Now I always put a piece of paper and a glass in the sink when I leave the house.
Once I had to rent an apartment for a business trip. I looked at the apartment in the building I needed in advance, but the owners were in no hurry to rent it out, and as a result, the apartment had time to “be preserved” a bit – it was closed and empty for a whole month, Ukr.Media reports.
It would seem that this is not the case, because the apartment was kept perfectly clean? But when I first went inside, I was greeted not by freshness, but by a very noticeable “aroma” of sewage.
As it turned out later, the water locks had dried up – so you're welcome.
An unpleasant surprise from the sewer
Imagine my surprise when there wasn't even a crumb in the trash can in this perfectly clean kitchen. But the kitchen sink was clearly smelling of sewage.
It's worth mentioning that it's been hot for the last couple of weeks, and the kitchen windows face the sunny side. It seems that the water in the water locks simply evaporated while the apartment was idle, and the sewer smell started to permeate the apartment.
Fortunately, the problem was solved: all it took was running water to restore the water barrier in the drain.
But to prevent such surprises from happening again, I thought about preventive measures. Now I have a couple of rules that I always follow before leaving my apartment, even if I'm going away for a short time.
The first rule: a sheet of paper will save you from the stench
You know, they often advise pouring oil down the drain so that moisture does not evaporate. But it is worth remembering: oil is a greasy thing, when it dries, it leaves a sticky coating, which, believe me, will become a much bigger problem than a dried-out water seal. Then you open the tap, and there is already a solid blockage.
The alternative is simpler! Take a regular sheet of paper and place it over the drain in the sink. This simple method slows down the evaporation of water, and the water seal will remain in working condition. I went further and sometimes cover the drain with a glass or saucer – this way I tightly block the access of air.
Rule 2: A toilet without water is a bad idea
The landlady decided to play it safe and drained all the water from the tank before leaving. It would seem that everything is logical: you are going for a long time, and suddenly something will leak? It turned out that this decision had its consequences. When I turned on the water, water immediately poured out of the tank – the rubber gaskets had dried out and stopped fitting tightly. There was a leak that had to be fixed.
Since then, before leaving, I simply turn off the water and don't touch the tank. Let some water remain there – this way the rubber bands will remain intact, and the plumbing will not need repair. This simple move will save you unnecessary headaches, especially if you are going for a long trip.
Try these tips the next time you plan a vacation or business trip, and may your home always greet you with that same familiar, cozy smell, not the smell of a sewer!
Джерело: Source
