Stinky Dishwasher

[Lisa]

Well, the smell DID NOT disappear so I am back where I started from. I have been there over a year. I can't imagine the smell being a dead animal. I am wondering if by using the dishwasher could be harmful ??? The smell has been consistant as long as I have been there so what ever it is, doesn't seem to be affected by bleach,cleaner,etc. I live in Nashville, TN. I have had two plumbers come out and they don't see anything wrong, don't smell anything but they both told me that they don't smell anything anywhere any longer, by being a plumber for so long. I will check this sight often to check any ideas and suggestions. ALL IS REALLY APPRECIATED. Thanks so much. Lisa

 

[Alexdc99]

Sounds like bacteria in the hot water tank. I would add clorine to the tank, let it sit for an hour drain and try try running a wash again. I didn't read in any previous posts if the water source is city water or well water. Bacteria in the hot water tank can smell horrible.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[lovetohelpya]

Have you checked your vent pipe(s) for clogs?

If your kitchen is far enough away from the main stack vent, it will have it's own vent stack coming out of the roof. Have someone go on the roof with a flashlight and look down the stack. (I have found bird's nests, bee hives, dead squirrels, leaves, ect. stuck in vents.) If it's plugged, shove a garden hose down it and turn it on. *Have someone stay by the kitchen sink to make sure the water doesn't back up there.

It may not be the vent, but at least you know a way to fix it if it is.
Good luck!!

 

[Ulysse]

Odor in diswasher

I also had the same problem. I hope that you solved yours by this time. But just in case.
Check if you have a size restriction in the discharge hose at the point where the drain hose connects to the sink pipe. I changed to a larger size entry and it solved the problem I had with my new diswasher. I had assumed that since the old diswasher was happy with that connection, so would the new one ! Bad conclusion.
Ulysse

 

[tristessa]

help needed with same problem

I have this today, and a search brought me here. The smell is horrific. At first, it was just like mothballs, but it's been getting worse. Yesterday, one sink (not the one by the dishwasher) was putting out black gunk (looked like coffee grounds, felt like dirt), and the hot water pressure is way down. No other sinks in the house had this issue. I cleaned the aerator of the black gunk, and it was okay for a while. Then the gunk happened again an hour later, but it's been fine since then, except low pressure for hot only.
However, today the dishwasher stinks. At first we thought it had to be the hot water heater, but all other sinks in the house are fine. Nothing has changed in the way the dishwasher is connected, but perhaps something is clogged somewhere? We tried using a plunger to no avail. I cannot afford to replace the dishwasher, since it's 5 months old. The water heater is old (11 or 12 I think). The disposal is 8 years old. Please help me solve this mystery.

 

[Cass]

When was your house built?

Do you use the water heater that is built into the dish washer?

Is there a drain pipe coming out of the wall that all the the other pipes connect to or does it come up from the floor...

Lastly if the drain is coming out of the wall is it pitched so the water would run toward the wall or is it pitched so the water would run back into the cabinit...

Do you have a digital camera to post pics with?

 

[tristessa]

still stinky

Thanks for posting.
House was built in 1961.
I'm not sure how to answer the next question. I do use the high heat setting on the dishwasher. I guess that means the dishwasher heats the water?
The drain pipe comes out of the wall. The sink has two drains, one goes through the disposal. They come down, through a trap (one trap per drain) then into the pipe that goes into the wall. This morning I took the traps out and they were clean, and virtually odorless, so I guess this is a different problem than the original post after all.
That drain pipe seems to be level, but it's short so it's hard to tell. I do have a camera. I'll post a picture soon.
Another thing. After finding the traps clean, I drained some water out of the water heater in the basement. It was clear and odorless.

 

[tristessa]

photo of under the sink

under the sink that is next to the stinky dishwasher

http://www.happen.net/img/undersink.jpg

 

[Doherty Plumbing]

The reason you run the drain hose up high from a dishwasher isn't to "trap" the dishwasher at all. You do that to help prevent the sink from backing up into the dishwasher. If you look at the side of a dishwasher you'll see that they have their own built in trap!

The smell you're getting COULD be coming from your HWT but it's doubtful to me because you say this is the only place that it smells. If it was your HWT you'd notice the smell (atleast somewhat) at other fixtures in the house.

I would guess that you're siphoning a trap dry somewhere. But if you had a professional plumber check everything and it looks out then I'm a bit stumped.

Do a simple test and run the dishwasher until it fills up and then put it on to it's drain cycle. While it's draining put your ear up close to the sink's basket strainers and listen for the sound of it sucking in air. All you should hear basically is running water.