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That pungent rotten egg smell coming from your drain is likely the buildup of biofilm—hair, skin, and soap scum that turns into a black sticky mess. In this case, pouring down near-boiling water, baking soda, and white vinegar will remove the smell. Keep in mind that a rotten egg smell is occasionally a sign of larger sewage line clogs and other related issues.

How much it will cost to install an earthquake shut-off valve depends on who’s doing the installation. The price of the earthquake shut-off valve itself can cost between $250 and $750, and you’ll pay between $150 and $200 for labor if you hire a licensed plumbing contractor. If you install the valve yourself, you’ll save on labor, but you might need to spend $50 to $300 on the right tools for the job (and it’s a complex job that we don’t recommend DIYing).

If nothing is coming out of your faucet, you could have frozen pipes, a clogged faucet, or your water supply could be shut off. First, check your shut-off valves. If it's a hot sunny day, you can rule out frozen pipes and look closer at your aerator for signs of mineral deposits. Removing the aerator and cleaning it out can often return water flow. If temperatures are below freezing, you may have frozen pipes. Knowing what to do when pipes freeze is essential for thawing your pipes and preventing them from bursting.

Water pipes will unfreeze once temperatures stay above freezing long enough to thaw. As things warm up, you might hear gurgling and banging sounds from the pipes. It can take a while for the pipes to unfreeze, and they won’t without help if temperatures stay below freezing. Open cupboard doors, turn up the heat, and get out hair dryers, heat guns, space heaters, and heat lamps to speed up the thawing process. If you live where it’s frequently below freezing, consider whether pipe insulation is worth installing.