# Why does my Kitchen Sink Smell?



## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

You don't mention anything about a vent for the trap and it sounds like you're siphoning the trap dry. This allows sewer gas/smell to enter your home through the sink. Install a AAV - also known as a Studor vent


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## Mark Potter (Aug 19, 2011)

Your only smelling it in kitchen right
And did you take the trap out looked inside the pipe going into the wall?


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## Syz (Oct 13, 2011)

TheEplumber said:


> You don't mention anything about a vent for the trap and it sounds like you're siphoning the trap dry. This allows sewer gas/smell to enter your home through the sink. Install a AAV - also known as a Studor vent


 
I dont have a vent under the sink. (i would think there never was one here even from the builder). 

I dont mind installing one but is the smell not just going to escape throught this vent AND will the soapy bubbles not come up thought here when doing dishes (this already happens with the right side sink)

There is a vent going from the basement to the roof of the house. This would probably be the vent for the entire plumbing system in the house.


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

After the sink trap, does the drain go into the back of the cabinet or straight down through the cabinet base? The answer to this should tell us if you have a vent or not. If it goes straight down then you have a s-trap. These are prone to siphon dry which allows sewer gas into the room.

No, a AAV will not allow water or suds to escape.(when working properly)


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## Syz (Oct 13, 2011)

TheEplumber said:


> After the sink trap, does the drain go into the back of the cabinet or straight down through the cabinet base? The answer to this should tell us if you have a vent or not. If it goes straight down then you have a s-trap. These are prone to siphon dry which allows sewer gas into the room.
> 
> No, a AAV will not allow water or suds to escape.(when working properly)


I will take a look in a minute, i will actually try take a picture


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## Syz (Oct 13, 2011)

here is a picture of my 'undersink'

i took a look into where the pipe goes towards the right side (empty space between the sink cabiner and diswasher) and i could not see a vent in there


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

Syz said:


> here is a picture of my 'undersink'
> 
> i took a look into where the pipe goes towards the right side (empty space between the sink cabiner and diswasher) and i could not see a vent in there


Even though you can't see it, I'm thinking you have a vent because of the way your sink is piped and the age of your house. That blows up my theory on a siphoned trap. I'm out of ideas.


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## hammerlane (Oct 6, 2011)

I know it's unrelated to your smell problem but put an outlet cover over that outlet under the sink base. And it looks as though there is no cable clamp securing the Romex to the box.


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## danpik (Sep 11, 2011)

Can you see thru the hole in the cabinet and tell if there is an elbow or a "T" there. If there is a "T" then I would think you have a vent, if not then there is most likely no vent. The smell seems likely that the trap is not holding water. Easy check is to pull the trap apart when you smell the odor and check if there is water enough to prevent the gasses from cming up the pipe. Another posibility is that the vent may be clogged. This would act the same as having no trap. Do you hear any glugging when water is draining from this sink or any others in the house?


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## Syz (Oct 13, 2011)

hammerlane said:


> I know it's unrelated to your smell problem but put an outlet cover over that outlet under the sink base. And it looks as though there is no cable clamp securing the Romex to the box.


this was just a temporary set up. will be redoing the kitchen shortly and this will get wired up the 'proper' way.




danpik said:


> Can you see thru the hole in the cabinet and tell if there is an elbow or a "T" there. If there is a "T" then I would think you have a vent, if not then there is most likely no vent. The smell seems likely that the trap is not holding water. Easy check is to pull the trap apart when you smell the odor and check if there is water enough to prevent the gasses from cming up the pipe. Another posibility is that the vent may be clogged. This would act the same as having no trap. Do you hear any glugging when water is draining from this sink or any others in the house?


I cannot see inside the cabinet there without making more holes.

However I did take a look in the attic and there is a vent pipe coming up from the kitchen which joins the rest of the vent pipes and out onto the roof of the house. So I DO have a vent for this kitchen drain. 

And to add to this problem. The dishwasher next to the next also stinks really bad when opened. 

Would putting a "taller" or "loonger" trap maybe solve the issues. This way there is more pipe for the water to sit and and prevent the gases from coming up. Or would this cause more damage and prevent the water from draining away. ???


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