One of my clients is having a sewer gases problem, coming out of the washing machine drain. Please advise
That sucks! Or the drain doesn’t. Too little information…
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sewer gas or dirty drain smell ? is there a trap in the line ?..need more information for an educated guess…
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How do we know it’s sewer gas? Washing machines have catch screens that get clogged up and the smell can be nasty and easy to confuse for sewer gas. I pulled mine that was 8 years old (inherited with the house) and it was nasty and stinky. Cleaned it up and smell was gone.
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Improper standpipe installation.
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Thx for the quick response Matt,
My client said the washing is 1 year old.
is the catch screens easy to find?
My client said it was a trap there. I was thinking the same thing. But the drain system is behind the wall.
The standpipe is behind the wall
I really appreciate your input
It could be an S-trap being sucked dry. I would run a little scope down the drain and see what’s up.
$20 might get them a quick answer cheap.
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I have a similar unit great for identifying other issues in the washing machine standpipe as well.
Tell them to do a short cycle and add a cup or two vinegar.
And as others have mentioned, another possibility is it could be that the drain pipe is missing a P-trap.
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thx a bunch
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this helps a lot thx
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this is true indeed
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I’m pretty sure most detergents really gunk up the machine and lead to ultimately unnecessary smells (maybe partly because people use more than needed).
I switched to using Dr.Bronners Castile soap, with baking soda in the tub and vinegar in the bleach compartment, and my washer is always fresh. Laundry is always clean. Haven’t had to clean the machine since.
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Thx a lot great information
Depends on the type/model… Youtube it and you should be able to get an idea. Mine is a front loader and the Youtube said to take off the door and lower front panel which is a nightmare… I went at it from the back and was able to pull/clean/replace the filter without too much trouble. A year is pretty quick but a lot depends on what has been going through it. I agree with the others to put a camera down the pipe to ensure a P-trap is there and holding water. Although, I think something with the washing machine itself is more likely. I don’t know why but newer appliances tend to smell. I’d guess it has something to do with using less water than older ones.
Thank you for info I will follow up
Appreciate all the help