Curious kitchen smell when bathroom tap is used
 

Dear all,

I've had a quick search through the group and have found some earlier
threads which touch on my problem, but I thought I'd run it by the
group as I'm still perplexed.

When water from the (upstairs) bathroom shower or sink is released into
the grid outside the kitchen, a noxious, sulphur/garbagey smell
overwhelms the kitchen and part of the living room. This also happens
(sometimes) when you release a sinkful of hot water from the kitchen
out into the grid. The odd thing is that the grid doesn't seem to smell
and the sink itself smells fine.

Other facts which may be relevant:

Our kitchen has a dishwasher plumbed into the sink outlet.

The kitchen and bathroom have seperate down pipes into the grid.

Does anyone have any suggestions or advice? I'd really like to have a
few ideas before I call in a plumber.

Sincere best wishes,

Pop

When water from the (upstairs) bathroom shower or sink is released into
the grid outside the kitchen, a noxious, sulphur/garbagey smell
overwhelms the kitchen and part of the living room.

You might have an unused trap that has evaporated out due to non-use. This
could be for a washing machine (that was later moved into a separate
utility, for example) or a water softener that the previous residents took
with them.

If so, the fix is to either refill the trap manually every month or two, or
to remove the trap altogether.

Christian.

Christian McArdle wrote:
When water from the (upstairs) bathroom shower or sink is released into
the grid outside the kitchen, a noxious, sulphur/garbagey smell
overwhelms the kitchen and part of the living room.


You might have an unused trap that has evaporated out due to non-use. This
could be for a washing machine (that was later moved into a separate
utility, for example) or a water softener that the previous residents took
with them.

If so, the fix is to either refill the trap manually every month or two, or
to remove the trap altogether.

Surely that would only be the case of the upstairs bathroom was only
ever used once in a blue moon; presumably the OP uses it more than that?


Isn't it just going to be something nasty in the gully outside? Maybe
whatever is causing the pong only does so when there's a good incoming
rush of water disturbing its contents. I'd be tempted to lift the grid,
don long rubber gauntlets(!), and give the gully a darn good clean out
before investigating any further.

David

Isn't it just going to be something nasty in the gully outside? Maybe
whatever is causing the pong only does so when there's a good incoming
rush of water disturbing its contents.

Actually, I have such a trap in the kitchen which causes periodic issues.
The rush of water into the gully shoves nastiness up the evaporated trap.

Christian.

In message .com,
popgun writes
Dear all,

I've had a quick search through the group and have found some earlier
threads which touch on my problem, but I thought I'd run it by the
group as I'm still perplexed.

Does anyone have any suggestions or advice? I'd really like to have a
few ideas before I call in a plumber.

Pongs from drains snipped...

Are you in the habit of tipping buckets or saucepans of water through
the grid?

I discovered that the plastic gulley outside my sister's kitchen is
fitted with a removable bung allowing access for rodding. A sharp inrush
of waste is sufficient to release the bung allowing the sewer pipe to
vent to the air.

regards

--
Tim Lamb