Sewer gas leak?
#1
08-09-16, 08:12 PM
Sewer gas leak?
I live in an old 1920's bungalow home and every July - Sept (depending on how hot/humid the summers are) I smell bad sewage gas in the basement from the maindrain i think? i also smell it upstairs in the kitchen coming from the sink... again i think? is this common? i'm assuming this is not healthy nor safe esp if i'm cooped up in the house all day with the A/C recirculating the same air throughout the house. Is there any way I can test for this, have it fixed, or stop this awful gassy smell? help!
#2
08-09-16, 08:21 PM
Group Moderator
Both drains should have a trap installed on them. The kitchen sink is easy to check by looking under the sink for it.
The basement drain is a bit tougher. You should be able to pour a bucket of water down it and using a flashlight see if there is water in it.
Many times with a basement drain the water in the trap evaporates and just pouring the bucket of water down it cures the problem.
The basement drain is a bit tougher. You should be able to pour a bucket of water down it and using a flashlight see if there is water in it.
Many times with a basement drain the water in the trap evaporates and just pouring the bucket of water down it cures the problem.
#3
08-09-16, 08:27 PM
i always pour my dehumidifier buckets (45 gallon) down the main drain 2-3 a day. that should be more than enough water yes? or are you saying the maindrain is not holding water?
#4
08-09-16, 08:31 PM
Group Moderator
I don't know if it's holding water. Back then there's no telling what was done.
You should be able to see water at the bottom of the drain.
You should be able to see water at the bottom of the drain.
#5
08-09-16, 08:39 PM
just checked there is definitely water i can see a reflection. is it possible its still coming from there even with the water leveled (fyi there's only one maindrain in the basement). or could it be coming from somewhere else?
#6
08-10-16, 06:41 AM
We had that same problem many years ago. The smell was horrid! Don't remember how we even discovered it, but the cast iron main drain (going from the bathroom out to our septic tank) had a big rusted out crack on the top side of the drain!! Certainly couldn't see it from standing underneath looking up at it! And surprising enough it never leaked! (Ewww....that would've be nasty!lol)
Hubby rented a cutter, removed that old cast iron pipe and replaced it with PVC.
Hope you find your problem and get it resolved....that smell...uff-dah!
Hubby rented a cutter, removed that old cast iron pipe and replaced it with PVC.
Hope you find your problem and get it resolved....that smell...uff-dah!
#7
08-10-16, 06:54 AM
Could it be that your Roof Vent/Stack becomes partially blocked seasonally (bird/bats) and encourages bubbles of fumes to enter the living quarters because that path presents less resistance than the normal path up the Vent ?
