I'm dealing with a really awful smell in my basement, which seems to be coming from the furnace room. At first, I thought it might be a gas leak since I didn't notice any warnings from the detector, and I even bought a combustible gas detector that confirmed no leaks. The smell is still present but seems a bit less intense than before. I'm concerned it could be sewage gases. Is it safe for me to stay in the house with this odor? I'm completely clueless about home repairs, so any help would be appreciated!
3 Answers
Definitely look into the drains. Even if you have a condensate drain from your furnace, it can sometimes dry out. If that happens, sewer gas can seep through. Pouring some water down the drain can prevent that. If this issue happens when the furnace is running, you might also check if the drain is plugged or has damage, which could lead to further issues.
Do you have any kind of drain in that room? If you have a sump pump, it's likely there's a floor drain connected to it. If it's not used regularly, the trap might have dried out, allowing sewer gas to escape. Filling it with water every so often could help.
It might be worth checking for any dead rats or critters in the furnace area. Sometimes those can cause nasty smells. Even if you don't see anything obvious, it's something to consider.