One of my customers has a similar problem. Each time he flushes the downstairs loo it creates a vacuum that sucks the water in the trap out of both the basin in the downstairs loo and the kitchen sink. I have suggested that he might have some kind of blockage in the soil pipe or sewer.
Any idea what's causing this smell?
- Thread starter themoo
- Start date
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Does it smell all the time? Mine seems to be better since I unblocked the sink.
One Shot is 91% sulphuric acid. Caustic soda is an alkali.
I recall once pouring One Shot on to some kitchen paper that had been flushed down the loo and was now blocking the sewer. It literally dissolved the paper. It is evil stuff.
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If no water is poured in to the sink or basin, the smell of the sewers is very noticeable.
Another customer in Barnes has a similar problem but only with one particular bathroom on the first floor. Given the distance from the sewer and the fact that it is a vented soil pipe, the smell that comes from the bath is far less offensive but persists until the bath trap is filled with water.
You could try to test if it is a vacuum problem. Whenever you flush the loo, pour a jug of water into the bath and basin. If you do not notice a smell after topping up the waste traps, then it could be a vacuum problem. That is the point of the u-bend (trap), to stop the smell of the sewers seeping in to the house.
BTW, the first customer that I mentioned (in Ealing), you can actually see the water in the sink trap rise and then suck away when you flush the loo. The one is Barnes, you don't physically see anything- you just smell it.
Is that washing soda?
Good old fashioned sink plunger - used properly.
Smh at all this talk of chemicals.
OP,
My "dont use any chemicals" means just that - no need for them.
After the first "blockage" clearance then a succession of further blockages would typically be from bad house keeping such as pouring fats and oils down your wastes or wipes down the WC.
Or from incorrect mechanical issues to your plumbing installation that a plumber would correct.
You can always hire a small, powered drain cleaning tool and a camera.
My "dont use any chemicals" means just that - no need for them.
After the first "blockage" clearance then a succession of further blockages would typically be from bad house keeping such as pouring fats and oils down your wastes or wipes down the WC.
Or from incorrect mechanical issues to your plumbing installation that a plumber would correct.
You can always hire a small, powered drain cleaning tool and a camera.
aka a borescope
So tell tells you you are a mucky housekeeper . How rude ...........but he's been a lot worse.
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Blockages can be causing be all manner of issues, whilst Fats, Oils and Grease, wipes, sanitary products and a whole host of other crud should never be put down the sewer, a lot still is, and thousands of tonnes of this detritus is removed from sewers and/or sewage every week at some point.
Other issues can be dropped joints, collapsed pipes, belly (dip) in the pipe, blocked Interceptors, etc etc. Best advice for anyone who is unsure, first off speak to your Water Company, if it's a shared drain, they are responsible. If not, then seek a recommendation for someone who knows what they're doing, before you hurt yourself or someone else.
Other issues can be dropped joints, collapsed pipes, belly (dip) in the pipe, blocked Interceptors, etc etc. Best advice for anyone who is unsure, first off speak to your Water Company, if it's a shared drain, they are responsible. If not, then seek a recommendation for someone who knows what they're doing, before you hurt yourself or someone else.
Thanks again all. I don't put anything like that down the sewer/loo/basin/whatever, and the sink doesn't seem to be blocked anymore, but there still is an occasional smell. I guess I may have to call the plumber - but I might go for a different one.
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