Sewer gas smell in basement


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Old 01-16-08, 01:44 PM
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Question Sewer gas smell in basement

Hi,

We have a problem with intermittent smell of sewer gas in the basement when using the bathroom down there. We are on city water but have septic for waste.

We have a second full bath in the basement that is not used often (maybe once or twice a week). We have a combination steam shower/jacuzzi tub, toilet and sink.

When using the tub or toilet, sometimes there is a horrible smell of sewer gas. It has been so bad at times that you would wonder if the house could blow up. The smell will begin after filling the tub - probably during the initial warming of the water - or after flushing the toilet.

A little background: Last year we changed the check valve. It is a rubber and abs combination type thing (rubber at both ends and the abs in the middle) and is attached with hose clamps. This is what was on the stack before so we purchased the same kind. We just bought a different kind - white pvc (I think) with a much better flap inside but have not installed it yet.

We had a smell problem last year before we changed the valve and the vent stack had ice in it. We poured boiling water down the pipe on the roof and that cleared it up. We also have changed the sump pump but when we were trying to trace the problem, most of the bolts that hold the lid on broke and is being held by only 4 instead of 7 or 8.

Anyway, this current problem happens at any time of the year - winter or summer. Sometimes it stinks, sometimes not and it does not matter if we use the bathroom every day or once a week meaning there is no pattern.

One more addition, the drain in the bath is very slow, gurgles and bubbles and then kind of "rushes out" near the end. The toilet and the bath share the drain and the vent.

If anyone has any suggestions it would be greatly appreciated .

Thanks

PS
The tank was pumped in September of 2003 and we are planning to have it pumped this September. The pumper guy checked out the tank (stuck his head in and looked around) and he said it was good.
 

Last edited by phanophun; 01-16-08 at 02:01 PM. Reason: More info
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Old 01-16-08, 02:01 PM
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You could have an occluded vent. Provided you feel safe, and conditions are safe to to so, you can chug the vent pipe from the roof with a garden hose (water off) until the occlusion cleard. Air is necessary from above in order for the water to properly evacuate the appliances. An analogy is like placing a straw in a soda, placing your thumb over the end and removing the straw. The liquid will remain in the straw until you release your thumb. Your septic system is similar. Please call a pro if you don't feel like a road trip to the roof, as it isn't the fall, but the sudden stop that will mess up your whole day.
 
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Old 01-16-08, 02:13 PM
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OK...let's see if I have this right.

Put a piece of garden hose down the vent and wait to hear some air come out?

Sorry to sound ignorant but what is an occlusion? Is it like an air bubble stuck in the pipe ie: water/air/water again?

It would be ok to do this hose thing now since there's a couple feet of snow around the house to soften the landing

Thanks
 
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Old 01-16-08, 03:12 PM
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The occlusion or blockage will be anything from twigs, leaves, dead birds, acorns, anything a bird, squirrel or other small animal decides to drop down there, and what naturally settles there. So with this blockage growing all the time, it will eventually cut off the air. Run the garden hose down the vent pipe and chug it once it hits the blockage until it breaks up and passes on down into the drains. 2 feet of snow on the ground may equal 1 inch of ice on the roof, so please be careful!
 
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Old 01-16-08, 05:20 PM
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Oh...duh

Thanks, I'll try that.

One more question though...

The bathroom downstairs drains into a sealed holding tank. I just read that this system should have it's own dedicated vent out the roof. I only see one on that side of the house.

Both the bathrooms are on the same side of the house and when I looked at the vents in the sump room, the vent from the pump has all the downstairs bathroom vents attached to it then goes through the floor to never land. The upstairs toilet vent and drain are about 8" away from that vent. When the sump goes on and off there is no gurgling, burping or mysterious loss of water in the toilets.

I am assuming that the two large vents somehow connect behind the upstairs bathroom wall. I could be wrong though since there are many strange and wonderous things in this house.

Long story longer ... should we have a dedicated vent for the pump?
 
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Old 01-16-08, 06:00 PM
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If you have a sump pump in the basement, stick your head in the pit, smell. If it smells like sewer gas you have a break in the line, or shear at the foundation. Very rare, but rule that out.
Caulk the ejector pit lid, surges of water will push gas out quickly...especially if there is a bad vent bar (cracked, rotted, or it was never there). This problem is usually a plumbers nightmare...process of elimination.

Also sounds like the tub is gurgling from lack of air. If it were my house, I would pull the toilet, fill the tub and see if it still chugs. If it did it would be inadequte venting. See what I mean? Process of elimination. Good Luck!
 
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Old 12-03-09, 06:30 AM
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sewer gas smell

Before searching for sewer gas problems, be sure that there are NO lead acid batteries in the area, such as a sump pump with battery backup or a car battery on a charger. This could be the source of the smell. That's my experience.
-Richzab
 
 

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