Ummm...My house smells gross. Photo

Hi, My name is Leslley and I am renting a house and have had some strange smells coming from the laundry room which also contain the heating and air conditioning. I have had an occasionally wet basement which is pretty normal for a 1904 home in this area. BUT when I went down the last time I really put my nose in places trying to find the smell, well I found it, the drain for the washer smelled like a sewer and all kinds of other things. It actually gave me a low grade headache. I have included a photo of the set up in its current state. I do know the unlicensed homeowner did it and well, lets just say EVEN I know things are wrong.

I do want ya'lls opinion before I call them and open a huge can of worms. This is not the only thing that worries me about this house and what the owner has done to it. Sigh.

So Wrong by Leslley Scotte, on Flickr

There's no p-trap on that laundry box, and the way that is piped is a flood waiting to happen.

Without the trap, sewer gasses are free to enter your room constantly. A house that old would of been built with a building trap, which is one big trap that serves the entire home instead of all little ones you see at fixtures today. But by now that trap has likely been dug up and removed, as they were problematic. That's why we have all the small traps now.

With these gasses you are at risk of becoming sick. Get him to have a licenced plumber fix it.

Thank you so much for your reply. I have blocked it off till I can call the landlord tomorrow morning and get it fixed.

Let us know how it was repaired.