Since we moved in we’ve noticed a sewer smell from time to time. I had a plumber come and identify this laundry discharge pipe not having a trap as the culprit. He ended up ghosting me so I cut more into the wall and found this black thing I couldn’t identify until now (I think). I guess it’s a drum trap after doing some more googling. If it’s working as designed I guess it’s supposed to hold water in and not let sewer gas through? but we definitely have a problem with the smell coming from this laundry room. Is this maybe not to culprit and I could leave it alone? I’m considering cutting it out and just connecting PVC the whole way through. Any recommendations or thoughts would be much appreciated.
Wow there’s a lot going on here, yes that is a drum trap, check if there’s a floor drain that’s dried out in your laundry room and pour some water in it. I’m surprised your washer doesn’t spill over because a minimum standpipe is 18 inches in most areas and yours looks a lot less than that. Also drum traps are illegal in most codes now.
No floor drain from what I can find, and the main pipe out to the septic is about a foot above the floor so I don’t think there would be anything lower. The washer wall box is the only source of the smell I can figure, it definitely smells but yeah I don’t know how it’s not filling up with water, maybe siphoning out? I also can’t find a pipe going up to a vent. Just to the left is the main pipe drainage. If I do replace the crappy drum trap I plan to go down the 18+ inches and then back over but I guess I should get a vent in too? I apparently can use the other side of the laundry wall box with an air admittance valve. This is mostly from me watching this vid: https://youtu.be/EzMURfc3Fgo?si=SrDV8A779xvmB-k4
Thanks for the reply, any other feedback welcome