Garbage Disposal problem

[Vern142]

Never had this problem before. Year old house, new construction. Warranty over. Sudden, and I mean overnight, odor coming from the disposal. Now we don't really use it much due to septic system. Very light crumbs, grounds, plate rinse etc. Pulled the trap and all clear. Rinsed out with several applications of baking soda and vinegar. Tried chunk ice and salt. Even bought some commercial cleaning tablets. Odor is worse in late afternoon and evening. Got worse when it warmed up outside. Not having any septic issues (that I'm aware of). Had a plumber change out a studer vent, but everything else was ok. He thought the diaphragm in vent might be bad. Still smelled bad.

NEVER had an issue with a disposal odor like this anywhere else we have been.

Thinking of replacing the unit. Any ideas?

 

[tazbigdog]

Sounds like the check valvemin the line is either stuck open (doubtful) or the contractors never installed one. Have a basement?

 

[Vern142]

Nope. A slab

 

[Richard76]

Maybe sink roof vent plugged? If you go outside and look at the roof roughly where the sink is there should be a vent pipe

 

[eveled]

Is there a vent on your septic system? Only necessary if you have a system with a pump. If that vent is plugged it will push sewer gas back into the house when the system heats up and air expands.

It’s time to have the septic pumped out. So might was well see if that helps.

 

[xTopGun]

Never had this problem before. Year old house, new construction. Warranty over. Sudden, and I mean overnight, odor coming from the disposal. Now we don't really use it much due to septic system. Very light crumbs, grounds, plate rinse etc. Pulled the trap and all clear. Rinsed out with several applications of baking soda and vinegar. Tried chunk ice and salt. Even bought some commercial cleaning tablets. Odor is worse in late afternoon and evening. Got worse when it warmed up outside. Not having any septic issues (that I'm aware of). Had a plumber change out a studer vent, but everything else was ok. He thought the diaphragm in vent might be bad. Still smelled bad.

NEVER had an issue with a disposal odor like this anywhere else we have been.

Thinking of replacing the unit. Any ideas?

when you pulled the trap, was there water in it or was it dry... if it was dry that would allow the septic gas back into the home

 

[mirglip]

Toss a half lemon it it and grind it up. Works great.

 

[Huntfish918]

Licensed plumbing contractor here.
Studor vents only allow air in, not out.
If the system is improperly vented, it will blow the water out of the trap and gas will escape.
Something somewhere is preventing the system from properly venting.
Hard to see it from here in Tulsa.

 

[s4s4u]

Yep, it sounds like the trap is being sucked dry. My daughter moved into a house a few years ago and there was a methane odor coming from the basement bathroom. Turned out that the contractor forgot to remove the pressure caps on a couple of the roof vent pipes. They have to cap the pipes and do a pressure check of the system to pass code. Nobody remembered to knock out the caps afterward. The original owners had lived in that house for about a year with that stink.

 

[Vern142]

So how do I check for that please?

 

[s4s4u]

So how do I check for that please?

Gotta get up on the roof.

 

[Vern142]

Ok. then what? I have 2 vent pipes up there, one on each side, closer to the bathrooms.

 

[Dan in MI]

Plumb bob and a long string

 

[JCW64]

If you have a dishwasher that drains into the side of the disposal, you may want to see if the dishwasher has a screen in the drain that collects food particles over time and smells. I have had that problem and make sure to clean it monthly.

 

[s4s4u]

Ok. then what? I have 2 vent pipes up there, one on each side, closer to the bathrooms.

There is usually a small vent pipe directly above the kitchen sink, but they may have plumbed that into a larger bathroom vent.

If the pressure cap(s) are still present, you will see them.

 

[Kevin]

I’m not a plumber and have no ideas. I’m glad some real plumbers replied.

I will say I have never liked garbage disposals. We lived in this house for 13 years and are on our third disposal. I buy the best one possible. They always break when my parents come to visit. Not sure what they do.

Down at the beach we have a disposal on a septic system. So far it’s working. Until it breaks.

Good luck.

Oh and at Home Depot they sell these “soap” pods that will clean garbage disposals. They foam up and seem like they do a good job.

 

[Fox Mike]

What is a garbage disposal? The only ones I have are a son and a cat. All else goes into a trash can.

 

[Mobuck]

I'm not a 'plumber' but I'm going with the plugged vent option.

 

[Jeepnik]

Not using it is your biggest problem. There are nooks and crannies in disposals. Biological growth occurs. When it's warm the growth off gasses hydrogen sulfide. Even if you use preparations to deodorize the disposal it's only temporary. So use it a couple of times a day with just plane water.

 

[arfmel]

My plumber has told me not to put coffee grounds down the sink, because they get stuck in the drain, rot, and stink. FWIW.

 

[xTopGun]

My plumber has told me not to put coffee grounds down the sink, because they get stuck in the drain, rot, and stink. FWIW.

coffee grounds act like superglue in the pipes, according to my plumber ..... but then so does Slim, guess how I know that

 

[xTopGun]

"Had a plumber change out a studer vent".... what did they replace it with? For about $30 I'd go get a new Oatey vent and try it. I just change one in our 2nd bath and cured the odor issue. I could see where the lip of the rubber gasket had curled up. Your new one could easily have a similar issue

 

[eveled]

Not using it is your biggest problem. There are nooks and crannies in disposals. Biological growth occurs. When it's warm the growth off gasses hydrogen sulfide. Even if you use preparations to deodorize the disposal it's only temporary. So use it a couple of times a day with just plane water.

We rarely use ours too.

Every time I run the dishwasher, I run the hot tap in the sink to get the hot water to the dishwasher quickly. While it is running I cycle the disposal.

Something changed suddenly. I bet something crawled into or fell down the vent.

 

[hittman]

Mine was fixed by chucking it in the dumpster.
Always stunk and was sure to not work properly a couple times a year.
Easy fix. Not something really needed anyway.

 

[xTopGun]

I've heard that a disposal can reduce the life of a septic system and require more frequent tank pumping, that's what my guy says at least...
Don't have one currently with our system. Last house was town system, and the Kenmore disposal was going on 35 years old when we moved, and it got used almost daily....

 

[blume357]

Have never figured out the reason for a garbage disposal... but I guess it depends on where you live and how you deal with food waste. My wife does not believe in throwing food away and she watches me like a hawk... which is not really an issue because I was raised that I had to clean my plate before I could go outside and play and it kind of stuck with me.... on top of that we have a composter out back and that is where the cuttings from things go... not a lot of meat in the house since my wife has been a 'bad hunter / vegetarian' for probably close to 60 years now... I was for 7 but most of the meat I eat is burgers and sliced roast beef... when I do cook a steak with a bone the dogs get what ever little is left on that bone....
Caps on the vents should be easy to see.... I see this on occasion while on a roof. But I think the idea of bad venting and this is pulling the water out of the trap is more likely the cause.

 

[Jim Walsh]

I’ve had a General Electric DISPOSALL unit for 39 years. It has eaten a handful of silverware over the years but has been trouble free. These units should not be expected to take the place of a trash can but apparently properly installed will last decades.

 

[roylt]

My dad always told me to be sure the vents were screened so squirrels etc wouldn't put stuff in there. I also don't think a sink is a garbage can and won't ever have a disposal.

When I bought my house I screened the vents but did have a small problem once. My ex clogged the pipe or something screwy happened. Stuck a weighted string down the vent pipe and found water so I knew it was clogged. Snaked it and then ran a hose down it for awhile to get it good and clean. Rescreened it and never had a problem again.

Good luck,

 

[blume357]

I have to say in that regard a number of years ago I went to a house at the suggestion of the folks plumber ... they had a bad smell in their upstairs master bathroom and the plumber had decided the vent was clogged and maybe a chimney sweep could unstop it.... before the folks got home I went up on the roof and could smell the septic through the vents on the house...... owner came home and we went up to the bathroom to smell and it did smell... then I looked around... nice walk in shower and a separate bath tub... I asked how often they took a bath and the answer was never..... trap for the drain in the tub was dry.... now why the plumber could not diagnose this I don't know.

 

[Dan in MI]

Garbage disposal? Dishwasher? What are these things you speak of?