Why a swampy smell in back yard at dusk?

[Lawrence Foye]

I just bought a house in an area that is pretty wet. They built a trench in the backyard to direct the flow of water from the hill but it is very damp in the backyard all the time. At dusk we smell a kind of swampy septic smell. It usually goes away by 10 PM and is nonexistent during the day. Anybody know what could cause this?

[Mark W]

: I just bought a house in an area that is pretty wet. They built a trench in the backyard to direct the flow of water from the hill but it is very damp in the backyard all the time. At dusk we smell a kind of swampy septic smell. It usually goes away by 10 PM and is nonexistent during the day. Anybody know what could cause this? :some thoughts..swampy area was back filled and swamp smell disappears with cooler night air..the trench may be too close to a septic bed?

[Mark W]

: I just bought a house in an area that is pretty wet. They built a trench in the backyard to direct the flow of water from the hill but it is very damp in the backyard all the time. At dusk we smell a kind of swampy septic smell. It usually goes away by 10 PM and is nonexistent during the day. Anybody know what could cause this? :some thoughts..swampy area was back filled and swamp smell disappears with cooler night air..the trench may be too close to a septic bed?

[Mark W]

The reason your yard smells is very simple. Temperature. Between 2pm and dusk is the warmest pat of the day. If any drainage problems were attempted to be fixed, they failed. Stagnant water results in bacterial growth. These bacteria produce gas when they eat (eat during warm temps.), and the gas smells (gas is harmless). The only permanent soulution to this problem is improved drainage or for the short term (1-3yrs), replace your dirt with acidic dirt.

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