Sewage smell in bathroom

[MrTesco]

As the title suggests really.
Upstairs bathroom has a sewage type smell mainly in the morning or if the door has been closed and not used for a few hours.

All waste bath,sink and toilet appear to flow well, I did however try some pipe unblocker/cleaner just to satisfy it wasn't something that simple.

Now two points that I'm considering are:

1.The toilet waste as it goes into the floor looks rusty but does not appear to be leaking.

2. I checked the inspection chamber and while all looks fine, I have noticed two things,
A. When toilet waste from upstairs comes into the chamber it seems to wash up the side and often sits on the side wall.
B. Also when toilet waste from upstairs it seems to travel towards the kitchen and downstairs toilet waste, but comes back out but again sometimes sits in the channel.
Tho the chamber is not blocked and flows well.

Dodgy photoshop:
KW = kitchen waste
UT = Upstairs Toilet/ Bathroom
DT = Down stairs toilet
Red and yellow areas are where bits of waste seem to get stuck.

Anyone tell me if this is normal or point me in the right direction?

 

[KenGMac]

MrTesco, good evening.

Immediate thoughts are.

1/. Clean of the old Cast iron and have a really good look for any cracks?
2/. Is the soil vent above both bathrooms clear and not blocked?

Ken.

 

[MrTesco]

Good evening Ken,

I will try give the stack a clean tomorrow, taking it wire brush would be best?

The lower toilet has no vent at all but is in like a outhouse see picture and the upstairs comes out the roof and is just a pipe so cannot see if it's clear other than from the ground?

 

[just pumps]

Quick and simple test to make sure bath & basin traps aren`t being sucked dry is to slide a pencil or suitable sliver of wood down through the plug holes, there should be water in the bottom to stop smells entering rooms. Do this in the morning before anyone uses them as you say the smell is worse then.

 

[MrTesco]

Just pumps, will give that a check tomorrow if I remember at 3am

 

[just pumps]

Just pumps, will give that a check tomorrow if I remember at 3am

Nothing stopping you doing tonight if it helps you do it in your sleep tomorrow at that unholy hour!
Guess you`re not working tomorrow and it`s a body clock thing thus something else to look forward to as I get older

 

[MrTesco]

Nothing stopping you doing tonight if it helps you do it in your sleep tomorrow at that unholy hour!
Guess you`re not working tomorrow and it`s a body clock thing thus something else to look forward to as I get older

Unfortunately I am at work tomorrow hopefully only half day but you never know with trucking. Will give it a look tomorrow. Tho still normally wake up at stupid o'clock with the said body clock

 

[just pumps]

Unfortunately I am at work tomorrow hopefully only half day but you never know with trucking. Will give it a look tomorrow. Tho still normally wake up at stupid o'clock with the said body clock

Friend who is a trucker say`s with the lockdown it`s been brilliant getting around, bit like the 70`s was.
Stay safe.

 

[KenGMac]

MrTesco, good evening again.

As "just pumps" above.

What may be happening is that because there is no adequate "vent pipe" above the bathroom with the problem, when [especially] the toilet is flushed a "plug" of water goes down the pipe, under certain conditions this "plug" of water fills the entire volume of the pipe, this results in a very, very small drop in air pressure above this "plug"

If you are still reading??? this drop in air pressure can and does suck the water from the trap [especially] the Wash Hand Basin, which has the smallest volume of water in its trap, result is sewer gas [smell] gets in to the bathroom.

As just pump check the water level [as described]

The "fix / repair" could be to either fit a durgo valve or? an Anti-Siphon device at the Wash hand Basin?

Ken.

 

[just pumps]

Agree, however still worth checking the bath whilst you're at it.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Chamber looks clear, I wouldn't worry about that too much. From your description I would think the waste is coming into the chamber at quite a velocity, (given its falling from first floor level, also depends on distance from bottom of stack to chamber), once hitting the chamber, the pipework downstream may not be on such a steep fall, so it slows everything down. There is no standing water or build up of waste in the chamber, (as well as the physical condition), gives a good indication of a well constructed drainage system.

Yet to come across a blocked vent, again pretty sure the vent pipe is protruding through the roof and ventilating the system as it should, and given the stack can vent to atmosphere, back pressure is very unlikely. Check traps as Just Pumps has suggested, I'd also be looking at bleaching the basin overflow, crud can build up in these. Also, what is the floor made of? Wooden floors can soak up 'liquid' over time, especially is their are children in the house who aren't always careful with their aim. Lastly, (for now), have you removed the bath panel/any boxing in of pipework, to check for leaks?