Washing machine smells like drains in use

[Mr MXT]

Hi all - recently moved house and have swapped the dryer and washer round for ease. Didnt have this issue before, there is a strong smell of drains when the washer is in use.

I think it’s due to the drain pipe not draining - you can see it goes up and back down - doesn’t need to go straight out and down? Presumably I’m of to reduce the length of the black pipe it drains into?

A picture speaks a thousand words, thanks

[shtu]

Doesn't look awful.

I'd be tempted to take off the pipe and trap and clean it out, and also do a boil wash with a couple of handfuls of soda crystals in.

Could be that the AAV is stuck open.

[E63eeeeee...]

I'm pretty sure there's a minimum height for the top of the downpipe and that looks normal to me. How much of the grey hose is going into the downpipe? Is it possible you're breaching the U bend with the hose as you push the washer back in? There's usually a u-shaped hose holder that you fit above the downpipe to keep the right length of hose in it.

[Mr MXT]

Good shout both. It’s running a drum clean at the minute but I bet pipe is down at the bottom of the trap.

Filter clean btw

ETA there is a clip, I was wondering what it was for….

[shtu]

E63eeeeee... said:

I'm pretty sure there's a minimum height for the top of the downpipe and that looks normal to me. How much of the grey hose is going into the downpipe? Is it possible you're breaching the U bend with the hose as you push the washer back in? There's usually a u-shaped hose holder that you fit above the downpipe to keep the right length of hose in it.

Good call.

One of these, available all sorts of places.

https://www.partscentre.co.uk/drain-hose-crook-cli...

[Happy Jim]

shtu said:

Could be that the AAV is stuck open.

This would my go to!

[Mr MXT]

Happy Jim said:

shtu said:

Could be that the AAV is stuck open.

This would my go to!

How can I test that?

[shtu]

Put a bag over it, and tape the bag to the pipe to seal it.

[Mr MXT]

The drain was right down in to the trap - hopefully now sorted… thanks all

[Ham_and_Jam]

I’ve just installed our new washing machine, it said to put the drain <90mm into a standpipe.

[Dogwatch]

shtu said:

Good call.

One of these, available all sorts of places.

https://www.partscentre.co.uk/drain-hose-crook-cli...

Useful as it clamps the outlet pipe and stops it drifting down to the U-bend water line as the machine rocks around in use.
Or worse, coming out of the waste pipe altogether!

[okgo]

Does the smell come from another sink though?

My plumber said that often water appliances can cause a vacuum type situation and suck water from the water traps in other small basins etc on the same floor which leaves you exposed to the drains until you refill the water trap.

For us it’s our downstairs wc that lets the smell out when the other appliances go because it has a small trap which can easily be influenced by the washing machine. Goes away as soon as you run the tap.

Is very hard to cure apparently.

[Mr MXT]

Update - drain into the sewer was blocked. Jetted it and now sorted.