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Author:
rygiric88 (IA)
ok my previous post was answered quickly and had what i was looking for so here i go with my second issue. (thanks for the great answers!)
we moved in to a house that the previous owner was a DIY type guy but i think he cut a lot of corners...the issue i have is when we move a lot of water through our lines in the basement (tub, shower, washer/dryer) we get a bad sewer smell down there, but nothing backs up so i dont assume its clogged. i have been digging through the forums here and it looks like it could be multiple things that are causing the smell. ive attached some photos and would like to see what someone thinks that has more plumbing knowledge than i have. some people that have been in the home and briefly looked at the setup have suggested these possible issues..
1) the vent through the roof is clogged up (large tree in front of house and lots of leaves on the roof at times during the fall...possible?
2) a lack of traps either for the washer/dryer or the tub/shower that i believe the previous owner installed on his own? (unsure because i cannot see below the concrete)
3) the setup of the washer stand pipe is incorrect? (it seems to smell the worst when we run laundry)
4) floor drain cleanout has become unplugged (will check later today on that)
other possible issues (probably unlikely) the house used to have septic and possibly the outdoor tank has failed and it is seeping back towards the basement (suggested to me by a non plumber) (doubt it because smell comes and goes)
p.s. my drawing of the basement floor and plumbing may be incorrect but that is what i assume is going on under the concrete.
floor
stand pipe
please let me know if the pics didnt load correctly. i also have a few other pics of the basement if needed. thanks. the answers and info so far have saved me a lot of headache.
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Author:
hj (AZ)
a picture of what you HAVE at the washing machine might be more useful than a drawing of what you THINK is under the floor.
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Author:
packy (MA)
there is no trap on either the wash sink or the washer drain.
you need more than just traps to make that legal. it all must be vented as well.
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Author:
KCRoto (MO)
The washer standpipe may have a trap under the floor, and they probably added the utility sink to help handle the water going into the drain, which is likely filled with rust and lint. The floor drain needs a cleanout plug if it doesn't have one, and the p-trap of the floor drain should be holding water level to or slightly below the top edge of the hole in the bottom; if there is no cleanout plug and the water is level with the bottom of the cleanout, the floor drain needs to be augured out.
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Author:
rygiric88 (IA)
HJ - what you see in my drawing of the floor is what is there except im not sure how the pipes are routed under the concrete. the floor drain where it is drawn, is where the actual floor drain is. i can attatch the photo unedited but all you will see is concrete floor. if a more specific photo would help, i can upload one later tonight. thanks
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Author:
rygiric88 (IA)
KCRoto - i am unsure if there is a trap under the concrete at the stand pipe, but if my nose is right on it, i dont get a bad smell from it. also, regarding the floor drain, i have not checked to see if the cleanout plug is in there as i am not at home but i do know that the water level is consistently 2-3 inches below the floor? when you said the water level should be at the top of the hole...do you mean in the bottom of the drain or almost to the top cover of the drain that flush with the floor which has a 6 inch or so hole through it? Thanks for the help so far. i knew something was wrong down there but being a novice i didnt know where to start. This forum has been excellent so far.
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Author:
hj (AZ)
A picture of the pipes at the washer would tell us if your #2 is correct or not about the lack of a trap at the washer.
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Author:
hj (AZ)
Are you and Packy seeing a differnt picture than I am, because all I see is her drawing and I cannot be sure that it is accurate.
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Author:
packy (MA)
hj, there are 2 pictures.
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Author:
hj (AZ)
I didn't see the washer hose so I assumed it was main stack.
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Author:
rygiric88 (IA)
HJ yes i have two pictures uploaded there. the picture with the drawing has the main stack at the top of the picture. the washer stand pipe in the drawing is exactly where the actual one is and is included close up in the second picture...im going to work on a picture to see what it would look like with a vent installed and if that would be a correct design for a plumber to come install. i may aslo update my other post with a new picture with venting included. thanks for the help so far
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Author:
KCRoto (MO)
[www.irishartsblog.com] I found a picture of a plastic drain because it is easier to see. The gray plug in the side of the drain is the cleanout plug, and it can be a variety of materials, as it may have been replaced in the past. The water level in a cast iron drain would be roughly where the threaded area is on this plastic drain, at the bottom of the round bowl portion. Generally the water will be between 1/4-1" below the edge of the bowl portion on a cast iron drain, and lower than that on a plastic one like this.
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Author:
hj (AZ)
IF there is a trap under the floor, and convention would say there is, then the vent would have to connect to the pipe under the floor, not the washer's riser.
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Author:
sum (FL)
It shouldn't be too difficult to determine if a trap is under the floor of the washing machine stand pipe. Pull out the washing machine hose and shine a flash light down do you see standing water?
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Author:
bernabeu (SC)
washer drain has trap in floor but is unvented resulting in occasional siphonage ?
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