A sewer smell in the laundry room is usually the washer's standpipe or a dry trap, and it is fixable. The standpipe has to be vented and its trap kept sealed.
The standpipe
The washer drains into a standpipe with a trap, and if the trap dries out or the vent is wrong, gas comes up the pipe. freezing winters put stress on exposed lines, and many older homes still have aging galvanized pipes In Des Plaines, the laundry room smell is a classic trap issue.
The dry trap
A rarely used laundry sink or floor drain dries out and lets gas up, and pouring water in reseals it.
The vent
A standpipe that is not vented properly can siphon its own trap, and adding or fixing the vent solves it.
The hose
The washer drain hose should not sit too deep in the standpipe, or it can pull the seal and smell.
The call
Seal the laundry trap and end the smell. Call 888-217-3585 and Des Plaines Plumbing Helpers will match you with a Des Plaines pro.
Plumbing in Des Plaines: what to know
In Des Plaines, freezing winters put stress on exposed lines, and many older homes still have aging galvanized pipes. Pros in our network know the local quirks and bring the right parts on the first visit.
Across Lake County — from Mount Prospect, Park Ridge and Niles to ZIP codes like 60016, 60056, 60068 — homeowners deal with the same kinds of issues. The tips above apply locally, and when a job goes beyond a quick fix, a vetted local pro is only a call away.
Need a hand in Des Plaines?
If a plumbing issue is beyond a quick fix, don't wait for it to get worse. Call 888-217-3585 and Des Plaines Plumbing Helpers will match you with a vetted local pro — usually within minutes. Learn more about plumbing help in Des Plaines.