Posted on 11/24/2009 7:00:50 AM PST by Alberta's Child
Yogurt, yeast?
baking soda or if there is a disposal lemon or orange rinds.
2. Did you check to see if you have a venting problem?
Chlorine bleach will eliminate bacteria that causes plumbing odors, a dousing twice a week will help. Also, regularly use foaming drain cleaner to eliminate organic materials from inside the pipes that foster bacteria.
IIRC, Roto Rooter makes some kind of enzyme treatment that comes in a gallon bottle and is supposed to help clear out fats/proteins and things like that. Typically, it is supposed to be used once a month to keep the entire water line system clear, but it can be used in a pinch as a “soft” drain cleanser. We had a stopped up sink a few weeks ago that I used it on because I didn’t have any of the “good stuff” on hand, let it sit overnight, and cleared the sink line right out and it’s been flowing well to this day. It should work if your odour/grime problem is organic (i.e. fats and grease, food, etc.) but won’t work if its scale/deposit/corrosion or something else inorganic.
Have you checked the vent to make sure it isn’t plugged? Also, make sure you have “p” traps on all the drains. If not that can allow sewer gases into the house.
I use baking soda and vinagar. Put the soda down the drain, first....then pour on the vinegar. It bubbles all of the ‘ick’ away. When I don’t use that....I just use bleach.
Not sure if that is the problem, but it could be. How would I know?
Thanks. LOL.
I don’t think it’s a venting problem . . . the drain pump vents directly into the building’s vent, and there’s no evidence of any odors anywhere else but in those two basement sinks.
You didn’t say anything about the P-trap that should be below the sink. Is there one there?
from your post you say (Vanity), but you are not installing a vanity.
very misleading.
You have to be careful of bleach if you have a septic system. I never thought to ask if this is a sewer or septic. The guy who installed my septic system said NEVER EVER use antibacterial products. These kill the good bacteria in the system and can cause improper bacterial action thereby causing smells. He said even if someone in the house is taking an antibiotic this can cause problems.
Throwing out ideas here...
1: Because your drains are not ordinary gravity feed items, an ordinary gravity feed plumber may not be able to correctly diagnose & cure, LOL.
2: I am not so sure a chem treatment mild enough to fix this would have any lasting effect since you’d be washing it away every time you used either sink, no?
3: I would confirm that your venting is adequate and not plugged up with a bird’s nest or something silly like that. You might need a dual vent, one either side of the offending fixture.
4: It may be that you need to install another trap along the shared drain line, if I am reading your prose description right.
5: It is possible that the pump is either pumping your line dry enough so that the trap doesn’t stop vapors *or* it’s pumping so dry that the trap(s) do not work right. That second thought doesn’t seem possible, but I’ve seen (and smelled) weird problems before with drain pumps.
6: Got a fan in the bathroom?
...this time of year mnake sure the vents on the roof are not clugged (leaves,nest, bears, north jersey...*grins*)
I didn’t know that. Thanks! :)
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