Exercise Caution

• Sewer gases can be dangerous to your health, whether they are leaking inside your house’s structure or directly beneath it. Inhaling sewer gases may result in dizziness, nausea, loss of consciousness and even asphyxiation since toxic gases may be present. While examining any area where you smell what appears to be sewer gases, wear protective gear, such as a respirator, to avoid breathing in the gases. The sewer gases may also be flammable, meaning you must take extra precautions to not expose the sewer gases to open flame.
  
  

Look for Clogs

• A clog in the large drainpipe that connects all of the drainpipes in the house to the sewer or the septic tank may develop a clog. Grease that has been washed down your drains, for example, when combined with soap scum, hair and other objects, could completely block the drainpipe. This blockage causes all of the waste water flowing through the pipes to begin backing up under the house. By opening the cleanout covers in your front yard, you can check for standing water inside, an indication that a clog exists. Contact a plumber to remove the clog.
  
  

Septic Tank Servicing

• When you smell sewer odors coming from underneath your house, it may be an indication that the septic tank your house’s drainpipes feed into needs to be emptied since it is overflowing. When the septic tank becomes full, the waste begins backing up the drainpipes until it eventually comes out the plumbing fixtures’ drains. By having your septic tank service empty the tank, you avoid having waste water back up into your house. If your house’s plumbing does not feed into a septic tank, contact the city about a possible backup in the sewer system in your area.
  
  

Check Vent Pipes

• When you smell sewer gases under your home, you need to check over the plumbing vent pipes to ensure that they are not the cause of the smell. The vent pipes connect to larger drainpipes in your house’s plumbing setup. These drainpipes service multiple plumbing fixtures at a time. The vent pipes allow the sewer gases in the drainpipes to flow out of the house since the vents have openings above the house’s roof. If the vent pipes have clogs, are broken, or are not sufficient for the plumbing setup, the sewer gases may find other places to escape, such as under the house. You may check for clogs in the vent pipes from the house’s roof. A licensed plumber can locate damage to the vent pipes or determine if they need to be altered or added onto to alleviate the problem.