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Ooohhh that smell !!

We went away for a couple weeks and upon returning we opened the door to our home and noticed an odor that wasn't present before we left. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but it had almost a moldy, dead mouse odor. We searched high and low with no success and finally i decided to check all the drains in our home thinking something was going on. I got to the last one which of course is behind the furnace where the air conditioner condensate drains. I removed the grate and shined a light, all I could see was black moldy water. I started cleaning with a long handled brush and moved on to a drain snake. I hit the clog and instantly the entire basement smelled like a giant rotten egg. I kept snaking and pouring clean water down the drain. Once the water was clear i poured a mixture of baking soda and vinegar and the smell was gone. We have lived in the house for 20 years and it never came to my mind to clean that drain. We always had a slight musty smell and just attributed it to a basement being a basement. I wondered out loud if many times a clogged floor drain is the reason for odor and home owners think it's a project that requires waterproofing.
 

TexLaw

Fussy Evil Genius
That rotten egg smell that showed up after you cleared the clog was sewer gas that came up through the drain because your P trap was dry.

It's a good practice to regularly pour clean water (or something) down any drain you may have, whether it's flushing toilets or running sinks, bathtubs or showers that get little use, dumping a bucket of water down a floor drain, or what have you. It helps prevent buildup of fungus and debris (i.e., clogs), and it keeps the P trap filled, thus preventing sewer gasses from coming back up through the drain.
 
I make sure to exercise the floor drain regularly. It develops an odiferous scum on the surface of the water if I don't.
 
That rotten egg smell that showed up after you cleared the clog was sewer gas that came up through the drain because your P trap was dry.
Yup.
For long periods of non-use, pour a bit of mineral oil down drains or into toilets, just enough to cover the surface of the water and prevent evaporation.
When you get back just flush it as usual.
 

simon1

Self Ignored by Vista
Can't ya smell that smell?

That was my first thought, Owen. Then maybe a dead rat.

Sometimes you don't know about the drains until they let you know. Been there, done that.

One of Ronnie's last performances. That was a loss. Don't know how well the Sweet Home Alabama stage set would go over now days so I won't post it. You can look it up yourself...Sweet Home Alabama 7-2-1977 Oakland, CA. Gimme Three Steps was also good.

Sorry for the derail, Matt.

 
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