I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve seen traps dry out way faster than folks expect, especially in older houses with wild drafts or when the furnace is cranking. But if you’re topping off more than once a week, I’d still poke around for a sneaky vent issue or a hairline crack. Had a tenant once who swore it was just “dry air”—turned out the trap had a pinhole and was leaking into the crawlspace. Sometimes it’s not just the weather, it’s the house playing tricks on you...
Sometimes it’s not just the weather, it’s the house playing tricks on you...
You nailed it—houses can be sneaky. I’ve lost count of how many times folks blame “dry air” or “old pipes” when it’s actually a venting issue or a cracked trap. If you’re topping off traps every few days, something’s off. Drafts will dry things out, sure, but unless you’ve got a wind tunnel in your basement, that shouldn’t be happening so fast.
Had a job last winter where the homeowner swore up and down it was just the cold sucking moisture out. Turned out the vent stack was half-blocked with a bird’s nest. Once we cleared it, no more sewer smell and the traps held water like they should.
Curious—anyone ever find weird stuff blocking their vents? I’ve seen everything from tennis balls to old rags stuffed in there by squirrels. Makes me wonder how often folks actually check those stacks, especially in older places where nobody wants to crawl up on the roof.
Never thought I’d be the type to climb up on my own roof, but after a weird sulfur smell in the laundry room, I caved and checked the vent myself. Ended up finding a wad of leaves and what looked like a chewed-up tennis ball jammed in there. Not sure if it was squirrels or just wind, but after clearing it out, the smell was gone in a day. Honestly, I’m not a fan of heights, so next time I might just call someone... not worth risking a fall for a vent.
“Honestly, I’m not a fan of heights, so next time I might just call someone... not worth risking a fall for a vent.”
I get that. I tried to fix a gutter last month and nearly lost my balance—never again. But I gotta say, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and check things yourself, especially when it comes to weird smells. That rotten egg thing freaks me out. Still, I’d rather pay a pro than end up with a broken leg over some leaves and a tennis ball. Not sure how people do this stuff regularly... respect to the roof climbers, but I’m out.
“Still, I’d rather pay a pro than end up with a broken leg over some leaves and a tennis ball.”
I hear you, but sometimes the pros miss stuff too. Had a plumber swear my basement smell was just a dry trap—turned out it was a cracked sewer line under the slab. Cost me way more in the end. Heights aren’t my thing either, but I’ve learned to double-check before writing that check. Not fun, but necessary sometimes.