We bought a 96 year old house a few months ago. Every time the washing machine is emptying out water comes up in the kitchen sink and the bath tub with a strong sewage smell.
The sink in the bathroom also has a strong sewage smell every time you run the water in it.
There is a crawlspace underneath the house and we have public sewage.
My husband doesn't seem to be to worried about the smell, but it is really starting to bother me. What can we do to fix it?

Becky

Hi Becky,
You have a partial blockage downstream from the fixture nearest the point the sewer exits the house. Your washer pump discharges with a lot of force and pressure and the clog won't let all of it past. The answer is to snake the drain line from the roof vent of the fixture nearest the point the sewer exits the house. Put out enough cable to reach the base and about 25' more.
Lavatory smells are usually caused by rotting hair caught in the drain pipe. Pull the stopper out of the drain and shine a light down the drain. You will see a small rod sticking into the drain. Fish out any hair that may be caught on it. Tonight before bedtime pour 1/2 gallon of bleach down the drain and let it set overnight. Next morning, (and this is important) flush the bleach, hair and grease out with two large pans of boiling weater. Smell better now?
Cheers, Tom