# sulfer smell in upstairs bathroom sink



## brandonriffel (Oct 18, 2009)

The smell comes and goes.  Most of the time you can't smell it until you run some water down the drain.  It isn't coming from the hot water heater either.  Is there some sort of better trap I can put in or anything like that?


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## Cork-Guy (Oct 18, 2009)

Hmmm, sounds like the trap isn't working properly; are you sure the smell is coming from the drain and not the faucet itself? Have you tried using 40\40\20 vinegar, baking soda and water mix? First, pour in the BS, than the 40\20 vinegar\water mix.


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Oct 18, 2009)

If it's coming from the sink only, and not the tub or any of the other sinks in the house, then I'd suspect you have something rotting in the overflow channel of the sink.  This is where hair, soap, and stuff accumulate, all of which are organic and will rot.  You can clean this out by:

1. remove the trap under the sink.
2. Stuff a rag into a plastic bag and stuff that into the drain pipe under the sink.  (Support the plastic bag from below with a piece of wood inside a pail that prevents the plastic bag from coming out of the drain pipe.)
3. Now fill the sink with water so that the water fills the overflow channel.
4. Now plunger the sink.  The water surge will go up the overflow channel and a bunch of crap will end up coming out of it.
5. Remove the wood support, pull the bag out and drain the water into the pail.
6. Repeat as necessary until the overflow channel is clear.

If there's been any construction involving connecting or disconnecting water mains on your street lately, it's very possible that there's a infestation sulphur reducing bacteria in the water supply piping.  Normally the chlorine in city water will prevent sulphur reducing bacteria from thriving in water supply piping, but it could be that the chlorine contend of the water in your area isn't high enough to do the job.

Go to 
A. O. Smith Water Heaters
hover over "LIterature" and click on "Technical Bulletins"
Download Bulletin #22 entitled "Smelly Water".


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## majakdragon (Oct 19, 2009)

I agree that it may be something in-between the sink walls. Simple fix is to use the sink stopper and add a cup of bleach in the sink. Start running water slowly (to prevent spashing) and let it run through the overflow hole(s). Allow the water to run until the bleach smell goes away. This usually solves the problem.


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## brandonriffel (Oct 24, 2009)

So you are saying that it is probably not in the plumbing, but in the sink itself?  I'll try the bleach overflow technique.

Thanks


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## Plumbing And Lighting (Nov 2, 2009)

Installing a good water filtration system will remove the sulfur from your drinking water.


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## Speedbump (Nov 3, 2009)

> Installing a good water filtration system will remove the sulfur from your drinking water.



What kind of filter would you use to remove sulphur gas?


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## sgfelder (Dec 18, 2009)

brandonriffel said:


> The smell comes and goes.  Most of the time you can't smell it until you run some water down the drain.  It isn't coming from the hot water heater either.  Is there some sort of better trap I can put in or anything like that?


how often do you use the tub.  could it be from the sewer system, methane gas?


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## majakdragon (Dec 18, 2009)

Since the original poster hasn't been back since late October, I assume the problem was fixed. It would really be nice if those helped through this site would let us know what happened in the end.


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## sgfelder (Dec 21, 2009)

Your home is like your wife, nurture it and it will last you a life time..........


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