Podcast Episode 753: Self-Leveling Compound, Housing Affordability, and Stinky Water

This week's Fine Homebuilding podcast touches on a few topics with little direct bearing on energy upgrades, but one question stands out for homeowners dealing with plumbing quirks. A couple outside Richmond, Virginia, wrote in about a rotten-egg smell coming from just one of two bathroom sinks, lasting about 15 seconds whenever they turn on the water, hot or cold. They've already cleaned the aerator and the P-trap (the curved pipe under a sink that holds water to block sewer gas) and replaced their water heater two years ago, but the smell persists after two to three years. The hosts point listeners to background reading from the U.S. Geological Survey on what causes water to smell like rotten eggs, which can help explain persistent odor issues even when a water supply otherwise runs clean.

The episode also covers a listener question about self-leveling compound, a liquid product poured onto floors to create a flat surface before installing flooring like tile, and a discussion of why home prices have risen over the past two decades, with permitting delays and carrying costs (the expenses of holding a project from planning through construction) cited as factors in some areas.

None of this points to a specific rebate, program, or energy-efficiency upgrade for your own house. But if you've ever noticed a sulfur smell from one fixture while the rest of your water runs fine, the resource on stinky water may be worth a look before assuming it's a bigger plumbing problem.