Gnats from my drains

[Paul Busch]

I am in southern Wisconsin for the summer and have been having trouble with gnats all summer coming from my drains. Tried home concoction and commercial fruit fly products to no avail. Any ideas?

thanks Paul b

[timaz996]

I am in Oshkosh for the EAA fly in and had the same problem a couple weeks ago in Omro. I poured a little bit of bleach in each drain and used a couple fly strips to catch them. Also used a glass about an inch deep of apple cider vinegar with a little bit of lemon juice or lemon flavoring in it. Must’ve caught over 200 and the glass. I agree they are a real pain in the butt.

[Ray Davis]

Is either of your dump valves open? 

[timaz996]

In my case the answer was no. I was hooked up to electricity only.

[Tom Cherry]

In the ill refutable words of Forest Gump….with a poetic license….Gnats HAPPEN.  Sort like never seeing a fruit fly until after a banana over ripens….

https://arceneauxpest.com/get-rid-of-gnats-in-drain-guide/

No real forensics as to the reason, but seemingly common sense solutions and discussion.  I will only comment that if one is an observer and uses a Sanicon with a clear elbow, the amount of “particulate” that comes at the end of a total gray tank dump is surprising, especially if your meals have had a lot of fresh vegetables.  DW is diligent in not just dumping the dirty dishes into the sink and washing, but doing a cursory wipe to prevent a buildup of organic debris in the gray tank.  From a definition standpoint, the gray tank, technically, due to decaying matter is “septic”, except it does not have TP, WHICH is the number one build up material that makes the dinky little contact probes inaccurate as the sidewalls wick up any moisture and give a higher reading. And the tank does not have organic human waste….so the bacterial levels are much less.

I know that the hall vanity sink is prone to the trap evaporating and I fill each sink prior to a trip to make sure there’s a good gas trap.  We typically use the Spendide once every trip so any critters that are habituating in the vacant pipes are given a free “water slide” ride.

Hope this helps.  Good to know. 

[Cubflyer]

Tom Cherry..... Good info and if the bugs were not such a nuisance,  funny stuff..!   

[Notn2bars]

Look on the roof for your tank vents.  See if they have a screen on them.  If not, the gnats could be intering your tanks via the roof vents.  I took the caps off ours and placed some screen over the opening.  Held the screen in place with a zip tie. See Pics.  Works great, no more gnats. Did both vents.  God Bless, Ed & Sylvia

[timaz996]

The ones I had could come through my window screen. A real PITA

[dandick66]

I’ve had them in the house drains a couple of times over the past few years.  I flush out the traps and then add some apple cider vinegar.  That seems to do the trick.

[Dr4Film]

In Florida we call them "no-see-ums".

[Notn2bars]

Tim, I can see your point.  Gonna change out my screen, which is working up to this point.  It appears we have larger gnats.  So we are going to replace our screen with mosquito netting material.  Should keep out (all) everything that flys out of our plumbing.  God bless, Ed & Sylvia

[timaz996]

I put a little bleach in my pee traps today.