Hi, I'm Denise and thanks ahead for any help or suggestions anyone might have. We bought our house in April, it was a foreclosure and most of the plumbing had been stripped out so we had to have new lines installed. Our washer is in the kitchen across the room from the sink, about 10 feet. Whenever I run water in the kitchen sink a sulfur or 'egg' smell fills the room, it's horrible. It's rising up out of the washer drain tube, which I'm guessing in the same line the kitchen sink drains through. If you run the water a while, it will go away. I've noticed in the bathroom as well, only in the sink, when I wash my face, which of course situates my face right above the drain hole in the middle of the sink, that same smell will come up out of that drain as well. Who needs coffee to wake you up when you've got that blast of odiferous air up your nostrils! ;) It doesn't happen when the shower is run or drained nor when the toilet is flushed. It's unpleasant & embarrassing to have that smell in the house and all the wax tarts, aerosol sprays, potpourris and essential oils can't cover it or take it away. Could someone kindly lend some suggestions of what I might be able to check or do to find and eliminate this problem? I appreciate your time and attention. Thank you :)

the plumbing had been stripped out so we had to have new lines installed
Who did this work?

First of all, okay, I'm not that bright in regards to this. I chose a local business that was just starting, less than six months. The man that managed the job was licensed, his helper was not. They came and got the entire job done in one day, a Saturday, so we couldn't have the water turned on until the following Monday. When the water board came out, my husband went into the basement to make sure all was well and when the guy turned it on, the water came shooting out of the front of the house, into the basement. This is how we discovered where our main was and also that the gentlemen had not hooked the plumbing they put in to the main. We called them and they came back that evening and had to do quite a bit of work as the main had been cut (or burst, cold winters here) and only 1/4 inch of the line ran into the basement. They got that fixed and left. I called the water company the next morning and they came out again and when he turned it on the 2nd time, an elbow near the back of the house blew off across the room. The water was turned back off and I checked the receipt where the 'plumbers' had gone to Lowe's to purchase the supplies and noticed he had not bought the adhesive kit, with the two jars, one that's the stuff that preps it to hold and the epoxy itself. I can't remember what they're called but I'd watched some videos to learn about it before calling anyone and had seen in every vid that it is necessary to use 2 parts to the epoxy. I sent my husband to Lowe's to pick up the kit with both compounds and he came home and attached the elbow himself. In the meantime, I called the plumbers and the water company as the shut off valve that we'd requested at the main would not turn. They came out and put on a new shut off valve and the water was turned on again and the elbow at the exact opposite corner of the basement blew across the room. My husband repaired that and I called the plumbers because yet again, the shut off valve would not turn so we couldn't turn the water off ourselves and each time, the water company had to be called back out. They asked me if I wanted them to fix the 2nd flying elbow and I told him that my husband already had and to just get the (insert several expletive deletives here) shut off valve working and get out of my house. They did fix that and everything's been fine since then. Okay, before anyone says it: Lesson learned, I was a dumb*** for trying to short cut and save money, which I did not because they charged me $80 an hour and that's exactly what the big popular plumbing business in the area charges. I thought I would save money and help a starting local business out. I feel sure that my husband and I could have done as good a screwy job as they did. I will NEVER again use a contractor that hasn't been in business long enough to have at least a few pages of referrals. Is it something they might have done that could be causing this odor to come up out of the washing machine drain?

I certainly do not wish to make you feel any worse about your choice of contractors or your lack of knowledge about plumbing. From your description it sounds like you have CPVC piping for the supply lines (the pipe that bring water into the house) and PVC for the drains. You as a customer should not have to know how to do plumbing work. However, because there are unscrupulous and incompetent contractors out there it helps to know a little about it.
You said the contractor was a licensed plumber. He is the one responsible. A helper or someone working for him would not normally be licensed. The 2 part epoxy you refer to is really two different chemicals. The first part is a primer that cleans and softens the pipe in preparation for the adhesive, the second part. The second part is not really an adhesive (glue) but a chemical that dissolves the surfaces of the two parts and they bond or weld together. So, the pipe and fittings are not glued together, they are welded together. If the primer is not used the joints will not bond together properly and leaks can occur or joints can come apart. But that usually occurs after a period of time, not right away.
To have a joint blow apart says that the plumber did not check or test his work. If one joint blew apart, someone could have forgotten to glue a joint. Stuff happens. To have multiple joints blow apart means some one doesn't know what he is doing.

But this is about your water supply system. Your original question was about odors. Odors would relate to the drainage system. Each appliance (sink, tub,etc) must have a trap in the drain line. A trap is bend in the pipe where water sits to prevent sewer gasses form coming out of the sewer system and into your house.

You said you have sewer odors or gasses coming form multiple places. That makes me think that traps may not have been installed. Installation of traps in a drain line is so basic that it is hard to believe that anyone would not do it. I could understand if a home owner, not knowledgeable about plumbing might do that, but for a plumber it is unheard of. There is another aspect to drain lines called venting. There must be a pipe (through the roof) for sewer gasses to escape and for air to get in so that traps do not get siphoned dry.

Given your description of the problems with the water supply system there is no telling what is wrong with the drainage system. Either traps were not installed or they are not vented properly.

Show pictures underneath each sink and of the washer drain pipe.

Prepare to call another plumber to check the work done.


The man that managed the job was licensed

I really question that. Could he have been lying?

Yes, hk, the man certainly could have been lying about being licensed. Here are the pictures you asked for, the kitchen, bathroom and washing machine drain. After reading your answer, it mad perfect sense that there might be no trap on the washing machine drain since the strongest most horrid smell comes from the drain behind the washing machine when you run water in the kitchen sink. I can hear my dishwater draining, the noise comes up out of the washing machine drain pipe. If I'm seeing what I think I am in the picture that we have of the washing machine drain, there is no trap, is that correct and is that our likely culprit? Thank you so much for your time and attention. We appreciate it very much.
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Sorry but the attachments don't work for me. Try attaching the pictures to your post. Click on the "Go Advance" button below the Quick Answer block, Click on "Manage Attachments". Browse to find pictures and Upload, Click Done.

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I hope these work. I did reduce the file size, they were over 1mg before so hopefully this time it will work. Thank you! :)

First, that is some really lousy plumbing. Do not mean to hurt your feelings. The kitchen and lavatory sinks are trapped. But the traps amount to "S" traps which are illegal in most places. The reason being is that "S" traps are subject to being siphoned dry. When the water in a trap is siphoned out by the water going down the drain, the trap becomes useless. Without going into too much detail, it has to do with venting. Proper venting allows air in, with in a specified distance from the trap, so that the water in the trap is not pulled out
There does not appear to be any kind of trap in the washer drain pipe. Naturally you are going to get sewer gasses out unless there is some kind of trap.

No respectable plumber would do this kind of work. I don't know how long "S" traps have been outlawed but it would have to be at least 50 years. The house may be so old that at the time the original plumbing was done, they may have been legal. Proper venting would require extensive work because the vent pipes must connect and go through the roof. Of course proper venting would require opening up walls to get the pipes in and up to the roof.
Certainly the plumber should have explained to you that the house was not properly vented and what should be done to correct it. That should have been done before any work as done.

There is a device called an AAV (Air Admittance Valve) that could be installed that might prevent the traps being siphoned dry. That would probably require a bit of re-piping and the installation of a "P" traps, under each sink. But would not require opening up walls to install vent pipes.

A "P" trap along with an AAV must be installed in the washer drain pipe.

Sorry but you got screwed by the plumber and screwed big time. Don't know what you can do about it though. You could try contacting some local licensing agency. You could consider getting a professional opinion by a licensed plumber, along with an agreement to testify in court, and go to small claims court in an attempt to get your money back.

Sorry.

Please explain.
You said the washer drain was across the kitchen form the sink. The picture you showed appears to be in an unfinished basement. And what's that duct tape on the pipe?

Please explain.
You said the washer drain was across the kitchen form the sink. The picture you showed appears to be in an unfinished basement. And what's that duct tape on the pipe?
First, I'd like to thank you for the time you've taken to help me. You certainly didn't hurt my feelings. I realized when the 2nd elbow blew off that they were idiots. When I said the washer drain sits across the kitchen from the sink, I mean where the drain pipe comes up through the kitchen floor and is behind the washer. I have to suck it up and call the local popular company that is here in town. They do many of the residential jobs here in the area and quite a lot of the businesses use them. My son was manager at Cinemark theater for quite a few years and he used them there all the time. He said the rate the guys I used was the same that Graham Simon charges. I could wish I'd called them first but I'll call them now and accept that as lesson learned. Thank you so much. You're very kind to use your own free time to help other people.

Please explain.
You said the washer drain was across the kitchen form the sink. The picture you showed appears to be in an unfinished basement. And what's that duct tape on the pipe?
I have no idea why that duct tape is there. We found a coat hangar wrapped around our furnace motor & a wooden block under it as if it's being propped up so who knows what the mickey mouse contractors did. I will be calling the plumbers and also the hvac guys to get estimates on both jobs. They will be professionals, listed in the book, with credentials this time. Lol, I only have to be kicked in the teeth once to 'get it'! Thanks again, you are very kind. :)