Bathroom Smells

[allanmartin]

Dear Experts,

Strange one this for you all, but I am sure it is simple when you know how. We have a small room which just has a toilet in it. (Its in France, so very common). From time to time the room smells, and its not really sweage smells. I can't be certain, but I think it is worse when it is hotter outside..... The bowl of the toilet is not dry or anything, so I think that the water trap is working and blocking air coming from the drains up.

Anyone got any ideas or suggestions where I should look?

Thanks everyone

Al

 

[Burnerman]

The loo drain may be connected into a soil vent pipe, that allows air into the drains after flushing......check to see if the open end of this is not inside the house. If it is, it could have an air admittance valve somewhere thats stuck open.
Otherwise, check where the toilet pan is connected into the drain - there could be a leak around there. failing that, you could be into rising damp issues, I guess.
John

 

[Nige F]

Dear Experts,

Strange one this . We have a small room which just has a toilet in it. (Its in France, so very common). Ici Le Bog Anyone got any ideas or suggestions where I should look?


Al

look @ the seat - if it`s wood

 

[allanmartin]

Thank you both. The seat is plastic, but maybe it needs changed.
I will have a good look about tonight, but the owers of the house (its not mine) have put it all behind walls and I do not think I will have access.... but I can try and see.

 

[allanmartin]

Dear All,

OK - toilet seat changed and smell continues.

I have discovered, by removing a bit of wall, an air admittance valve in a totally unreachable place. Surly these things should be accessible? Anyway....

I have to assume that it is faulty.

I have installed another one in a higher up, accessible place. I hear it working (letting air in and closing again when taps running or toilet flushed) and so far, not had the problem of the smell. I am hoping that the old, broken one will just sit closed from now on and the new one will work. Is that likely? And does anyone have any tips of how to fix/or permanently close the damaged valve WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO REACH IT?? I was thinking a plundger to force it open and closed maybe cleaning it up?

Thanks anyone....

Al

 

[TicklyT]

Bear in mind that air admittance valves will only relieve negative pressures in the soil stack. They do nothing if there is positive pressure building up in the waste system for any reason.

Positive pressures are usually relieved by an open vent at the top of a soil stack. Without an open vent, sewer gases may take the path of least resistance, finding any dodgey joints in the plumbing or bubbling up through a waste trap or toilet bowl somewhere

 

[RigidRaider]

C'est une chiotte Francaise, que veux-tu? It will smell anyway because all the garcons will have tinkled all over it and dribbled on the floor.

Best thing I ever did in our downstairs loo was install a small discrete home urinal for male users. It has a cover and many visitors don't even realise what it is.

Here: http://www.dezinebathrooms.co.uk/laufen-bathrooms-casa-urinal.html