Vent stack - fetid odour

[JohnD]

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[northernlights]

Nearly!

The pipe is contined the full length of the house and under the dining area.

The vent (V) is under the stairs flush with the left wall by the utility.

The other drain runs at right angles outside from the downstairs bathroom and must link with this drain - though I can't see this on the plans.

There must also be a junction at this point with the waste flow from upstairs (bedroom and bathroom over the dining room).

I find the smell strongest in the dining room (junction of drains?) - but maybe it's just the gases are heavier and are vented out and are settling at the lowest point in the house?

I'm still trying to get the plans up! They may make more sense to you.

 

[northernlights]

[img]http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff207/helentjb/houseplan001.jpg[/img]

The area affected is the utility and "conservatory" (dining room with bedroom and bathroom above)

The drain runs out through the end of the dining room and must link to an outside drain. there is an inspection cover in central to the dining room outside.

NB the sink in the utility is lcated by the window in these plans. In actual fact it is against the wall between the lounge and under stairs area (which was formerly a bathroom).

Please let me know if the image is clear enough! Can try again if necessary.

 

[northernlights]

Ground floor plan below from builders plans. I'm worried that this is beginning to look quite serious. The smell is strongest in the dining room. The upstairs soil pipe is encolosed in the wall then emerges on the outside wall to join the other drainage in the dining room/kitchen corner.

Black blobs are inspection chambers. What could be wrong? What can be done? Has the builder followed regulations? Any help most welcome - really worried now.

 

[Softus]

Calm thyself woman.

Some more questions:

1. Wrt the removed manhole: has the entire chamber been removed, or does it still exist?

If the latter, then it's possible that the wrong type of lid has been fitted - chambers inside buildings need to be fitted with a special frame and lid.

2. Do you still get the smell if you block off the top of the open pipe?

I can't see on your plan how the underground sections join up. There appears to be a section running outside the kitchen, but your diagram doesn't show where this goes. If it joins to the section running underneath the dining room then there should be an inspection chamber at the point they converge. Is it possible that there's a chamber you're unaware of? Have you had a good look at the dining room floor?

Many's the time I've seen covers concreted over, especially when the area used to be outside and an extension has been built over it. If the wrong lid is fitted (see above) then it's possible for smells to percolate up. Your lack of roof-level vent would exacerbate this.

Wrt Building Regs, I doubt that the installation was done properly, but I would put that aside and solve the technical problem first.

 

[northernlights]

Thanks. Have read much plumbing over the past few days.

The removed manhole appears to be under where my washing machine sits. There is an inspection chamber by the vent and outlet pipe under the stairs. I lifted this last night and noticed smell.

I can't tell from the plans what there is inside/under the smelly dining room. I had the old carpet ripped out and a new laid before we moved in. There was no entry point to drains visible on the bare floor- but I agree that there may be something under the steps to the dining room. There is an inspection chamber closeby outside.

Sitting with the previous owner in this room I noticed no smell at all. We have been in the house just over 2 months.

Dyno Rod have recommended a local plumber. I hope he will come as promised tomorrow as others have not got back to me.

What you have said has been very helpful and informative and will help us talk to him about the problem.

I will post what he says...

 

[Softus]

My breath is bated in anticipation...

 

[northernlights]

I know...

But by house seems to frighten plumbers away. Two have come so far have simply disappeared without returning my messages.

If only I had taken a plumbing course.....

(Not such a bad smell in utility with bag over vent, but still pretty putrid in dining room near where pipes join )

 

[Softus]

But by house seems to frighten plumbers away. Two have come so far have simply disappeared without returning my messages.

Have you checked the inspection chambers?

If only I had taken a plumbing course.

You don't need to just yet - if you keep asking for help here then you'll get it.

(Not such a bad smell in utility with bag over vent, but still pretty putrid in dining room near where pipes join )

Please try an experiment - lift one of the inspection covers outside the house by about 1" at one end, and leave it ajar so that 'air' can escape. Does this stop the smell inside the house?

 

[northernlights]

Thanks. Just back from the boats and getting dark. Will try and lift part of the concrete cover that stands for a manhole when there is some light tomorrow.

Plumber just left stating that there should not be a pipe without a trap under the stairs into the drain.

Thank you for your help alerting me to this! Whether I take this up with the surveyor ..I am very tempted.

Said plumber also pointed out a low vent through the tiles on the roof upstairs that I had not noticed. Blocked with something, he said. When quizzed further he said probably a Durgo valve (I think - is that right?). Again, he said they should not have done this. He thinks maybe because of the high winds we receive here (exposed clifftops) - and problems with smell.

Has promised further investigations on Friday (let's hope he does not disappear without trace!) including under the floor.

Sugests venting from utility outside - comments welcome please - especially on level of the vent, health and safety, legalities etc.

Many thanks for brilliant comments so far - I hope that others are benefiting from the salutory experience of my home.

Caveat emptor!

 

[northernlights]

A plumber arrived and actually did the work today!

I have a vent through the roof at the front of the house leading from the cut off pipe under the stairs. Water drains, washing machine works. So far, so good!

No luck with the inspection chamber. The cover is a concrete slab and the plumber said he would have to break it to get in. Also, he might have to go through the exterior wall of the house to locate where the drains join. The other option was new carpet up and going under the floorboards ... he has advised me to wait to see if the vent cures the problem first.

So - windows open, air purifier on for a while. Then a test.

Many thanks to all of you who have been so helpful with advice - from building regs through plumbing to how to use Photo Bucket.

Brilliant!