[massplumber2008]

Post pic. If you want too... exactly as Ballenger said.

I still want you to talk to your neighbor upstairs and see if they will fill/drain sink for you. Keep me posted if this is possible.

[katetea]

The smell is just like the sewer smell that is outside sometimes... is awful and coming up through the kitchen sink

[ballengerb1]

Kate, I must leave for a few hours but MASS has your trap pictured with his 3rd picture. He'll stick with you and I'll check back later. What country do you live in??

[katetea]

[katetea]

I live in england

[ballengerb1]

OK, MASS has identified your trap but there still may be other sources for your sewer gas. Can you see where the horizontal drain pipe connects to the larger pdrain pipe in the wall? Do you see any cracks on any of these pipes or can you fine your vent stack, it eventually goes through your roof.

[massplumber2008]

Hey Bob... wondering if she could have a defective studor vent... huh? I mean reaching for straws here... but a thought.

Katetea... I hope you are working at gaining access to upstairs kitchen sink... fill/drain and watch like I suggested earlier.

Then.. as Ballenger said... is that a tee fitting in there behind the wall (take flashlight and try to see if fitting is an 90 degree elbow or a tee looking fitting just as pipe enters into the wall).

And another thought is... well... why not just have them replace that trap under sink...it looks easy enough to do....buy at a home supply store and replace.... wonder what is inside that trap?? I mean, even if you were told it is OK... does not necessarily mean it is OK... right? It could have some real gunk tied up somewhere..? Just thinking aloud here...

Also.. is that a dishwasher hose tying into sink drain on right?? That could cause some odor.. Maybe.

Finally, as I look at the pic. you posted...I see a double sink (yes?), a dishwasher connected into drain on right (yes?) but what is coming off the left sink fitting that is a y shape? I can see the tee part going to sink (I think) on right...but what is going into drain at y part of tee...????

Get back to us. Try to answer all questions. Thank you

Let us know. Thank you.

[ballengerb1]

You know I just totally forgot the failure rate of AAVs. They just don't all work forever and a bad AAV would be an answer. Kate, try wrapping the AAV with aseveral layers of Saran wrap and a few rubber bands. If there is not smell tomorrow morning it would mean the AAV needs to be replaced. You could use your sink with the wrap in place but it will gurgle and chug a bit.

[katetea]

Hi... I don't see any cracks anywhere in the pipes and the one going behind the wall is a 90 degree angle one. Yes, on the right is a dishwasher and the odor does come sometimes after the dishwasher has finished. On the left is a washing machine and after running that it doesn't cause the smell. I haven't got ahold of the neighbors, I don't think anyone is living up there.
What I did today just to see if hot water would cause the smell is run the hot for a little while and then shut it off... it wasn't 5 min later and the smell is really strong. It did that every time today. When we first moved in here the landlord sent the caretaker of the buildings to check it and he took all the pipes apart to check and clean them and he swore and still does today that what he found in there was pooh. But the plumbers say there is no way that could happen. I don't know its very strange that it gets really strong after running hot water... and running cold will take the smell away. But then also it will sometimes do it without running the hot water.

[massplumber2008]

katetea... is there a threaded vent under the sink?. something that is not clear in picture appears to be an automatic air vent... see pics. Below. Do you have anything under your sink that even remotely looks like the pic.?

[katetea]

No nothing like that

[massplumber2008]

At this point then, without opening walls and/or draining that sink upstairs... I am stumped.

It does sound like you have an overloaded drain system... a washing machine, 2 sinks, a dishwasher... all on a 1.5 inch drain line... sounds overloaded... anything else on that line?

If hot water did not cause odor 5 minutes afterwards today I would swear your washer is siphoning the sink drain... but anyway.

Also, you said that people would not work on pipes until they could smell odor... well sounds like you can make it happen all the time now... and you said they said there was POOH in the drain line... I would want to know what that meant.

You could always call the board of health (or the equivalent) in your area and let them know what is happening.see what they think.

Let me know if I missed something.

[katetea]

If you are interested I took another picture of the pipes... its a lot lighter and clearer. The hot water did cause the odor today every time I tried it

[massplumber2008]

It can't hurt.

[katetea]

Will send so you can at least have a clearer picture. We called the 24 hr plumber today but no answer.. of course. Guess the only thing to do is to keep calling until he will answer. I want to thank you for all your answers and help... its nice to finally get someone that will try to help!

[katetea]

I will do the paper towel thing and see what happens. I tried the drain plug but that didn't help much, even put towels in the sink to cover it but the only thing that will take the odor away is running the cold water down the sink.

[massplumber2008]

We are glad to help... and glad to be challenged.

Last thought for me... is there any way that you can tie this back to the timing of washing your clothes??

I would take those pipes under the sink apart...yourself...see what you find. You should only need a pair of pliers...something tells me that that trap under the sink is defective. It is only thing that makes sense at this point. By the way.. I mean you should replace the trap.. or demand that the owner replace it. Let me know what happens.


Anyway, good luck with your next house!!

[hkstroud]

Could this be a venting problem. Lay a couple of wet paper towels over drain, see if they get sucked down into or partially into drain. To stop odor put drain plug in.

[katetea]

Whenever, IF ever , we finally do find out what this mess is, I will let you know. Once again.. thank you so much!

[hkstroud]

If plugging the drains doesn't stop the oder it must be coming in through the dishwasher or clothes washer.

Just for fun leave a little water in both the dishwasher and the clothes washer.