I've been here before about this. Was told to put baking soda, vinager, boil out drain and it should be fine... no such luck! It never did help and I'm at my wits end! This seemed to start about the same time as we had a new electric heat pump put in. The a/c is in a closet right next to the bathroom. I believe the tub and the a/c drain into the same pipe. Anyway... the most horrific smell of mold comes out of the drain. We have to keep the drain closed all the time. The only time we smell it is when the drain is open. Does anybody have any ideas at all as to what is going on here? We are on a concrete slab and scared to call a plumber for fear he will tell us we have to take the bathtub out and break up the foundation. Don't you think a leak would smell even with the drain closed? The smell just about takes your breath away, I know it can't be healthy. Anybody?? Please??

jharrell

Does the AC condensate line smell bad also? The heat pump should have nothing to do with your drainage. Sounds like a mess of rotting hair mattedc with grease from the soap down there. Let's get it out of there. Here's how to snake a tub. Unscrew and remove the overflow plate,(The one with the drain lever) and pull out the tub stopper. You now have a clear shot at the trap. . Now feed the cable( 1/4" best or 3/3" with a small tip. You can rent a Ridgid K50 sink cable.) About 2' down you will run into the bend of the trap. Crank and push at the same time to work around it. Your blockage will be found in the lateral pipe going to the stack. You shouldn't have to put out more then 10 or 12 feet.
Now, tonight before bedtine Take a 1/2 gallon of bleach and pour it down the drain and let set over night. Next morning ,(and this is important) flush out the drain with two large pans of boiling water,(this is important ) to loosen the grease and flush the mess out. The bleach will make the hair slippery and began to dissolve it and the hot water will melt the grease and flush the mess away. Good luck and happy smells, Tom

Tom,
I agree. However, I would suggest using a rag or paper towel to clean any splash of bleach off the trim ring on the drain. The caustic in the bleach will discolor the chrome trim ring.
Al

=albinfla]Tom,
I agree. However, I would suggest using a rag or paper towel to clean any splash of bleach off the trim ring on the drain. The caustic in the bleach will discolor the chrome trim ring.
Al
Thanks for bringing that up Al. Good advice!

I called my husband at home and read your posts to him. Thank you so much!! He snaked the drain but the furthest he could get was about 6 feet. If it still smells he's going to go rent a bigger snake.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I will definetely keep you posted! My fingers and toes are crossed that this does the trick!

JHarrell

Tom,
What about the a/c being piped wrong. If the a/c drain line doesn't have a p-trap and is piped into the tub drain between the drain and the tub p-trap, it could be getting odor and gasses from the a/c drain. It sounds to me like the a/c guy may have taken a short cut.

Shouldn't the a/c drain have its own p-trap? Then pipe into the tub drain after the tub drain p-trap. That way you wouldn't get the smell back in on either line.

What do you think Tom/
Al

John, This is why I asked if the AC line had any odor in myfirst post. Im ny area it's against the law to drain anything into the sewer except gray water and sewage. You are correct. The AC line should be trapped even if it terminates outside. She hasn't answered back about that as yet.So I'm waiting to find out if snaking the line and the bleach treatment works before I explore other options. Regards, tom

Tom - I'm sorry I didn't answer the question about the a/c pipe. I was so excited about having an answer so quickly that I missed it.

The very first time we smelled mold, yes, there was a smell in the a/c closet. My husband put duct tape around the drain pipe, sealing it off. We have never smelled mold in that closet again. There is a possibility that the guy who put the a/c in didn't put a p-trap... we will definetely check that out as well. Actually, what we did was replace another unit with an electric heat pump. Wouldn't we have smelled mold long before if it was the plumbing, since it was pre-existing?

Judy

Judy,
I wonder if you tried pouring bleach down the a/c drain, if that might tell you something. Usually, it is pretty easy to get the a/c drain apart at the air handler. Then, you could slowly pour bleach down the drain. If nothing else, it may get rid of your odor for a couple of days, and it is always good to periodically clean the a/c drain anyway.
Al

Follow Als suggestion about pouring bleach down the AC condensate line. We used to get service calls for a leak only to find out it was a clogged AC line that was the culprit. Something like jelly would fill the line. I carried a air bottle on my truch. I would blow the line clear and then flush it out with bleach. It's a good idea to clean that line out every once in a while. Good luck and let us know if snaking the line helped. Tom

I seems that snaking did the trick! No mold smell at all! I'm estatic... thank you so much for taking the time to help me.

JHarrell

I seems that snaking did the trick!! No mold smell at all!! I'm estatic...thank you so much for taking the time to help me.

JHarrell
We're glad you were helped. If we can ever be of service in the future just ask. Tom

Tom
Do you know if the bleach will be a problem if you have a septic tank? Won't that kill the good bacteria in the tank?

Tom
Do you know if the bleach will be a problem if you have a septic tank? Won't that kill the good bacteria in the tank?
No! That small amount in a 100 gallon septic won't hurt a thing. It sure does a number on a smelly drain though. Cheers, Tom