RESOLVED - Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

[JNS]

Hello,

For months now we have had this strong wet musty smell coming from our Kitchen sink / drain, it hits you in the face as soon as you walk in the door, I just about cannot stand it anymore. It smells like there is water just sitting somewhere in the drain, pipes and with the heat that we live in and the normal everyday use of sink (we do use a sink drain catcher strainer item that catches most of everything that gets into the sink, food partials etc.) it now constantly just smells like wet damp mildew yuckyness. Has anyone ever experienced this or have any ideas or suggestions? I pour bleach down the drain about 3x a day everyday and it does not help, I'm still searching Google as well but thought I'd post it here for all you experts as well! This smell is making my rvlife just unbearable.

Thank you in advance!!!
Joanie

 

[cookie]

Re: Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

Do you use those plastic/rubber sink protectors in the bottom of your sinks?
We had a similar situation a while back and I went through all the same things as you. I removed the drain pipes to clean them as well as bleaching regularly. Nothing helped till I threw out the pads. Problem solved.

Peace
Dave

 

[JNS]

Re: Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

Do you use those plastic/rubber sink protectors in the bottom of your sinks?
We had a similar situation a while back and I went through all the same things as you. I removed the drain pipes to clean them as well as bleaching regularly. Nothing helped till I threw out the pads. Problem solved.

Peace
Dave

Thanks Dave, we use one but it is stainless steel or something like that, not rubber. I do remove that strainer and put my nose right into the sink drain and it is coming from there, so it seems at least.

 

[danemayer]

Re: Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

Two things you might check under the sink:

The drain line may have a fitting where the dishwasher drain line would be attached. If it doesn't have a cap, odors can come from that opening. I think a 7/8" furniture leg tip may fit.

Kitchen islands don't allow for a roof vent, so instead the drain lines use a 1-way Studor Air Admittance Valve. If the valve is leaking air, tank odors will rise. Temporarily put a plastic bag over the valve and tape or use a rubber band to seal it. If the odor goes away, replace the valve. You should be able to find one at a local hardware store.

See pictures below.

 

[JNS]

Re: Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

Two things you might check under the sink:

The drain line may have a fitting where the dishwasher drain line would be attached. If it doesn't have a cap, odors can come from that opening. I think a 7/8" furniture leg tip may fit.

Kitchen islands don't allow for a roof vent, so instead the drain lines use a 1-way Studor Air Admittance Valve. If the valve is leaking air, tank odors will rise. Temporarily put a plastic bag over the valve and tape or use a rubber band to seal it. If the odor goes away, replace the valve. You should be able to find one at a local hardware store.

See pictures below.

Hello,

Thank you much for your response, it looks very promising too, but we cannot get to those pipes under our sink because the dishwasher is right there.. any ideas on a way around that? If you need pictures I am happy to supply when I get home tonight.

Thank you again!

 

[danemayer]

Re: Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

Hello,

Thank you much for your response, it looks very promising too, but we cannot get to those pipes under our sink because the dishwasher is right there.. any ideas on a way around that? If you need pictures I am happy to supply when I get home tonight.

Thank you again!

If you have the dishwasher option, the drain plug is probably not the issue. The Studor valve should be within a short distance of the drain pipe/p-trap.

If you can't see the drain pipe, I'd definitely be interested a some pics.

 

[hogan]

Re: Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

Two things you might check under the sink:

The drain line may have a fitting where the dishwasher drain line would be attached. If it doesn't have a cap, odors can come from that opening. I think a 7/8" furniture leg tip may fit.

Kitchen islands don't allow for a roof vent, so instead the drain lines use a 1-way Studor Air Admittance Valve. If the valve is leaking air, tank odors will rise. Temporarily put a plastic bag over the valve and tape or use a rubber band to seal it. If the odor goes away, replace the valve. You should be able to find one at a local hardware store.

See pictures below.

That's a great tip.

 

[LBR]

Re: Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

Maybe the plumbing department got interrupted Friday afternoon during your build and didn't get the P trap/odor trap correct? No water setting in a trap, with no other safeguards to halt odors from escaping the drain, will always keep smelling bad down that drainhole.

 

[JohnDar]

Re: Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

The damp musty odor you describe also sounds like wet wood someplace, with the smell manifesting in the sink area. Check the cabinet floor under the sinks and anywhere else along the drain line that you can reach. Check the sides of the bowls under the sink to make sure there's no moisture on them that could indicate a leak around the sink flange perimeter getting the wood supports wet.

In my experience, the gas from the galley tank smells as bad or worse than the black tank. And it smells like "sheet."

 

[wonder63]

Re: Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

The damp musty odor you describe also sounds like wet wood someplace, with the smell manifesting in the sink area. Check the cabinet floor under the sinks and anywhere else along the drain line that you can reach. Check the sides of the bowls under the sink to make sure there's no moisture on them that could indicate a leak around the sink flange perimeter getting the wood supports wet.

In my experience, the gas from the galley tank smells as bad or worse than the black tank. And it smells like "sheet."

I had the same problem with my big horn. Got so bad had to open windows. Heartland needs to hire better plumbers. If you look under the sink and find the vacuum breaker or emitter is mounted on the pipes after the s-trap as in the pictures it's in the wrong place. It should be mounted before the s-trap. What's happening is when water is drained the force of water flow is pulling the water out of s-trap letting in oders. I replumbed the pipes. No oders and sinks drain much faster.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

[SLO]

Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

Air admittance valve goes after the p-trap not before. The purpose of the air admittance valve is to prevent a siphon of the trap as well as not let sewer gases out. If the smell is for sure coming from the drain and not under the sink you probably have a siphon problem. Air admittance valve may not be opening properly. Also, I doubt Heartland hires plumbers.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[JNS]

Re: Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

Two things you might check under the sink:

The drain line may have a fitting where the dishwasher drain line would be attached. If it doesn't have a cap, odors can come from that opening. I think a 7/8" furniture leg tip may fit.

Kitchen islands don't allow for a roof vent, so instead the drain lines use a 1-way Studor Air Admittance Valve. If the valve is leaking air, tank odors will rise. Temporarily put a plastic bag over the valve and tape or use a rubber band to seal it. If the odor goes away, replace the valve. You should be able to find one at a local hardware store.

See pictures below.

Hello, finally was able to snap some photos of what we have, thanks again!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[danemayer]

Re: Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

The thing at the bottom of the sink with serrations on the bottom looks like a waterless p-trap alternative. I believe it has a diaphram that is supposed to provide the same function as a p-trap. It could be failing.

Here's one from Amazon.

You might give Heartland a call and see if they'll send you one. Call Heartland Customer Service at 877-262-8032 / 574-262-8030. Have your VIN # ready.

 

[wonder63]

Re: Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

Never seen those before learn something new every day. It may not be working properly kind like a check valve.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

[JNS]

Re: Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

The thing at the bottom of the sink with serrations on the bottom looks like a waterless p-trap alternative. I believe it has a diaphram that is supposed to provide the same function as a p-trap. It could be failing.

Here's one from Amazon.

You might give Heartland a call and see if they'll send you one. Call Heartland Customer Service at 877-262-8032 / 574-262-8030. Have your VIN # ready.

Hello, thank you much for all your replies!! We took apart the longer pipe and found there was a tear in the lining (sorry if not using the right terms) and replaced the part and so far so good! Also found that the cabinet in the outside of the island opens up to reach all those pipes and lines... there is no indication or knobs so we never tried!! Lol! I’ve attached the picture of the bad part. Thanks again everyone for the comments and suggestions, this is such a great forum!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rxbristol]

Re: Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

Glad you got it fixed.

 

[Lou_and_Bette]

Re: Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

Glad you got it fixed.

I second that comment and thank you for allowing the rest of us to learn something new about our rigs

 

[LBR]

Re: Damp Water Smell in Kitchen Sink / Drain

Glad to see your issue is RESOLVED.

 

[wonder63]

Fantastic glad it's repaired.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

[JohnDar]

That gizmo is something different. I don't think older rigs, like mine, have such a device.