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- over 445,000 plumbing related posts
The popular general plumbing, toilets, sinks, faucets, pump problems, questions and answers discussion forum
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Author:
hgalexander (AL)
We have lived in our house for approximately 3 years. After we renovated and fully moved in, we noticed a terrible smell that would occasionally show up after baths, showers and/or loads of laundry. The smell is septic smelling/rotten egg. In the beginning it was most prevalent during the colder months. It completely disappeared in the spring and summer at which time we thought it had finally been resolved. It showed up again as the weather got cooler and now it is not temperature related. It is present most every day but not always. It usually is worst in the a.m. following showers or following loads of laundry and dishwasher runs. We have spent thousands of dollars to resolve this issue but no plumber, foundation specialist, or septic professional has had a clue what it is. We have put vents with fans under our house because we were told it was a ventilation issue. We have replaced a field line. We have replaced the lid to the septic tank. We have replaced the pipe from the house to the septic tank. Each time we are assured this will fix the problem. It is getting worse not better and I have no idea where to turn! Any ideas of who I should call next? There is a corner in my den that is next to the garage (which is where the washer and dryer and all of the plumbing is) from where I have noticed the smell seems to originate. Please please help!!!!
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Author:
Shoemaker2 (MA)
When I encounter a smell, I first change all the wax rings under the toilets. Then if the smell is still showing up I will put a window fan blowing out a window and close all other doors and windows to get the house tight. With the fan on high I will pull the septic cover and try to pinpoint where the smell if coming from. Sometimes you have to cap the vents through the roof so you don't pull fresh air back into the system. In almost all cases I have found and resolved the problem this way. I have found vents not tied in in the attic. Pipes with holes drill into them and duct taped over to hide. Drain lines with flooring nail holes in them the size of a silver dollar, and so on. There is no telling what you may find so hope the it is the wax or a dried up trap seal.
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Author:
m & m (MD)
I have dealt with a h/o problem very similar to what you describe. I came to the conclusion it was septic related and worse in the "rainy" season (winter/spring) when water tables were higher and consequently, drain fields less absorbent. This in turn caused a 'flooded' or partially 'flooded' condition with the septic tank which in turn kept water levels up in the tank and even into the house-to-tank sewer line; just never getting high enough to cause a complete stoppage. The problem would dissipate as the weather warmed and ground water tables dropped.
The first step for you would be to have an easily accessible septic tank inlet cover. Does it extend above grade? If so, you will need to inspect the inlet often and try to verify if the water level in the tank is rising above 'set point'. It could be enough to blow trap seals and push sewer gas back into the house.
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Author:
dlh (TX)
personally i would hire someone trined in finding leaks like a leak detection company
----------------------------
PLUMBERS "Protecting The Health Of The Nation"
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Author:
hi (TX)
This is how a cleveland neighborhood found their odor problem.
[www.reuters.com]
The odor did not come from the sausage factory.
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Author:
mjb1962853 (NY)
This would be too simple.
Is the washing machine drain a stand-pipe and does it have a p-trap?
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Author:
woberkrom (MO)
I had a customer with a mystery smell that came and went. After spending a few hours trying a few simple solutions and to take stock of other work in the home I figured it was most likely a broken vent. I took a mirror down in the upstairs bathroom and made a hole where I thought the vent ran through. The hole could be covered back up by the mirror. Sure enough the vent was right there and it was very wobbly. I made two more holes about 12" x 12" and found two plastic fittings that had pulled apart when the first floor bathroom had been converted to a half bath with laundry by a previous contractor (i.e. not a plumber). It ended up being a simple repair, and I didn't have to tear up the whole bathroom where the smell was the worst, but it just as easily could have been something else.
Those same customers then thought I was too high for a subsequent bid for the plumbing in their bathroom remodel. I guess that is a story for another day though...
--Will
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Author:
cmr_lsu (AL)
Just had this problem in Birmingham, AL. Found out that the PVC pipe to the septic was cracked. It was cracked in the wall and leaking into the space between the concrete block and brink. This is disgusting. Everytime the water hit the nasty water, it would stir up a smell. This only occured when we pumped water (basement bathroom and washing machine). This cause a swirl affect to leak out the top.
Does the smell happen at specific places. Mine would only smell in basement (finished)
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Author:
stinky (IN)
We have almost the same problem! We get the smell only when temps get near freezing. Spring, summer and fall we never get it. My husband has gone out to check the septic tank when the smell comes but the level wasn't above the outfall pipe. (We think.) We first noticed the smell immediately after the tank was pumped and it happened to be in December two years ago. We had only lived in the house six months by then so we don't know if it had ever happened the winter before. At the time the tank was first pumped, the water was above the outfall pipe. Last winter, we found a loose joint in a vent pipe in the attic. We repaired it and no more smell. We thought the problem was fixed, but now it's December and it's back - terrible. Not every day though. Could pumping the tank with the water level that high have damaged the wax rings on the toilets? If so, why wouldn't we have a problem all year long? Also the smell comes from different bathrooms at times. Someone please help us.
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Author:
peterteam (FL)
Alexander, this problems could depend on if you are on a septic system or city sewer. This is a great resource to ask questions and find out the answer, [www.thedrainteam.com]. They have a post about a day care center that has a sewer odor coming from the bathroom. The water probably dried up in the toilet's trap.
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