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FEDURCO DRAINAGE

Problem guide

Smelly Drains

A persistent unpleasant smell from a sink, shower or outside drain usually means something is sitting in the system that should not be — and it rarely goes away on its own.

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Gloved hand lifting an outdoor drain inspection cover

Recognise the problem

Where is the smell coming from?

Narrowing down the source helps narrow down the cause.

  1. 01

    From one plughole

    Often debris or build-up in that fixture’s trap or waste pipe.

  2. 02

    From several fixtures

    Can point to a problem in the shared drainage run.

  3. 03

    From an outside drain

    May indicate trapped waste, a partial blockage or stagnant water in the chamber.

  4. 04

    Worse after rain or use

    Smells that come and go with water movement can indicate a restriction disturbing trapped waste.

  5. 05

    Smell plus slow drainage

    The two together make a blockage or build-up more likely.

Possible causes

What can cause drain smells?

Smell alone cannot confirm the cause — but these are the possibilities investigation usually considers.

  • Trapped debris

    Food, hair and soap caught in a trap or waste pipe, decomposing in place.

  • Grease and build-up

    A coating inside the pipe that harbours bacteria and odours.

  • Stagnant water

    Water sitting in a section of pipe or chamber that is not flowing freely.

  • A partial blockage

    Waste catching on a restriction and breaking down slowly.

  • A drainage defect

    Less commonly, a crack or displaced joint allowing smells to escape where they should not.

If the smell is strong inside the property and persistent, it is worth investigating promptly rather than masking it.

Reviewing drain camera footage on a monitor

How Fedurco investigates

Find the source, not just mask the smell

Recurring smells usually mean the source is still there. Cleaning the plughole or flushing the pipe can help temporarily, but if the odour returns, something in the system is producing it.

We start with the pattern — which drains, when, and what else is happening — and where the cause is not obvious, a camera inspection shows the inside of the pipework so the fix targets the actual source.

You receive a quote before any work begins.

CCTV Drain Surveys

Related services

Services that may be relevant

Common questions

Smelly drain questions

A drain can work while still being coated in grease and debris — the smell is often the first sign of build-up that will eventually affect flow too.

They can mask or temporarily reduce odours, but if the smell keeps returning the source is still in the system. Lasting fixes remove the cause, not the symptom.

If it is from a drain serving only your property, usually yes. If it is from a shared or public sewer, the water company may be responsible. We can help you work out which is likely.

It can be one possible cause — a crack or displaced joint can let odours escape — but smells alone do not prove damage. A CCTV survey is how that would be confirmed.

Warmth speeds up the decomposition of trapped organic material, which makes existing build-up smell stronger. The underlying cause is still there whatever the weather.

Get a quote

Tell us about the smell.

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0800 677 1321

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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