Is it normal for a septic tank to smell inside or outside the house?

The toilet is a central part of everyone’s life, I think. You can make one morning without using this corner of your home. That is why you are also familiar with the septic system of the toilet. This is mainly attached to the drainage system of the bathroom; all the human waste goes through this part and is removed from the house to the damping area. And the bad smell from this is a prevalent issue. You need to know how to normalize this situation.

How do septic tanks work?

In big cities, every toilet waste place is connected with a system and that’s called a septic system. This is an underground wastewater treatment structure, and it mainly finds you in the rural areas without a centralized sewer system. This is a combined project of nature and modern technology to treat the wastewater from household plumbing like bathrooms, kitchen laundry, etc.

And when it collects the dirty water from the household sometimes, you face a terrible odor from it, but this happens occasionally. The gas produced by the septic tank, especially the hydrogen sulfate and methane digestion, results from the bad smell in the washroom and septic areas. But these glasses are disgusting and very toxic, and even sometimes, they’re explosive. So when you find anything wrong with this, you must call the plumber to solve the issue for you as soon as possible. You can find the smell in the house and from the septic tank, yard, or drain field.

Is the bad smell of the septic tank typical?

No. The smell of the septic system is not an ordinary case. The septic system should not create a foul odor because of the outside sealed chamber lid. If you face an issue in your washroom or kitchen, there is any problem with your drainage system. 

What is the reason behind the bad smell of the septic tank?

To solve this issue, you must know the reason behind this unpleasant situation. The cause of bad smells in the house and out of the house is different. We talk here about both of these situations:

  • Inside the house:

When you notice the bad smell in the house, which is coming from the septic tank, it means there is a problem with the plumbing system. For use time, drying out the fas trap in the basement floor drain is also the result of this foul odor at the house. The septic tank is venting back the smell from the trap line. Sometimes, if the tank’s cover is not appropriately sealed on the ejector sump pump bucket, it also leaves a foul smell in the washroom area. The roof area plumbing vent mainly works to minimize the odor from your drainage of the septic tank. When anything disturbs the venting system, the toilet or sinks will gurgle, the trap gets dry, and the smell comes to your home without venting outside the house. And sometimes cold weather is the reason behind this situation.septic tank too close to house

  • Outside the house:

Sometimes, the odor you find outside the home, there are also some factors behind this lousy situation. If any ineffective digestion happens in the septic system, this problem occurs. An entire pump issue or loose tank cover is also a big reason behind this smell issue. The bacteria are reducing because sulfate is getting low for this occurrence. That is why these bacteria get energy with the help of oxidation of organic components, reducing the hydrogen sulfate bacteria. But this is a very ordinary case, and it’s a process of digesting the waste there. If the drainage of the septic system is clogged, it fails the system, which might emit a bad septic odor.

The reason for this smell from your backyard and house is there. So you need to take the step which one you want to fix.

How to solve the bad odor from the septic tank?

As I told you before, there are many reasons behind this problem, so there are many solutions to this issue. Like:

  • Clean your septic tank: a full septic tank is a leading and common reason behind the bad smell from the septic tank. So when you pump out the garbage from the septic tank, you can get rid of the foul odor from the septic system.
  • Clean the bottom of the septic tank: when you use the tank for a long time, a crust type forms at the bottom of the tank that separates the sewage from the air. This also helps speed up the process. So when you pump up all the garbage from the tank, also clean the bottom of the tank.
  •  Think before throwing anything in the toilet: there are many chemicals you may find in the market that get rid of the foul smell from the bathroom, like grease, paints, or any liquid solution. This also helps you to get rid of this dire situation.
  • Check the drainage system: if there is any block or clog in the drainage system or venting system, you face this issue. Many times you can meet this in your newly renovated house. If that happens, there is an issue with the venting side, and you need to call the plumber to solve the problem.

These are the main reasons behind the nasty smell from the septic tank. And these are the most popular methods people use to solve this issue. If you can’t solve the odor problem after doing this stuff, then the problem is related to other factors. And you need to call a professional to fix this.

Is septic tank odor serious for human health?

The septic tan gasses are very harmful to your health. These are not only disturbances but also very toxic. This gas is dangerous for human health and negatively impacts the greenhouse effect. This gas poison our fetal if you continuously inhale this. There are also consequences of this gas like fatigue, headache, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, etc. If this gas gets out of control, it can explode, so dealing with this gas is not an easy case.

Final discussion:

As I said, the smell of the septic tank is a typical case, but if it reaches your home and you notice it all the time, there is a problem with your plumbing system. This gas is not very good for your health. Solve the issue as soon as possible otherwise; you can fall ill.

We are really lucky to have a hard-working, multi-skilled plumber on our team. Collin D. Gallegos, a professional plumber who has worked with us since 2012, is an expert in vent, septic, and drainage systems. He is a Certified Master Plumber and has worked on various commercial plumbing projects. He usually helps our readers resolve plumbing and pipe-related issues with a proper DIY troubleshooting and repair guide.

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