Hullo,
Asking for a friend. She has a flat she moved into a few months ago - middle of the block, so neighbours above, below and to the sides. Every now and again, but certainly not every day or all the time, her sink starts to really pong.
It smells like sewer waste. I've experienced it - I guess that it could be rotten food waste, but it really smells like sewerage. She can put the plug in the sink to literally no effect. She has been using various products for the smell - which I've advised might probably only be a short-term solution and now she's read about bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar, so she wants to try that.
I disassembled the sink's s-bend(?) for her and pulled it out - it looked kinda clean to me, and it wasn't dry either. Also, when I took it apart I found that it didn't actually smell that much. It might have been a good day. It's definitely the sink that smells when the smell come along.
So I couldn't figure it out, but I'm no Plumber... I said I'd so some research on her behalf. I was convinced it must be something some of the other neighbours are doing at some point, with the irregular times it happens, but I don't know, really.
The sink seems to drain in good order - so I don't think there's a blockage, but would using a winding metal snake thing be any use? What about getting someone in to shoot pressurised water down it? What do people usually do beyond, unwisely, punting a load of scalding hot water and bleach down the sink for temporary relief?
I remain confused as to how the smell can be present at all if the s-bend has water in it. It's possible I don't understand the theory behind the design.
I would appreciate any advice and guidance, even if it is just to say "we can't say from what you've told us, you need to get someone in who can see this for themselves to diagnose"... also, as it's a flat, I suggested that the Management Company should at least be made aware, and maybe it becomes their responsibility... because she's not smelly, and she's not putting smelly stuff down her own sink.
Asking for a friend. She has a flat she moved into a few months ago - middle of the block, so neighbours above, below and to the sides. Every now and again, but certainly not every day or all the time, her sink starts to really pong.
It smells like sewer waste. I've experienced it - I guess that it could be rotten food waste, but it really smells like sewerage. She can put the plug in the sink to literally no effect. She has been using various products for the smell - which I've advised might probably only be a short-term solution and now she's read about bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar, so she wants to try that.
I disassembled the sink's s-bend(?) for her and pulled it out - it looked kinda clean to me, and it wasn't dry either. Also, when I took it apart I found that it didn't actually smell that much. It might have been a good day. It's definitely the sink that smells when the smell come along.
So I couldn't figure it out, but I'm no Plumber... I said I'd so some research on her behalf. I was convinced it must be something some of the other neighbours are doing at some point, with the irregular times it happens, but I don't know, really.
The sink seems to drain in good order - so I don't think there's a blockage, but would using a winding metal snake thing be any use? What about getting someone in to shoot pressurised water down it? What do people usually do beyond, unwisely, punting a load of scalding hot water and bleach down the sink for temporary relief?
I remain confused as to how the smell can be present at all if the s-bend has water in it. It's possible I don't understand the theory behind the design.
I would appreciate any advice and guidance, even if it is just to say "we can't say from what you've told us, you need to get someone in who can see this for themselves to diagnose"... also, as it's a flat, I suggested that the Management Company should at least be made aware, and maybe it becomes their responsibility... because she's not smelly, and she's not putting smelly stuff down her own sink.
