Smelly Condos

[Matt M]

12 hours ago, JeffK said:

Apologies - didn't think of that. In lieu of a link, what I would suggest is to google some combination of words like: plumbing sewer smell in condo asia philippines. That will lead to first-hand troubleshooting experience from others who've had the same problem.

Thanks for the Google keywords. I was having trouble finding any results before that. Looks like there could be an issue with gases leaking around the base of the toilet. Some people reported siliconing or taping could solve the problem quickly for a short term stay type of situation like mine.

[JeffK]

9 hours ago, Matt M said:

Around 3pm almost everyday, I get an odor of garlic which is stifling. I wonder if I could use some type of tape to create a makeshift seal of some sort. 

Yikes. I like garlic, but somehow it's less appetizing coming from the drain! Could simply be because your kitchen shares a plumbing stack with other kitchens, so the plumbing smell is food based. The 3pm thing could have a lot of explanations. If you're on an upper floor, maaaybe it's a stack effect from afternoon heat gain in the building - which causes a pressure imbalance that forces air circulation upward through whatever pathway is available.  

Yeah, a seal sounds like a good start, and Frosty's suggestion for drain cleaner. After using the chemical type, the enzyme or other bio-type drain cleaners would be worth a try for frequent treatment. You can use often without issues of downstream toxics and plumbing damage. 

[Jake]

4 hours ago, JeffK said:

Yikes. I like garlic, but somehow it's less appetizing coming from the drain! Could simply be because your kitchen shares a plumbing stack with other kitchens, so the plumbing smell is food based. The 3pm thing could have a lot of explanations. If you're on an upper floor, maaaybe it's a stack effect from afternoon heat gain in the building - which causes a pressure imbalance that forces air circulation upward through whatever pathway is available.  

Yeah, a seal sounds like a good start, and Frosty's suggestion for drain cleaner. After using the chemical type, the enzyme or other bio-type drain cleaners would be worth a try for frequent treatment. You can use often without issues of downstream toxics and plumbing damage. 

Thank you Jeff for the information.  Apparently you have hands-on experiences dealing with plumbing issues, especially describing the stack plumbing configuration.  One more question sir.....do they have a vent stack system in the Philippines?  Perhaps someone who witness the construction of their home could possible answer that.

Welcome aboard Jeff!  

 

[JeffK]

4 hours ago, Jake said:

Apparently you have hands-on experiences dealing with plumbing issues, especially describing the stack plumbing configuration.  One more question sir.....do they have a vent stack system in the Philippines?  

Welcome aboard Jeff!  

 

That's a good question. There has to be a vent for the drain to work properly. Could be issues with the design, or sloppy installation though. I don't know anything about the building practices in PH, but I assume the permitting and compliance process is nothing like the standards we're accustomed to in the US. That's one of the topics I'm looking to learn more about - how to find the more reputable developers, e.g. when looking to buy condos. I haven't searched the threads yet.  //  Yeah, I have a bit of building science and construction experience - definitely no expert, but I can get a little geeky with it. 

Thanks for the kind welcome! I look forward to reading more about everybody's experiences.

[Arizona Kid]

When I rented the house that I still live in now I started noticing that sewer smell and couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Finally I pulled the drain screen from the shower and saw that there was no water trap. Told the landlord I would move if not fixed. Had to use the tabo tabo to shower outside for a week till they fixed it. 

[Gary D]

Our first house the shower drained through a horizonal hole knocked through the back wall at floor level. Worked ok as a drain but did tend to let the snakes in.

[KurtVD]

A little late, but here’s a tip that works if there’s a bad smell coming from the drain in the shower, very common in Southeast Asian countries. Someone showed me this “trick” when I was staying in a hotel where the smell was so bad I couldn’t sleep: Cover the drain with a wet towel. Obviously it’s just a temporary fix...

[Matt M]

8 minutes ago, KurtVD said:

A little late, but here’s a tip that works if there’s a bad smell coming from the drain in the shower, very common in Southeast Asian countries. Someone showed me this “trick” when I was staying in a hotel where the smell was so bad I couldn’t sleep: Cover the drain with a wet towel. Obviously it’s just a temporary fix...

Thank you very much for this suggestion. I’ve been known to cover drains and tape them off, but this will be handy for shower drains when needing to run water down them. 

[KurtVD]

1 hour ago, Matt M said:

Thank you very much for this suggestion. I’ve been known to cover drains and tape them off, but this will be handy for shower drains when needing to run water down them. 

I guess if it’s your home you’re better off finding a solution that doesn’t require you to cover the drain, but for a quick fix, a towel is easy to get and quite effective. 

[hk blues]

8 hours ago, KurtVD said:

I guess if it’s your home you’re better off finding a solution that doesn’t require you to cover the drain, but for a quick fix, a towel is easy to get and quite effective. 

You can easily replace the open drain fitting with a closed type one which can be opened when you are showering.  It's not 100% effective but it helps.