Electric outlets sewage smell

[zerd344]

Hey everyone, I have the following mystical problem with my 2 room apartment in the city which is only a year old and it is extremely frustrating.

As the title suggests, there is a sewage/garbage like smell coming out from the electric outlets on a wall. The wall is the backside of the bathroom where the washing machine, bathtube and the sink are connected. The wall also has the bedroom on it and there is 2 electric outlets there. My issue is the smell coming from all electric outlets on the wall an also very faintly noticeable from the lightswitch present in the bedroom on that wall. Some further information...

The sink and the bathtube have zero smell so I do not think the smell is coming from the pipes. Also no other electric outlets from any other walls have this problem.

I had this issue in the previous year at the same time as well in the summer, no real issues with this in the winter or maybe just way way less. Back then an electrician was called and at that time he could not smell anything so the issue was dismissed. He said that the rain pipes do run down around that wall and under the floor.

I am renting the place and I am the first one to rent it. So no real previous knowledge exists about this issue I could turn towards to.

There is a garbage room right under me ( i live on the first floor). Currently this is my main culprit since the smell seems to match it pretty well albeit not quite 1:1 in my opinion. When the electrician was at my place I voiced this concern of mine and he said that there should be no way for the smell to reach my apartment since they are not connected. I am somewhat doubting this.

The washing machine does not smell at all.

The smell is the typical elusive sort that comes and goes, where it sometimes seems to be very intense and other times less even though seemingly noting happens / i do nothing.

I think it might be somewhat better if i do a washing machine run with really warm water, but it might be nothing considering a run takes 30min - hour(s). Really hard to confirm this but so far its my only way to fight it seemingly.

The last time I called maintenance they said that there has been an issue with some pump in the garage of the building which is admittedly also near me but supposedly it was fixed last week and my issues persist, so I have to assume that it is unrelated.

Really looking for any ideas here or what steps I should follow? Should I call a plumber, or should I try to get someone to identify the smell? etc

 

[Sylvan]

Sounds like a broken vent

 

[Sponsor]

 

[zerd344]

Sounds like a broken vent

hey thanks for the reply! there is one vent im aware of in the apartment which is the bathroom, i can turn it on off via a switch and is supposed to be used after baths/showers when there is high humidity, if i turn that on it works properly so perhaps there is other non visible ones? How would i go about this?

 

[Sylvan]

I was not talking about an vent through a duct . I was thinking of a plumbing system vent pipe that is defective cracks, not connected etc

 

[zerd344]

I was not talking about an vent through a duct . I was thinking of a plumbing system vent pipe that is defective cracks, not connected etc

i see, so i guess i would need to call a plumber who could use some kind of a video tape snake down the drain to verify?

 

[Bannerman]

Electrical wiring in an apartment building is usually run in electrical conduit which is metal or plastic piping the wires are installed within.

Normally, in newer buildings, all of the outlets and electrical circuits for each apartment obtain power from a breaker panel within each apartment, but each panel will receive power from a larger panel elsewhere in the building. Perhaps your apartment's breaker panel obtains power from a panel located in the garbage room or other smelly area and the odor is traveling through the conduit feeding your panel which is then transferred through smaller conduits to your offending outlets and switches.

If there is a breaker panel within your apartment, suggest removing the front cover to determine if the odor is present within.

If there is no breaker panel in your apartment, you may need to ask the building manager to review the electrical drawings to determine where your smelly outlets are being fed from

When there is a pressure differential in the air from one area to another, such as an exhaust fan lowering the pressure more in your apartment than other areas, then air will leak from higher pressure areas so as to equalize pressure. Air leakage will occur through any route including through electrical conduits and/or the gaps in walls, ceilings, etc between areas.

 

[Reach4]

There is a garbage room right under me ( i live on the first floor). Currently this is my main culprit since the smell seems to match it pretty well albeit not quite 1:1 in my opinion. When the electrician was at my place I voiced this concern of mine and he said that there should be no way for the smell to reach my apartment since they are not connected. I am somewhat doubting this.

Not connected? Does he think you think the smell is coming through the wires? I maybe you have conduit, and he was saying the conduits are not connected.

The smell would be coming through the ceiling below into the walls, I would think. The outlets put non-sealed air holes in the walls.

 

[zerd344]

Electrical wiring in an apartment building is usually run in electrical conduit which is metal or plastic piping the wires are installed within.

Normally, in newer buildings, all of the outlets and electrical circuits for each apartment obtain power from a breaker panel within each apartment, but each panel will receive power from a larger panel elsewhere in the building. Perhaps your apartment's breaker panel obtains power from a panel located in the garbage room or other smelly area and the odor is traveling through the conduit feeding your panel which is then transferred through smaller conduits to your offending outlets and switches.

If there is a breaker panel within your apartment, suggest removing the front cover to determine if the odor is present within.

If there is no breaker panel in your apartment, you may need to ask the building manager to review the electrical drawings to determine where your smelly outlets are being fed from

When there is a pressure differential in the air from one area to another, such as an exhaust fan lowering the pressure more in your apartment than other areas, then air will leak from higher pressure areas so as to equalize pressure. Air leakage will occur through any route including through electrical conduits and/or the gaps in walls, ceilings, etc between areas.

Hey thanks for the reply! Yes my apartment has a breaker panel and there is room where all the electro stuff is at and the values for usage can be obtained there. I have checked the panel, no smell at all, it is located in sort of the middle of the "anteroom", so really far away from the action / problematic area. But following the assumption if it was the wires I would assume the breaker panel would have to smell? Or maybe the breaker panel is just really well sealed not sure.

Currently I am trying to investigate the vent/drainage pipe leak/brike possiblity. What confuses me so much about this whole thing is that none of the drains anywhere in the house have any odor/smell, I have checked the washing machine pipes now too, no smell there either. So if it really is the pipes they would have to be deep inside the walls I assume and then directly leak through the outlets while the drains would not smell due to pbars having sufficient water or smt?

The garbage room route would also be very logical though considering this issue seems much worse in summer and I dont see how I would not have issues in the winter if it really was the pipes since they are inside the building.

The last joker option I could imagine that somehow it is indeed an electric issue but I really dont see the smell matching the one I smell, and would not explain the winter/summer stuff either.

Please keep the ideas coming I really wish this could be solved its a nightmare.

 

[zerd344]

Not connected? Does he think you think the smell is coming through the wires? I maybe you have conduit, and he was saying the conduits are not connected.

The smell would be coming through the ceiling below into the walls, I would think. The outlets put non-sealed air holes in the walls.

To be honest I have no real clue what he meant but he did shoot down the option that the garbage room might be involved. If I am correct the person was involved in the planning/construction of the building so I assume he would be likely right. I am just really skeptical considering the smell matches very well and considering the distance it is very close.

 

[Reach4]

If you want to live with it as best you can because the rent is cheap relative to what you get, you could try sealing around the outlets. There are pads made to go under outlet plates for sealing against cold air on outside walls. Also, some caulk might help.

If the rent is not so cheap, this should be a valid reason to break your lease.

If the landlord wants to fix it, there should be a good vapor barrier installed in the garbage area.

For plumbing vent leaks, there are smoke tests and peppermint tests. Those techniques could be used here. Set off the smoke in the garbage area, and see where the smoke comes out. Same with the peppermint oil. Put the peppermint oil into the garbage area, and sniff out where you smell it.

 

[zerd344]

If you want to live with it as best you can because the rent is cheap relative to what you get, you could try sealing around the outlets. There are pads made to go under outlet plates for sealing against cold air on outside walls. Also, some caulk might help.

If the rent is not so cheap, this should be a valid reason to break your lease.

If the landlord wants to fix it, there should be a good vapor barrier installed in the garbage area.

For plumbing vent leaks, there are smoke tests and peppermint tests. Those techniques could be used here. Set off the smoke in the garbage area, and see where the smoke comes out. Same with the peppermint oil. Put the peppermint oil into the garbage area, and sniff out where you smell it.

Rent is more on the expensive side, the building was basically brad new. I am going to move from this place eventually but I did not plan to have to move so soon, also this mystery has been a pain in the ass for so long I kinda really wanna know what did it to be able to "grow" from it. I am not sure how the vapor barrier works or if there is any already present I am also not sure if it is the garbage area, but I guess I could buy some very strong smelling fragnance or something spray it there and see if it would reach my outlets? Not sure about the smoke / if it is legal etc.

Do you think I could also try to get like a plumber to check out the smell itself maybe he could identify it better? The only reason currently I have not done that because the drains themselves have no issue so I am not sure what he could actually do apart from guessing as well.

 

[Bannerman]

The garbage room should have been sealed and equipped with a dedicated exhaust fan running 24-7 to exhaust odours and also maintain negative air pressure in that room. If the garbage room is not maintained at a lower pressure than other areas of the building, then odours will be more likely to leak into nearby rooms.

Perhaps your apartment is equipped with an exhaust fan and dryer which are exhausting outdoors. They may be pulling air from the garbage room, which is leaking into your apartment through holes cut for plumbing and electrical services which penetrate the floor above the garbage room. If the leakage enters into your wall cavities, then odour would be most apparent wherever there is a wall perforation such as for the electrical outlets and switches.

 

[Reach4]

You could try some distinctive strong scent. Peppermint oil mixed with hot water is used in the plumbing tests. The person who pours the peppermint down the vent pipes cannot be one of the people smelling to locate the source. The nose of that person is overloaded for a good while. If you used some other smell, such as chlorine bleach, the same principle would apply. A young nose is usually best at smelling things, but the older person might have the experience to describe a smell.

Do you think I could also try to get like a plumber to check out the smell itself maybe he could identify it better? The only reason currently I have not done that because the drains themselves have no issue so I am not sure what he could actually do apart from guessing as well.

You could, but he would probably be helpless to help. Sounds like an expensive experiment.

 

[zerd344]

The garbage room should have been sealed and equipped with a dedicated exhaust fan running 24-7 to exhaust odours and also maintain negative air pressure in that room. If the garbage room is not maintained at a lower pressure than other areas of the building, then odours will be more likely to leak into nearby rooms.

Perhaps your apartment is equipped with an exhaust fan and dryer which are exhausting outdoors. They may be pulling air from the garbage room, which is leaking into your apartment through holes cut for plumbing and electrical services which penetrate the floor above the garbage room. If the leakage enters into your wall cavities, then odour would be most apparent wherever there is a wall perforation such as for the electrical outlets and switches.

Thanks for the insight this is useful. Is there any way to identify if the garbage room has a dedicated exhaust fan? Would I be able to see if it if I am inside there? If needed I can make some pictures from the garbage room...

 

[zerd344]

You could try some distinctive strong scent. Peppermint oil mixed with hot water is used in the plumbing tests. The person who pours the peppermint down the vent pipes cannot be one of the people smelling to locate the source. The nose of that person is overloaded for a good while. If you used some other smell, such as chlorine bleach, the same principle would apply. A young nose is usually best at smelling things, but the older person might have the experience to describe a smell.


You could, but he would probably be helpless to help. Sounds like an expensive experiment.

Yeah thats what i thought as well about calling for the plumber. I have a balcony and the vent pipe is accessible from there, so I guess I could try that. I am just unsure if this is actually "allowed" / legal to do. (EU)

 

[Bannerman]

An exhaust fan should be obvious, but if is it hidden above the ceiling or in a closet or mechanical room, you may only see a grill. Even if there is a fan, that does not mean it is running 24/7 or that it is powerful enough.

I expect if the source of the odour is the garbage room, the odour in that room will be the same although stronger than you identify in your apartment.

 

[zerd344]

An exhaust fan should be obvious, but if is it hidden above the ceiling or in a closet or mechanical room, you may only see a grill. Even if there is a fan, that does not mean it is running 24/7 or that it is powerful enough.

I expect if the source of the odour is the garbage room, the odour in that room will be the same although stronger than you identify in your apartment.

The odors are very similar in my opinion but if someone said it is sewage water I could also imagine that. There is definitely no fan inside the garbage room only a lot of pipes going into the ceilling, some major ones very close to the area where I estimate my room wall to be thats causing the problem.

 

[Reach4]

Yeah thats what i thought as well about calling for the plumber. I have a balcony and the vent pipe is accessible from there, so I guess I could try that. I am just unsure if this is actually "allowed" / legal to do. (EU)

If it is your near-term objective to smell what plumbing vent's smell like, you may have a trap that can be disassembled under a lavatory (bathroom sink) or under a kitchen sink. Disassemble. Sniff, reassemble.

I think making the garbage room smell distinctive is the best idea. I don't know what would be the best scent for that. Maybe have a blind test. A friend puts the strong distinctive scent in the garbage room without you knowing what scent it will be.

 

[zerd344]

If it is your near-term objective to smell what plumbing vent's smell like, you may have a trap that can be disassembled under a lavatory (bathroom sink) or under a kitchen sink. Disassemble. Sniff, reassemble.

I think making the garbage room smell distinctive is the best idea. I don't know what would be the best scent for that. Maybe have a blind test. A friend puts the strong distinctive scent in the garbage room without you knowing what scent it will be.

With the corona virus going on I think that will not be able to happen, but I will try that idea with the garbage room and smell, I just wonder if there is any commercially available easy to use for that purpose, do not wanna cause like a fire hazard by using some bad spray or smt.

 

[Reach4]

Chlorine bleach and ammonia spread on the garbage would be cheap and distinctive. But not so pleasant to smell.

"Essential Oils" smell good, but are not cheap.

Maybe an air freshener refill bottle contents, spread out by a friend in the garbage room, would be a good choice. Make sure to stay away from that friend after that until you conclude that test, to not desensitize your smell ability.