Hi all,
I was helped on these forums to diagnose a smelly kitchen sink. It turned out that the overflow pipe was to blame.
I now periodically clean the pipe, but the smell and gunk come back. This is due to a design flaw. I am looking for advice on how to fix this.
The sink is a double sink and the overflow pipe runs in a U-shaped path between overflow inlet in the main sink and drains into the plug drain fitting for the second sink.
Because of it's U shape, it fills with water whenever the second sink is drained and collects debris. Soon this standing water becomes brackish and smelly.
A natural way to fix this would be to replumb the overflow pipe so that it drains vertically down and connects to the waste pipe which runs below it. However, I think installing an extra pipe junction on this pipe is beyond my plumbing skills. Can anyone suggest another way to avoid the overflow pipe retaining water?
I am astonished that this design is used at all, but it seems to be a common one - how can a sink overflow be designed in this way and not get standing water in the pipe?
I'm grateful for any advice or suggestions. Thanks very much.
Dan
I was helped on these forums to diagnose a smelly kitchen sink. It turned out that the overflow pipe was to blame.
I now periodically clean the pipe, but the smell and gunk come back. This is due to a design flaw. I am looking for advice on how to fix this.
The sink is a double sink and the overflow pipe runs in a U-shaped path between overflow inlet in the main sink and drains into the plug drain fitting for the second sink.
Because of it's U shape, it fills with water whenever the second sink is drained and collects debris. Soon this standing water becomes brackish and smelly.
A natural way to fix this would be to replumb the overflow pipe so that it drains vertically down and connects to the waste pipe which runs below it. However, I think installing an extra pipe junction on this pipe is beyond my plumbing skills. Can anyone suggest another way to avoid the overflow pipe retaining water?
I am astonished that this design is used at all, but it seems to be a common one - how can a sink overflow be designed in this way and not get standing water in the pipe?
I'm grateful for any advice or suggestions. Thanks very much.
Dan