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Causes of odour
The water in a floor trap stops drain odours rising into the room. If this water is drawn out, the odour can come straight in. If the building’s shared drain ventilation is missing or inadequate, pressure differences in the pipes while other flats use water can draw out the water in the trap.
Water and dirt can collect in pipes without enough slope; over time this build-up can cause odours and repeated blockages. We quote for a problem in the flat’s own line; arranging the shared ventilation is a decision for the building management.
Bathroom odour: the slope in the flat and a possible building ventilation problem
First result → next step
The floor traps were dry and the shower drained slowly → we went in with the camera through the basin drain.
A third-floor bathroom had had a bad smell for a long time, and the shower drained slowly. The floor traps did not have the water they should. The shower trap area was too narrow for the camera to get through, so we went in through the drain of the nearby basin.
We saw no clear blockage, but some sections of the PVC line did not have enough slope and a lot of dirt had built up inside the pipe. We explained this to the customer using the footage.
The loss of water from the traps also suggested a separate problem with the building’s shared drain ventilation. The person the customer spoke to, who knew the building’s plumbing, said that, as far as they knew, the building had no drain ventilation. We explained that the ventilation should be checked and that, if it really was missing, the lasting solution was up to the building management.
We relaid the flat’s line with a proper slope up to the building’s main drain connection, closed up the broken-out areas, finished the tiling and took out the rubble. The customer spoke to the building management, which chose to have the ventilation work done by another plumber it had worked with before. To limit odour reaching the flat until that work is done, we fitted non-return, anti-odour floor traps.
The absence of ventilation is not a measured finding; it is information from the person who knew the building’s plumbing. We did not take on the ventilation work; the management chose another plumber. A non-return trap is not a substitute for shared ventilation.
Relevant fee conditions
Daytime investigation of one kitchen and one bathroom together in the same standard apartment starts at 3,000 TL. This covers investigation only. We discuss additional scope for a third area or multiple kitchens or bathrooms.
If proper inspection conditions are available but we cannot locate the escape point of an odor from the drains, we do not charge for the investigation. If we establish that the odor is not from the drains, the investigation fee applies. If access prevents completion, the full fee applies.
Daytime prices apply from 06:00 to 00:00. From 00:00 to 06:00, a 50% surcharge applies to the daytime price. Daytime prices also apply during daytime hours on weekends and public holidays.
Common questions
Which rooms does the odour inspection cover?
The starting price of 3,000 TL by day covers one kitchen and one bathroom in the same standard flat, inspected together. A third area or extra unit is priced separately; fixing a fault found during the inspection is not included either.
What do I pay if the source of the odour is not found?
If, although the necessary conditions were met, we cannot find where an odour coming from the drains escapes, we do not charge. If it turns out the odour does not come from the drain plumbing, the inspection carried out is charged; if the inspection area cannot be accessed, the full inspection price applies.
Does a non-return trap stop the odour completely?
With a suitable product and fitting it can help reduce odour coming back. If there is a problem with the building’s shared drain ventilation, it is no substitute for the shared ventilation.