Sewer smell in the yardtracing the source in an Aurora yard

Check cleanout caps first. If they are intact and the smell persists, especially near a wet or sunken patch, a cracked service line is likely. A camera inspection finds it.

A cracked or separated service line lets wastewater seep into the soil around it. The odor is strongest near the leak and on warm days, and a wet or sunken area may form above it. In a dry Aurora yard, grass over the leak may grow greener than elsewhere. A camera inspection with locating pinpoints the spot and shows how serious the damage is.

Outdoor cleanout caps sit at ground level, where mowers clip them in summer and snow shovels and blowers catch them in winter. A cracked or missing cap lets sewer gas escape right at the surface. Replacing it is simple. Roof vents release gas by design, but on still evenings air can drift down onto patios and decks, especially with low rooflines or a vent near a second-story deck. Raising or relocating the vent may help.

Aurora's clay soils shrink and crack as they dry in summer. If the service line is leaking below, those cracks act like chimneys, letting odor rise to the surface. Smells that appear every summer and fade in the wet months often point to a small leak that the dry soil reveals.

A missing cap is a quick fix. A leaking joint may need a spot repair or lining. A line that is cracked along its length or collapsed may need replacing. The camera video guides which repair fits, and repairs that involve digging require 811 locates first.

In older neighborhoods with alley mains, odors along the alley may come from the public main, a manhole or a neighbor's line. If the smell is strongest in the alley rather than your yard, report it to the city. If your line connects in the alley, a camera can check whether your connection is leaking.

If the smell is also in the basement, check that the floor drain trap has water, since dry Colorado air evaporates traps quickly. If traps are full, a cracked drain under the slab or a loose cleanout cap indoors may be the source.

A smoke test blows harmless, visible smoke into the sewer line. Smoke escaping from the lawn, a cleanout or around the house shows where the system is open. Combined with a camera, it pinpoints leaks quickly.

As snow melts and soil warms, odors from small leaks can become noticeable again after winter. If the yard smells every spring, a crack may be letting sewage into the soil.

A smell near the foundation can come from a crack where the line leaves the basement, a loose outdoor cleanout cap or a vent near a window well. Check caps first, then have the line filmed near the house.

Dogs often dig or sniff at the same patch of lawn when sewage is leaking below it. If your dog keeps returning to one spot, check it for dampness and odor.

After winter, walk the yard and check outdoor cleanout caps. Snow shovels, blowers and plows often crack or knock them off. Replacing a cap is quick and stops odors at the source.

If caps are intact and the smell persists, especially near a wet or sunken spot or a lush strip of grass, call. A camera inspection and, if needed, a smoke test will find the source.

Plumbing vents that end near a second-story deck or close to a basement window well can send odors where people notice them. Extending the vent or relocating it is a plumbing task, sometimes needing a permit.

In townhome and condo communities, odors from common areas or shared lines should be reported to the association, which manages shared sewer sections.

Not every wet spot is a sewer leak. Broken sprinklers or a leaking water service can also soak the lawn. The difference is usually the smell: sewer leaks smell. If unsure, a plumber can check both.

Warm weather speeds the breakdown of sewage and helps gases rise, so a small leak that is barely noticed in winter can smell strongly in July.