Sewer Gas Smell

[cabreco]

I figured I'd post here as I'm sure someone has the experience to guide me.

For the last 2 days I have been getting a pungent sewer gas smell from a cabinet in my kitchen. This cabinet is not under the sink, but it is against the wall where I believe the main vent runs.

 

It has been raining pretty bad for 2 or 3 days as well. I noticed a few things:

 

1 The smell (not as strong) is present in the cabinets of all bathroom sinks

2. I don't smell anything from the drain openings

3. The smell was almost gone then the wife ran the dishwasher & it got bad again!

 

Am I correct in assuming that there must be a clog in a vent pipe?

All the drains flow quickly. Could there be a clog at the main sewer trap outside the house which could cause the smell?

 

I have never had this issue in the 5 years we've lived here. The house was built in 1993 so I know all the fixtures have P-traps and no modifications to the plumbing have been made. It is on a slab foundation.

 

My plan is to go to the roof & snake the vents (& run some water in them) to see if it clears this out. Should I open & check the sewer main trap outside, or is that not needed since all the drains flow quickly?

 

And to think I thought the gas smell from my gen one was annoying:bang head:

[Trader]

The snake is probably a good idea....sounds like a it could be a plugged vent.

Funny that that everything is flowing well though

 

[dacheedah]

I would look for a little used floor drain, a dry P trap will give you what you got. Pour a gallon of water in it with tablespoon of pine sol. The odors usually migrate more at night when their is little use. A floor drain in a bathroom floor, garage or utility closet could be your problem.

[cabreco]

I would look for a little used floor drain, a dry P trap will give you what you got. Pour a gallon of water in it with tablespoon of pine sol. The odors usually migrate more at night when their is little use. A floor drain in a bathroom floor, garage or utility closet could be your problem.

 

No little used, the house has 2 1/2 baths, kithchen sink, dishwasher, & washing machine all used daily with the exception of the washing machine which is used weekly. So there should be no dry P traps.

 

If I had a septic tank, that would be a concern as well but fortunately I'm on city sewer.

I'm pretty good & home repair projects but Man I hate Plumbing!

[Trader]

No floor drains that might be dry at all?

 

It is possible that the main stack has come loose in the wall. Happened to me in one house. It wasn't even glued at the joint!

[cabreco]

No floor drains that might be dry at all?

 

It is possible that the main stack has come loose in the wall. Happened to me in one house. It wasn't even glued at the joint!

 

That horror of a thought has crossed my mind. I was hopiing it was just my own paranoid overthinking of what the problem could be, but now that you bring it up....ARRRRRRGH!

 

How did it come loose just sitting there?

[etcswjoe]

We had dead squrill or rat or something clog a vent pipe once and caused the smell to back up into the house.

[Marcarl]

Snake the stack and use a light to see what you can see. maybe drop a light into the stack.

[Flyinfool]

It is possible for a critter to get into the vent on the roof. With PVC pipe it is to smooth and slippery on the inside for them to crawl back out. I have had birds sit up there till they were overcome by fumes and pass out and fall. You have a 50 50 chance whether they fall in or out.

AS mentioned, get some light in there to see what you can see.

 

Have you done any remodeling where a screw or nail may have punctured the stack?

Someone hang a picture or shelf or something on the wall with the stack?

[CaptainJoe]

Manually check all j-traps. Make sure all are full of water.

 

look for a malfunctioning or missing plumbing vent (should only let air in) check rubber flap used under most sinks to eliminate gurgling sounds (if not there...it could be pulling water out of your j-trap)

 

unsupported/incorrectly supported drain pipe. If it's not traveling down hill at a slight grade and the water is backing up in it, the gas pressure will take the path of least resistance (toilet, sink, shower, tub, washing machine). Especially if the backup of water is effectively cutting off the path to the roof vent

 

Main vent stack... bird nests other obstructions... leave water on and get up on roof and use a small led flashlight to manually see water flow...

Edited May 24, 2012 by CaptainJoe

[KIC]

Check the bottom of your dishwasher. Make sure that mold hasn't built up in the bottom around the drain inside. Put in a 70/30 water- bleach mixture in the bottom of the dishwasher and let it set. then run it.

 

 

2nd thought... has any of your neighbors bought a 2nd Gen perhaps ? Hey....just a thought...

 

Just kidding...

[bongobobny]

Pour some bleach down the vent to kill any bacteria. You can also pour vinegar afterwords which also kills germs and refreshes the smell...

[RSTDdog]

Are you sure all your sinks and drains are vented through the roof? My kitchen sink has a window over it, and since vents can't have 90's in them ( atleast not in FL) it has a stoddard vent inside the cabinet, essentially a one way check valve. If the check valve goes bad that could cause it. Just one thought.

 

If the smell came back after running the dishwasher, which pumps a lot of water into the drain, I would suspect a leak in the waste pipe. That doesn't explain the smell in the other bathrooms since they should not be connected to the kitchen or share a vent with it (at least not through the wall). Do you have access to a moisture meter to check if the base of the cabinets or the wall are wet? Do a visual check for peeling paint or swollen cabinet base?

 

RSTDdog

[Prairiehammer]

Yeah! Check for a studor valve/vent gone bad.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=studdard+vent&hl=en&safe=off&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&ei=2uO-T_ycH6KHsgKq9pjKCQ&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=2&sqi=2&ved=0CEgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1680&bih=858#hl=en&safe=off&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=studor+vent+diagram&oq=%22studor+vent%22&aq=1&aqi=g2g-S8&aql=&gs_l=img.1.1.0l2j0i24l8.27528.30990.5.34957.8.7.1.0.0.0.152.944.0j7.7.0...0.0.MaTzs6mcCYI&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=46e627668f0ca877&biw=1680&bih=858

[dacheedah]

If you have a close neighbor, and they have an RV, and they dump in the main near your intake it can cause a vacuum and pull your traps dry, I know because I had a neighbor who caused me some of those issues. Also if your sewer was doing maintenance to the lines they could cause some suction. If thats not it I would start inspecting your P or J traps to make sure they are not leaking and in good order.

 

To look down a stack, use a mirror in daylight to reflect light or a flashlight at night. Another option would be if you once were on a septic system and it was capped off going to city services, you have storms dump a lot of water and if it was clay or the cap wasn't so good. . .

[cabreco]

Well all the plumbing is definitely vented to the roof (which BTW is a very scary place to bedue to the pitch of my roof) After climbing up there and slightly loosing my footing due to the pitch, I decided that's no place for a 50 year old

 

After speaking to a master plumber, he said it's doubtful that there is a clogged vent due to the sinks flowing well & the smell suddenly appearing. The most logical cause is the massive rains & the fact that I am on a sewer easment. He suggested a lime treatment. If that doesn't fix it the, I will call someone in to check it out! (let them climb on the roof) lol

[RedRider]

From a fellow 50 year old - good call. There are folks out there that make a living knowing how to do these things. As I've gotten older, the cost for their expertise seems more reasonable.

 

RR