Back for the season and the drains smell?

Plenty of Foothills homes sit empty for the hot months while their owners are up north. When nobody runs water for months, the water seal in each drain trap evaporates in the desert heat. That seal is what keeps sewer gas out of the house. If you walk in to a sewer smell, run water in every sink, tub, shower and floor drain for a minute and flush each toilet. If the smell doesn't go away within a day, or drains are slow, call. Grease and soap left in the lines can dry and harden while the house sits.

Septic or sewer? Tell us which

Many properties in the Foothills drain to a septic system instead of a city sewer. That changes what a backup means. A clog can be in the line between the house and the tank, or the tank itself may be full and need pumping. If you're not sure which you have, look for a septic lid or riser in the yard, or check your property paperwork. Letting the technician know up front means they bring the right equipment.

Slow drains everywhere plus soggy ground over the drain field can point to a septic problem.
One slow fixture is still usually a local clog. See clogged drains.
Wipes, grease and harsh chemicals are especially hard on septic systems.

Manufactured and mobile home drains

Drain lines in manufactured homes are often smaller, use more plastic fittings and run under the floor rather than under a slab. That makes them easier to reach, but also easier to damage with too much force or the wrong chemicals. Common trouble spots are the kitchen sink line, the connection where the home's drain meets the ground pipe, and sags in under-floor lines that have lost a hanger. Tell the technician if your home is manufactured so they can choose the right tools.

Yards full of roots

Foothills landscaping leans on citrus, palms and desert trees, and in a dry place their roots will follow any leak they can find. If your main line clogs every year or two, a camera inspection can show whether roots are getting in and where.

Around the Foothills

Mesa del Sol and the golf course homes

Mesa del Sol is the Foothills' golf course community, with homes spread around the fairways and plenty of mature landscaping. Some homes in the area drain to septic systems rather than a public sewer, so the first question on any backup is which one you have. Around a golf course, trees and shrubs have had years to grow, and their roots will find a cracked joint in a drain line. If a main line clogs more than once, ask for a camera inspection so you know whether roots are the cause before paying for another cleaning.

RV parks and park model homes

The Foothills is home to a long list of RV parks and resorts, many of them 55-plus, that fill up every winter. Park model homes and RVs have smaller drain lines and tighter bends than a regular house, which means they clog faster and need gentler tools. A few things that help:

Use RV-safe toilet paper in RVs, and keep wipes out of every toilet.
Keep the gray-water valve managed so solids don't settle in the line when you're hooked up for months at a time.
Report shared-line backups to park management. If several sites back up at once, the problem is probably the park's main line, not your connection.
Watch the kitchen sink. Small RV sink lines don't tolerate grease at all.

Closing up a Foothills home for summer

If you leave for the hot months, a little preparation saves a smelly welcome home in the fall:

Run hot water down the kitchen sink to flush grease out of the line before you leave.
Flush every toilet and run every drain one last time.
Ask a neighbor or property manager to run the taps every few weeks so traps don't dry out. If that's not possible, expect to refill the traps when you return.
If you're on septic, consider having the tank checked while you're away so it's ready for a full house in winter.

When you get back, run water in every fixture for a minute. If drains are slow or the smell won't clear within a day, call.

Foothills questions

Fortuna Foothills drain FAQ

How do I know if my Foothills home is on septic?

Look for a septic tank lid or riser in the yard, check your purchase paperwork, or ask your HOA or the previous owner. If you don't pay a sewer charge on your utility bill, that's another clue.

My RV park site is backing up. Is it me or the park?

If only your RV is affected, the clog is likely in your own lines or hose. If neighboring sites are also backing up, tell park management right away, since the park's shared line is probably the problem.

Why does my house smell like sewer when I come back in the fall?

The water in your drain traps evaporated in the summer heat, letting sewer gas through. Run every drain and flush every toilet. If the smell lasts more than a day, something else is going on.

Also serving

Drain help for the Foothills.