Quick takeaways
- Dry trap (most common in unused basement drains): pour a litre of water in. Done.
- Failed toilet wax ring: needs to be replaced.
- Blocked plumbing vent (often birds or ice): needs roof access.
- Mainline issue: needs camera inspection.
Diagnose by location
If the smell is strongest near a rarely-used drain (basement floor drain, guest bathroom), it's almost certainly a dry trap — the water seal that blocks sewer gas has evaporated. Pour a litre of water in, wait an hour, and the smell is gone.
If the smell is around a toilet base, the wax ring has failed and sewer gas is escaping around the floor flange. Toilet pull-and-reset with new wax: $250-350.
If the smell is throughout the house and especially noticeable when the wind is strong, your roof vent may be blocked. We've cleared everything from leaves to a frozen dead bird out of Kanata vent stacks.
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