Even though you ventilate regularly, clean your equipment and maintain your interior, a sewer smell sometimes seems to settle in the house for no apparent reason. This situation is more common than you might think, especially when temperatures rise. Many people then suspect a plumbing problem or clogged pipes. However, the explanation is often much simpler and goes unnoticed in many homes.
When bad odors appear, the first instinct is generally to clean the drains or use cleaning products. But despite these efforts, the smell may persist. In some cases, the problem comes neither from dirt nor from the condition of the pipes. It can be linked to a discreet element, present under most of the sanitary equipment in the house and yet whose role is essential.
This little-known culprit is the siphon. Located under sinks, washbasins, showers or even certain household appliances, it permanently contains a small quantity of water. This reserve acts as a natural barrier which prevents gases and bad odors coming from the pipes from rising into the home. When this water disappears, odors can then circulate freely and invade certain rooms.
Contrary to popular belief, this phenomenon does not only concern secondary bathrooms or lightly occupied residences. With the heat of summer, the water contained in the siphons evaporates more quickly. A rarely used shower, a laundry room sink, a floor drain in a garage or even certain equipment used occasionally may be affected. Sometimes it is enough for a water point to remain unused for several days for the natural protection of the siphon to disappear and give way to odors rising up.
Fortunately, the solution is simple. To avoid this problem, simply run a little water through equipment that is rarely used to maintain the water level in the siphons. Once a week is usually sufficient during periods of high heat. For very rarely used drains, it is also possible to pour a small spoonful of neutral oil onto the surface of the water. This thin film slows down evaporation and prolongs the effectiveness of the siphon. A quick gesture which often allows you to find a more pleasant interior without having to undertake major work or increase the number of maintenance products.
