The short answer
About 75% of the time, a sewer smell in the house comes from a drain trap that has dried out. Run water in every sink, tub and shower and flush every toilet to refill the traps. If the smell keeps coming back, check your floor drains for a missing clean-out plug and check for a toilet that rocks.
1. A dry trap
Every drain has a trap that holds a little water to block sewer gas. If a bathroom does not get used much, like after the kids move out, that water evaporates and the gas comes through.
What to do: run water in every sink, tub and shower, and flush every toilet, on a regular schedule.
2. A garage or basement floor drain
Floor drains often dry out in winter, especially in homes without a high-efficiency furnace putting water into them.
What to do: pour RV antifreeze into the drain. It does not evaporate as fast as water, so it keeps the smell out longer.
3. A missing clean-out plug
Some floor drains have a built-in clean-out on the side. If that plug gets knocked out, the drain is an open pipe to the sewer.
What to do: look inside the floor drain. If you see a hole on the side with no plug, have it plugged.
4. A loose toilet
If a toilet rocks back and forth, the wax seal underneath has usually failed, and sewer gas can escape around the base.
What to do: have the seal replaced and the toilet reset. See our toilet repair service.
When to call us
- Try first: refill every trap by running water in each fixture.
- Call us if the smell stays after the traps are full, a toilet rocks, a clean-out plug is missing, or your drains are also gurgling or slow.
Still smell sewer gas?
Book a visit with Acts of Service Plumbing online, or give us a call. We serve Tulsa, Bixby and the surrounding area with flat-rate, upfront pricing. See our drain and sewer service, read about roots in sewer lines or schedule service.
Page last updated November 2026.
Straight Answers
Why does my house smell like sewer?
About 75% of the time it is a dry trap. Run water in every fixture to refill it.
Why does my garage floor drain smell in winter?
It dries out. Pouring RV antifreeze in it keeps the trap filled longer.
Can a toilet cause a sewer smell?
Yes. If it rocks, the wax seal has likely failed and gas escapes around the base.
When should I call a plumber for a sewer smell?
Call if the smell stays after refilling the traps, or if you find a missing clean-out plug or a rocking toilet.
