Curious kitchen smell when bathroom tap is used

[popgun]

Dear all,

I've had a quick search through the group and have found some earlier threads which touch on my problem, but I thought I'd run it by the group as I'm still perplexed.

When water from the (upstairs) bathroom shower or sink is released into the grid outside the kitchen, a noxious, sulphur/garbagey smell overwhelms the kitchen and part of the living room. This also happens (sometimes) when you release a sinkful of hot water from the kitchen out into the grid. The odd thing is that the grid doesn't seem to smell and the sink itself smells fine.

Other facts which may be relevant:

Our kitchen has a dishwasher plumbed into the sink outlet.

The kitchen and bathroom have seperate down pipes into the grid.

Does anyone have any suggestions or advice? I'd really like to have a few ideas before I call in a plumber.

Sincere best wishes,

Pop

[Christian McArdle]

You might have an unused trap that has evaporated out due to non-use. This could be for a washing machine (that was later moved into a separate utility, for example) or a water softener that the previous residents took with them.

If so, the fix is to either refill the trap manually every month or two, or to remove the trap altogether.

Christian.

[Lobster]

Surely that would only be the case of the upstairs bathroom was only ever used once in a blue moon; presumably the OP uses it more than that?

Isn't it just going to be something nasty in the gully outside? Maybe whatever is causing the pong only does so when there's a good incoming rush of water disturbing its contents. I'd be tempted to lift the grid, don long rubber gauntlets(!), and give the gully a darn good clean out before investigating any further.

David

[Christian McArdle]

Actually, I have such a trap in the kitchen which causes periodic issues. The rush of water into the gully shoves nastiness up the evaporated trap.

Christian.

[Tim Lamb]

In message , popgun writes

Pongs from drains snipped...

Are you in the habit of tipping buckets or saucepans of water through the grid?

I discovered that the plastic gulley outside my sister's kitchen is fitted with a removable bung allowing access for rodding. A sharp inrush of waste is sufficient to release the bung allowing the sewer pipe to vent to the air.

regards