You had the drains cleaned. Maybe more than once. But that awful sewer smell? It’s still there. You’ve scrubbed, used air fresheners, maybe even changed cleaning products — and yet something still stinks. We hear this story a lot in Sacramento.

At Golden Valley Plumbing, we know a deep drain cleaning helps a lot of issues. But when it doesn’t solve the smell? That’s a red flag. Because a persistent sewer odor usually means the problem isn’t inside the drain — it’s somewhere else in the plumbing system.

It’s not always about clogs

Sewer cleaning work can remove grease buildup, food waste, and small clogs. That’s a great first step. But if the odor persists, then you need to look elsewhere:

• Dry traps: Every sink, tub, or floor drain has a trap — a curved section of pipe that holds water to block odors. If it dries out (from disuse or heat), there’s no seal. Sewer gas gets through. We’ve fixed dozens of these just by adding water or checking for trap leaks.
• Cracked or loose vent pipes: Plumbing vents let air move through the system. If those pipes are damaged — especially in attics or walls — sewer gas can escape into your home. This is one of the hardest issues to find without specialized tools or a nose that knows what to sniff for.
• Hidden leaks in old pipes: Sometimes, the smell is coming from a small leak behind a wall. Not water — just gas. It’s subtle, but over time it seeps into the room. If your home has older cast iron or corroded joints, this could be the culprit.
• Improperly sealed toilets or floor drains: We’ve had cases where a toilet wasn’t sealed right to the flange — or where a basement floor drain was open and dry. The result? Constant odor, even if the drain lines are totally clear.

What we actually do to find it

When the smell won’t go away, we treat it like a mystery — and track the source. We use smoke tests, camera inspections, and old-fashioned inspection of vent lines, traps, and seals. Our goal isn’t just to clean the line — it’s to stop the stink for good.

Bottom line

A sewer smell after a cleaning isn’t normal — and it doesn’t mean your plumber did a bad job. It means something deeper is happening. If you’re in Sacramento and still smelling sewer gas in your home, Golden Valley Plumbing will find out why — and fix it where it starts.