I have read through all of the threads about septic odor indoors and I cannot figure out what to do. I have a strong septic odor in my bathroom (and basement) after it rains. I also have a gurgling kitchen drain (constant). It started with a clogged septic system this summer. The tank and area around the tank were flooded. After clearing the clog, BAM, the smell in the bathroom started. Whenever it rains, it smells for a day or so and then goes away. The septic company has been to the house twice and used a camera to check the input pipe and output pipe and both are fine. We ran water and it did drain (although it was a sunny day).

My home is 200 years old, but I have lived here for 7 years and never had this problem before. I have an unvented sink in the bathroom. I have replaced the wax ring on the toilet, but that did not help. When I run the shower after it rains, the smell is very strong (the shower is properly vented). There is no smell in the upstairs bathroom (properly vented). This morning my washer locked because it would not drain. I snaked all the way back to the main output of the house and a there was no clog. When I put the washer hose directly to the floor drain, then the washer drained.

Help!!!

Melinda in VT

 

Start looking for a block vent.
When the septic back up the poop may have backed up into the vent.

 

I will put a hose down the vent today. The septic never backed up into the house, it just made a big puddle in the yard over the tank.

Thanks you!!!

 

At the least it sounds like you have septic and/or leach field problems. Do you know what type of system you have? You said the septic company was out twice. Did they pump your tank?

 

I had similar trouble (except for the puddle) once in an older home. The drain field was clogged up with solids. It was made of 3" laid butted clay pipe where the idea was for the liquid to leak out between the pipes. It was about 25 feet long, so there was about 25 places for the water to leech out.

The county said I had to have a new one, which was 200 feet long, in two legs and made of PVC. It needed a lot of space. But I didn't need a pump like many newer homes do. Older homes weren't built on low land -- they knew better back then not to do that.