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You could be smelling sewer gas in your kitchen because of a dry P-trap, clogged vent pipe, or leaking plumbing seals. If you smell a rotten egg odor, check your sink’s P-trap and plumbing connections first. A clogged or damaged vent pipe can trap sewer gas and push it back into your kitchen through the plumbing pipes. Loose or deteriorated seals around drainpipes can also allow sewer gas to leak out. If you can’t find the source, call a local plumber for expert help.

The cost to unclog a drain varies based on the location and severity of the clog. For simple clogs within your home, such as in a sink, toilet, or shower, hiring a plumber typically costs between $110 and $350, with an average of around $200. Snaking a toilet or sink usually costs between $110 and $275, while a bathtub or shower clog costs about $225.

For a more serious clog in the main sewer line, the cost is higher. Clearing a main line clog generally costs between $200 and $600, with an average of about $380. However, prices can range from as low as $100 for snaking a minor clog to over $1,600, particularly if advanced methods like video inspection and hydrojetting are needed for a large or hard-to-reach blockage. Some severe main line clogs can cost upwards of $1,000 to clear depending on factors like the cause of the clog, its distance from an accessible cleanout, and whether the pipe is located beneath an occupied space (e.g., in an apartment building). You may be able to save money on minor clogs by using a drain snake or bladder yourself.

If you live in a place with cold weather, you can winterize your outdoor spigot whenever you finish using your hose for the year. Start by disconnecting and draining your hose, then store it until springtime. Next, close your water shut-off valve and open the bleeder cap, releasing any water inside, and open the outdoor faucet to get rid of any excess water in the fixture. Finally, put an outdoor faucet cover over your spigot until the weather warms up again.

Most people tend to use outdoor spigots more frequently in the summer. Watering plants, filling kiddie pools, having neighborhood water fights, and washing cars and pets are all outdoor activities people do when it's hot and sunny. The heat causes the pipes to expand, weakening the metal and creating cracks. The sudden spike in water use combined with this effect is why pipes burst often in the summer.