Have you ever smelled a sewer stink inside your house? A gross eau-de-bathroom odor that you want to deny because you fear it could mean a disgusting mess or expensive repair? There may be a simple reason for that smell and an easy fix.

Under every toilet, sink, and shower there is a U-shaped pipe. When you flush or use water, a little is left in that pipe sealing your bathroom from the City's sewer pipes. But, if you don't use a shower or sink for a while, that water can evaporate and begin to let the stink in. The fix is simple: periodically run water to refill the trap.