Can a kitchen drain smell rise to upstairs neighbors

[Austev]

Hello Forum!
I need your kind advice
I live in appartement complex, mid level floor.
I got complaints from my upstairs neighbors that their "under sink" (there's some kind of hole below their sink) stinks and that their plumber said the smell must be coming from the apartment below.
It is very hot outside and they claim that the smell goes up. I don't have such smell in my sink, even though it might be smelly inside the drains, there could have been some food remaining that rot, but I smell nothing in my place and it has been some time I've cooked any meats or any stinky rotting food. I'm not the neatest person so possibility is there's some kind of smell that's irritant to sensitive noses.
They came in and said there's some kind of an odor in my place (I do have a cat) but not the same as they have- rotten food.
I went downstairs and again, I almost put my nose in the hole that she says odor is coming out and smell hardly anything.
Can the smell actually go up the pipes and it be my fault??
No other neighbors complained, the kitchen is just next to the door so I'd imagine that it would stink just by opening the doors (small studio appartement) if there was a smell that could bother upstairs neighbors???

Is there a chance it could by my fault?
I did pour few liters of bleach to désinfect everything now...

Thanks in advance.

 

[WorthFlorida]

Doubtful. Odors do not travel in any direction. Only where the 'wind' takes it. If your sink and the sink above in the other floor may be using the same waste line. Not sure what this hole is about but the pipe running through the levels of the building air can travel between the floors. The space between the floor material and pipe is suppose to be sealed (fire code) to prevent a fire spread. Now with the hot weather AC or fans are running and maybe causing a low pressure in the home. Even opening a door may suck air out of a room or a hole in the wall and air from the wall cavity.

I'm only guessing that a vent pipe is broken, or there is a small leak somewhere, mold or waste water is in the wall cavities and it permeating into the apartment(s). The plumber cannot state for sure where the odor is coming from, he is also guessing. I wouldn't be surprised that if there is an odor, the neighbor above is from their own apartment. If there is a hole of some sort it should be filled with spray foam.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Austev]

Doubtful. Odors do not travel in any direction. Only where the 'wind' takes it. If your sink and the sink above in the other floor may be using the same waste line. Not sure what this hole is about but the pipe running through the levels of the building air can travel between the floors. The space between the floor material and pipe is suppose to be sealed (fire code) to prevent a fire spread. Now with the hot weather AC or fans are running and maybe causing a low pressure in the home. Even opening a door may suck air out of a room or a hole in the wall and air from the wall cavity.

I'm only guessing that a vent pipe is broken, or there is a small leak somewhere, mold or waste water is in the wall cavities and it permeating into the apartment(s). The plumber cannot state for sure where the odor is coming from, he is also guessing. I wouldn't be surprised that if there is an odor, the neighbor above is from their own apartment. If there is a hole of some sort it should be filled with spray foam.

Thank you so much for your help. Indeed I checked and she does have AC and the smell usually comes up when she re-enters home. So that might be the case about the air pressure as you said.
Very irritating when neighbors blame you about the smell in their place nevertheless ...

 

[WorthFlorida]

A good chance that the odor is coming from the AC unit. The coils that cool the air dehumidify and a lot of water is extracted from the air. This water drains out somewhere and if too much water accumulates because of a blocked drain, it will mold.

 

[Nicolette]

I agree with the post mentioned above. I think the odor is coming from the air conditioning unit.