Problem Two: The Siphoning Effect in Soil and Waste Systems However, that doesn't stop them from still lingering in the pipes, just waiting for our next problem to occur and let them escape into our homes. the U-bend, as they are most commonly, though not always correctly, identified). Hydrogen sulfide and methane build-up can even be an explosion risk since both are highly flammable.įortunately, we are generally saved from being subjected to the olfactory affront, and any potential health risks, of such gases by our wastewater traps (i.e. However, prolonged exposure to, or higher concentrations of, these chemicals and gases can be a much more severe health risk. While they do not generally pose a significant health risk in low concentrations, exposure to certain chemicals that can be present (such as hydrogen sulfide) can irritate your eyes, give you a sore throat or cough, and cause shortness of breath. Not only that, but our soil and waste systems connect to the mains sewer (unless you have an off-mains system), which means that gases produced by everyone else's waste in your street can float up through your pipes. While the waste that creates them should be transported fairly rapidly out of your soil system, the gases can linger and build up in the pipes. These smells and gases don't just disappear down into the sewer, however. These are the leading cause of those nasty niffs - hence why we flush it all away as quickly as we can.and maybe spray a bit of air freshener around if we're being considerate.

Bacteria that aids digestion, and the byproducts of that process, remain in our waste even after leaving our bodies.

We all go to the toilet and we all expel unpleasant-smelling waste from our bodies. In the world of plumbing and drainage, however, there's no room for beating about the bush. Let's face facts.bodily waste smells! It's no big secret, despite society's best efforts to make it something one shouldn't discuss in polite conversation. Problem One: Harmful Gases in Soil Systems

Toilet vent stack