NANDIX Repairs · Plumber
Blocked drain or bad smell from the bathroom
Slow drains are usually hair and soap in the trap. A sewer smell often means a dry or broken trap that no longer holds water.
What usually causes it
- Hair, soap and grease in the floor trap or the basin bottle trap.
- A floor trap that has dried out because the drain is not used.
- A broken or missing trap seal, or a gap around the drain pipe.
- A blocked or missing vent pipe on the drain line.
What you can check yourself
- Remove the floor trap grating and clean out the hair and dirt with gloves.
- Pour a bucket of water into drains you rarely use, to refill the trap.
- Unscrew the bottle trap under the basin over a bucket and clean it.
- Avoid mixing drain chemicals; never mix acid with bleach.
Parts to ask the shop for
- Floor trap grating (cockroach trap type) of the right size
- Bottle trap or waste coupling for the basin
- Drain cleaning spring (plumber’s snake)
- Silicone sealant for gaps around pipes
Take the old part or a photo of it: sizes and threads must match.
What to ask the worker
- Where exactly is the block: trap, branch pipe or main line?
- Is there a vent pipe on this line?
- Does the trap need replacing, or only cleaning?