smell from soil pipe in kitchen

[alexnix]

Hi, in the last few days we have noticed a horrible smell coming from our kitchen cupboard which the soil pipe drops down through from our bathroom.

Within the cupboard there is a small round pipe protruding from the boxed-in pipe, with a solid end marked with 4 letter 'V's - some kind of vent or access?

We haven't had any work done recently, though a new bathroom / central heating system was fitted in march at which time the plumber altered the pipe to fit a durgo, as the old pipe through roof had been letting in the rain!

We are about to start fitting a new kitchen this weekend and so will be pulling out all the cupboards & will be able to have a better look, but just wondered if you could give any suggestions as to whether this could be caused by a blockage somewhere in the soil pipe/ drain? Or is it possible that the pipe could be damaged in some way?

Many thanks

 

[Softus]

the plumber altered the pipe to fit a durgo, as the old pipe through roof had been letting in the rain!

This is your problem - you can't replace a vent with a Durgo. What your plumber has done is incompetent and contravenes the Building Regulations.

A vent allows foul air at positive pressure to escape from the sewer and foul waste. An AAV allows air to enter the system to relieve negative pressure. Ergo they have entirely distinct functions.

What's happening is that foul air is being forced from the sewer through the path of least resistance, which is probably a small leak and otherwise harmless leak at the joint between your kitchen waste and the soil stack. If you fix that leak, the smell will emerge through the easiest water trap, often the toilet.

The remedy is to reinstate the vent - a proper one that terminates above roof level. Your plumber is legally liable for the cost of this work, even if someone else does it, but he has the right to be asked to rectify it himself before you engage anyone else.

 

[alexnix]

Hi Softus

Many thanks for the advice, at least we now know why and can try to get it sorted!