For weeks now, on my first use of water faucet in our bathroom, a sulfurous, unpleasant odor wafts up to my snifter. After a few seconds of running the faucet, it goes away. It does not repeat unless--again after many hours of non-use (e.g., same as overnight)--I open the faucet in the evening before bed. Taste of water is not affected except via influence of odor through nasal passages. We've had the well water tested, no red flags.
We had our septic tank (we are on well water) replaced beg. of May, but the odor pattern was not affected. The well water tank is relatively new (2021). This past w/e, I flushed the drain in that sink with copious amounts of baking soda and vinegar, and then flushed it again with clorox, using a stiff bristle brush all the way to the U-bottom of the drain, and that flushed out lots of lovely, blackish grommets. The odor may have abated just slightly, but it's still there in the pattern described.
So, what might be going on?
tia BBI plumbing and handyman experts!
You may want to get the water tested. If so, I would suggest not having a free test by a water softener co. Instead find a local lab and bring a sample to them. It will cost a little, but you're more likely to get a real analysis.
If it really bothers you, you may end up having to install a filtration system with activated carbon. Good luck.
Basically, test water, disnifect, wait 7-10 days, test again,good to go.
How to disinfect well with bleach - ( New Window )
it's all pipes.
Walter White used some kind of acid that seemed to work (other than eating through his floor)
de-stinkifiers - ( New Window )
The plumber warned that it's possible that the vent pipe has cracked (the house is 87 years old and probably has the original cast iron vent pipes). However, he said the only way to check is to open up the wall — which for obvious reasons we don't want to do except as a last resort.
We had not considered the possibility that the vent pipe is obstructed on top. That is a very good tip.
Snake it.
Do you get a gurgling sound when water goes down the drain?
How is your new septic tank working? Is it backing up at all?
Is the grass above your drainfield more lush and green then other parts of your yard?
if you say this because you are suggesting that the bleach will kill the bacteria, then you may have fallen victim to the marketing of bacteria companies.
While it is true that a cap of bleach can kill the bacteria in your septic tank, what you aren't told is that within a day all of the bacteria have regenerated naturally. Those suckers just don't stay dead for long.
Pete, as Dane mentions below, that is an interesting tack. Wife won't let me scale the roof anymore (I'm 75, she's afraid she'll lose me, can't imagine why--she's always telling me what a pain in her arse I am). And most of the roof is really aged, worth a look see. Thank you
Vanzetti, not that I'm aware of, and they prolly wouldn't tell me of a stinkyproblem. ):
You may want to get the water tested.
And to djm's caution re. not using bleach in a septic system, it was the water tester who recommended the bleach, rightly or not.
The P-Trap is supposed to keep water in the trap which blocks unpleasant smells from coming up the pipe into your house.
This can happen when a faucet/sink gets so little use that the water evaporates, or you have a small leak that is compromising the trap's effectiveness. Cheap fix if that's the issue.
Clams, it's my belief it is related to the drain, and I flushed the heck out of it Monday (with bleach after the baking soda/vinegar); I used a long handle, stiff bristled brush that's long enough to get to the U-bottom, jerked it off up and down to a faretheewell. Improved but not eliminated.
pj, you have designs on my body?
Heisenberg, I don't think it's the well--water recently tested, no flags, and that wouldn't compute with only (afaik) the one faucet having this issue.
Time to invest in a water softener?
Just sounds like hard water.
We have that kind of hose at the kitchen sink, and it's old, but no odor there.
61, I think I did a reasonably thorough job on the drain, but, yeah, there could be a residue that I didn't catch.
Dane, our hose is older too, 66 years. Yeah, wouldn't want to tear out walls to access a pipe unless 100% sure, if there is such a thing on old houses
As much as I could with a ~ 18" long handle attached to stiff bristle brush. It definitely got to the bottom of the U, but maybe not long/flexible enough to complete a turn for the 180. Tis true
Do you get a gurgling sound when water goes down the drain?
How is your new septic tank working? Is it backing up at all?
Is the grass above your drainfield more lush and green then other parts of your yard?
Gf79 thanks; the field checks out, told by the guy who replaced the tank that it's good, actually by two testers.
Gurgling sound in our br toilet, but not the sink, but afaik no odor from toilet.
The P-Trap is supposed to keep water in the trap which blocks unpleasant smells from coming up the pipe into your house.
This can happen when a faucet/sink gets so little use that the water evaporates, or you have a small leak that is compromising the trap's effectiveness. Cheap fix if that's the issue.
What is that fix? thank you
Time to invest in a water softener?
Just sounds like hard water.
We definitely have hard water, always cleaning fine mesh filters on the washing machine.
Would hard water generate a sulfur oder?
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For moisture under the sink.
The P-Trap is supposed to keep water in the trap which blocks unpleasant smells from coming up the pipe into your house.
This can happen when a faucet/sink gets so little use that the water evaporates, or you have a small leak that is compromising the trap's effectiveness. Cheap fix if that's the issue.
that's interesting too, jim, cuz as I say, odor only seems present in the AM first use or at bedtime when we may not have used the faucet much during the day.
What is that fix? thank you
Btw I am a complete layman, just picked up some knowledge from home inspectors from working in the real estate biz.
First just check the trap. That's the u-shaped pipe under the sink (or a 'P' on it's side). Any moisture? Just replace the trap. Your local hardware store will have what you need.
In some older homes perhaps you don't even have a trap. You should add one. This might involve cutting the pipe. If this isn't a job you're comfortable with, just about any hamdyman will suffice.
If it's just coming from the water from the sink, it's because your water probably just has sulfur in it. You can live with it as you've had your water tested and it's safe, but if you don't want to, probably need to get a softener, which can be pricey but it's an investment. We have one and it's great. Better for your skin, too. I love it, the water just tastes better.
Smell was caused by a harmless, but stinky anaerobic bacteria. The solution was chlorine injection into a mixing tank followed by carbon filtration (to remove the chlorine)
Many homes in our valley had the same problem.
Important point: All the water throughout the house had this issue.
Smell was caused by a harmless, but stinky anaerobic bacteria. The solution was chlorine injection into a mixing tank followed by carbon filtration (to remove the chlorine)
Many homes in our valley had the same problem.
Important point: All the water throughout the house had this issue.
Chuck...500' well, wow, why, what for? Not like VT is typically water poor.
Before we got back the results of the water test (benign), the tester said if you do wind up having an E-Coli issue, then you'll 'chlorine shock' the well, add a large infusion of chlorine to kill bacteria and let it filter through the system
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Chuck...500' well, wow, why, what for? Not like VT is typically water poor.
Before we got back the results of the water test (benign), the tester said if you do wind up having an E-Coli issue, then you'll 'chlorine shock' the well, add a large infusion of chlorine to kill bacteria and let it filter through the system
That's where the vein was.... 250' away, a neighbors well was ~200' deep. Actually Northern NE has had quite a few drought problems over the last decade or so. We're on municipal water now, but have had rationing the last two summers. Our lawn is brown and its still June. Do you have a dug well or a drilled well?
The P-Trap is supposed to keep water in the trap which blocks unpleasant smells from coming up the pipe into your house.
This can happen when a faucet/sink gets so little use that the water evaporates, or you have a small leak that is compromising the trap's effectiveness. Cheap fix if that's the issue.
I have this happen at times. The P trap uses water to prevent septic odors from coming back up through my drains. Because I never use my upstairs washrooms, the water eventually evaporates out of the P trap and the odors stink up the place. I just need to make sure I use, or run water through everything about once a month.
If you don't mind me asking, where (generally) in VT are you? South near Brattleboro, middle WRJunction, Woodstock, Burlington? A lot of rural VT does not have municipal source.
That very much seems to describe the dynamic. Thanks
If you don't mind me asking, where (generally) in VT are you? South near Brattleboro, middle WRJunction, Woodstock, Burlington? A lot of rural VT does not have municipal source.
The place I'm talking about is about 20 miles north of White River Jct. You're right, unless you're living in a community or the Burlington area, you've got a well, a septic and likely a dirt road in front of your house. We had a 200 year old brick farmhouse, a red barn and 5 acres. 32 years. Got to be too much for us, very isolated (especially in the winter) and increasingly unsafe. We're now in NH, a mile from WRJ and the VT border.
Quote:
For moisture under the sink.
The P-Trap is supposed to keep water in the trap which blocks unpleasant smells from coming up the pipe into your house.
This can happen when a faucet/sink gets so little use that the water evaporates, or you have a small leak that is compromising the trap's effectiveness. Cheap fix if that's the issue.
I have this happen at times. The P trap uses water to prevent septic odors from coming back up through my drains. Because I never use my upstairs washrooms, the water eventually evaporates out of the P trap and the odors stink up the place. I just need to make sure I use, or run water through everything about once a month.
Something for you to try.
If you add a little mineral oil down the drain, it will help "seal" the water and prevent it from evaporating. Mineral oil doesn't go rancid, and I've heard of some folks having success doing so when they are away from a property for a long period of time.
But, yeah, timing seems to be key as the odor does not emanate except after ~ 7 or more hours of non-use, but it's a bathroom sink/faucet that is used daily.
If you add a little mineral oil down the drain, it will help "seal" the water and prevent it from evaporating. Mineral oil doesn't go rancid, and I've heard of some folks having success doing so when they are away from a property for a long period of time.
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Something for you to try.
If you add a little mineral oil down the drain, it will help "seal" the water and prevent it from evaporating. Mineral oil doesn't go rancid, and I've heard of some folks having success doing so when they are away from a property for a long period of time.
Interesting approaches here, thanks. Eventually, the oil will flush through the trap--how often do you add, as a matter of maintenance?
If probably just try it once or twice in your case. See if it does anything for the smell.
You might find it isn't the drain at all.
Most folks I've seen do it was when they traveled for an extended period of time, or in an unused area
I used to do it for a slop sink in my basement that I used only a few times a year. I'd add like a tablespoon or so.
Don't want to add to much or too often it might cause other problems in time