Soil stack smells

[ironsidebod]

Hi,

We have a soil stack that smells and I just wanted to run my suspicion as to the cause by everyone here before I punch holes in ceilings!

The toilet in question has a soil stack in the wall that goes into the roof space. In the adjoining room (same wall run) I took out some of the plasterboard as I'm running cables. At this point the room was filled with sewer type smells. There's no evidence of any "wet" leaks just a strong whiff.

I went into the roof space and it too smelled yesterday but smells elsewhere in the house. I suspect it's the air admittance valve - would this be the likely candidate?

The roof space it's in is visible from the main loft but I cannot fit through the gaps so I'd need to go through the bathroom ceiling.

TIA

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Quite possibly a stuck open AAV. Never understand why people terminate in loft spaces with an AAV in an attempt to save a few £, for what its worth, may as well just go through the roof to open vent.


Assume there is no sign of the stack coming through the roof to vent at that position?

 

[ironsidebod]

I know it's very irritating that I have to part destroy a perfectly good ceiling to get to it. Definitely doesn't go out of the roof, I can see into the space and the AAV, just isn't any room to get a human through

Anything else it could be or to check before I get the board cutter out?

 

[Ian H]

Smoke bomb just to be sure?

Where ever the smoke gets out, smells can get out too.

 

[ironsidebod]

Update on this...

I gained access to the AAV and swapped it out....the smell is gone. Hadn't noticed the toilet/basin drains being particularly slow before but the water leaves much quicker now so it was clearly getting stuck.

Thanks all for the help.