Hi, My Fiancé and I just moved into our house in May. When we first walked in we noticed an odor, but figured it was from the previous tenant. Within a few days the odor was much stronger, it smells like sewage. It doesn't seem to be coming from anywhere specific, just the entire house. We can also smell the odor from outside on our front porch as we get closer to our front door. It's not an everyday occurrence, it's just at random. We have tried to figure out if the odor came after we have done something specific, but just can't figure it out. We have city water, so would we have a septic tank? My mother just so happens to be dating our Landlord, and they live in Florida, while we are in North Carolina. My mother was up here this week and she went under the house to see if there was any leaks, she found that our bathtub leaks, but we all are not sure if that is where the smell is coming from, she said that she did not smell the sewage smell or any odor for that matter while she was under there. I am not even sure if my Landlord is going to do anything to fix this problem, I am ready to do it on my own. Does anyone have any ideas to what my problem may be?? Please Help, I am desperate.

Could be a septic tank, could be a leak in one of the sewage lines under the house, if on city sewer could be a break in one of the pipes under ground.

Take your pick.

If there is a craw space under the house, have you went under to look.

Is the house on septic system ? Look around the perimeter of the house. There may be an open Clean Out. Also, if you are on septic, it may be overflowing or leach field is saturated. Do you feel wet ground around the house ? Please, check it out and let us know... Milo

Btw: Love the part of your post where you say you "...sent mother under the house..." LOL!

I honestly have no idea if we have a septic system, I have asked my landlord and my mother says that she THINKS we DO NOT have a septic system, but I am not sure if that's accurate. We have walked around the house and have not noticed any wet ground. My mother and my fiancé went under the house and they noticed that bathtub has a leak. Could a leaking bathtub cause a sewage smell?