Sewer Gas Smell Coming From Washing Machine Drain Pipe?

Question

I bought a high efficiency washer in the house I recently purchased, which was built in 1998. 3 months after I bought the washer, strong sewer gas smell coming from washing machine drain pipe. Things to note: I have city sewer, I don't have a basement, washer is on first floor so I don't have a floor drain, I use the washer once a week, and I don't know for sure if I have a trap on the drain pipe because it is behind the wall. After each wash, I pour water down the drain pipe. That has helped the sewer gas smell but it is still there. It is worse at night and the day after I use the washing machine, the smell comes back. The smell is now steadily worsening and getting stronger. I had a plumber over to my house and all he did was pull the drain hose further out of the drain pipe. Otherwise, he was clueless as to how to fix the sewer gas smell. Can anyone knowledgeable on this subject help me?

Answer 1

have you tried baking soda?

Answer 2

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RE:
Sewer Gas Smell Coming From Washing Machine Drain Pipe?
I bought a high efficiency washer in the house I recently purchased, which was built in 1998. 3 months after I bought the washer, strong sewer gas smell coming from washing machine drain pipe. Things to note: I have city sewer, I don't have a basement, washer is on first floor so I don't...

Answer 3

Sewer Gas Smell

Answer 4

Washer Drain Pipe

Answer 5

if you have a P-trap there would be no sewer gas smell. If you can access where the pipe goes into your basement (if you have one) you may be able to see up into the wall from underneath to verify if there is a trap on the line. As a temporary fix, when the washing machine is not in use, remove the hose and stuff a rag into the drain hole. Make sure it is long enough that you don't push it into the drain where you can't get it out again.

If you can live with a small hole in your wall behind the washing machine, cut a hole there and see if there is a trap. You can also get a pre-mde plastic access hole cover at most Home Improvement stores. You cut a hole in the wall to install it.

Answer 6

You hit the problem-- checking for a trap! I'm surprized the plumber didn't know how to check for it. Each drainpipe must have a trap! I have seen do-it yourselfers open up drains and ignore this requirement because they didn't want to get involved in expensive relocations. The only thing that I can imagine to prove a faulty line is to do a micro-pressure test. It would involve placing a small but noticable pressure into the drain. If no pressure is found you have confirmed a trap problem. It may also be that your house ventilator pipe is clogged or missing, I can only tell you that their should be a pipe coming out of your roof for ventilating these nasty gases

Answer 7

Open the wall and install a P-trap inside the wall. Close the wall, patch, texture, and paint. Hope you didn't pay that idiot! If there is a p-trap already there then you have a venting problem. The rush of water down and through the p-trap without a proper venting system (pipe routed to roof near drain) will siphon the water out of the p-trap allowing the gasses to enter your home. In either case you need a plumbing contractor not a rooter dude. A rooter dude can clear a drain but couldn't tell you how a drain system is supposed to work or suggest your options! A contractor will usually come out and look at it, and give an estimate for the job FREE!

Answer 8

there should be a trap behind the wall. it may have rotted out if cast iron or come apart if plastic. if you never smelled the odor before in years past , i must assume that there is a trap but it has gone bad. if for some reason there is not a trap on the line. you need a competent plumber to install one for you. dont' call the last yahoo back. he is worthless. you need to open the wall and have a look. you can use a hole saw, maybe two inch size. cut a hole about base board height below the opening for the downspout. peer in with a flashlight . just make sure you are not on top of any water supply pipes when you cut in. the clean cut out will allow for a clean repair if needed. truth be told, more than likely your going to have to open quite a bit of wall , two by two feet or so to effect a repair.

Answer 9

You need to put a trap in the pipe. This is how the rest of your drains keep from letting sewer stink into your house.

I suppose you could seal the top of the drainpipe by putting a condom or balloon over the top of the pipe, then poking a small hole in the rubber and forcing the washing machine hose through the small hole and into the drain pipe. This might stop or slow the smell from getting into your house.

Answer 10

Most likely the drain is clogged allowing gas tp build up. Check you have a U pipe as this prevents the gas coming back into the machine. Also make sure the drain is not blocked , Check pouring detol into the drain and see if the smell of detol comes back into machine this will at least give you the source of smell.

Answer 11

The likelihood that there is no trap is about a million to one. Either you have a partial clog allowing the trap to drain out or it's cracked. 99 out of 100 you have a clog. You could try drain cleaner, but my experience is that it just flows past the partial clog and doesn't have time to work. The proper way is to snake it. If there were no trap, it would have smelled from the first day. Call the plumber, tell him he didn't fix the problem and you want a refund.