NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

January 14, 1999

Low Temperatures Should Prompt Some Home Safety Checks

When the mercury plunges to the below-zero range and stays there for days at a time, sewer gas can become a serious threat, according to a safety specialist at North Dakota State University.

"Sewer gas, not only smells bad, it's explosive and poisonous," says George Maher of the NDSU Extension Service. "There are some steps you can take to temporarily deal with the problem. However, permanently fixing the problem may be better left to the warmer times of the year, unless it can be done from indoors."

The pungent odor of sewer gas in the home is usually the first indication of a problem, Maher says. The odor is offensive and usually quite noticeable. Sewer gas can enter your home through dried up basement floor drains and the drains of infrequently used sinks or showers. Floor drains which may be covered with rugs or carpet also are likely to dry out and let sewer gas into the home.

Fill the drains with water on a regular basis to stop the infiltration of gas, Maher says. In fact, it's a good practice to pour a quart or two of water in these drains every week or so just to make sure that they are filled.

Sinks, bathtubs, and other plumbing fixtures that do not drain normally also are indications of sewer venting problems. These problems can result from an ice-plugged sewer vent, Maher says.

In very cold weather sewer vents may plug with ice. The ice forms when moisture in the sewer gas condenses at the end of the sewer vent, freezes and builds up to restrict or actually plug the end of the sewer vent.

The vent for a domestic sewer system is located on the roof, usually above the room or facility it serves. Clearing a frozen sewer vent on the roof calls for extreme care with ladders and working on the usually slippery roof, Maher says. Removing ice accumulations from the sewer vent stack will solve the problem temporarily, but will not prevent it from occurring again.

There are remedies for ice-plugged sewer vents, Maher notes. Some work better than others. One solution is to insulate the vent pipe where it passes through the attic. If you can gain access to the attic, a batt of fiberglass insulation wrapped around the vent pipe will probably do the job.

Another remedy is to install one of the various styles of sewer vents that are designed to resist plugging. Improved vents are available from complete hardware stores and building centers.

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Source: George Maher (701) 231-8288

Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629