Hi, We were getting bad sewer smells coming from our basement and found an old un-capped pipe down there. We hired a plumber, but he just cut the pipe and filled it with cement (as opposed to capping it first). Our sewer smell is back and I was wondering if it could still be coming through the cement since the pipe wasn't capped with anything else (and cement is pourous)? Thanks in advance!

So, do you think we should have a photo volatic camera run through the sewer line to check for cracks? The smell has been coming and going for several years now...but no sewer blockage or anything.

Milo Dolezal

The proper way of capping a sewer pipe is to cap it with a cap.

Was that pipe under ground ? Horizontal or vertical ? What type of material ?

MichelleOM

The pipe was sticking out of the ground (vertical), and curved at the top. It was very old- probably made out of cast iron or something. They cut it so that it was flush with the floor, and filled it with cement (no cap was used). Could the smell still be coming through, or should be looking for another problem down there? Thanks again!!

Milo Dolezal

I would look around for another open pipe. Maybe crack in your sewer pipe. Also, look for signs of wetness under and around pipes.

Yes, concrete is pouros - but I don't think it is the source of smell. Is the concrete they poured inside this pipe wet ?

Is there a floor drain in your basement ?

MichelleOM

Ok- thanks. The concrete they poured in is dry now. The smell seemed to go away for about a month, and now it's back. There is no floor drain that I can see down there. Is the only way to tell whether there is a crack in the sewer pipe through a photo voltaic camera? The smell comes and goes- every 4 to 5 days or so...

Milo Dolezal

Is there any plumbing fixture in that area ? Sink, laundry ...etc ?

MichelleOM

No, just an old basement (house was built in 1905). I think there was a laundry sink down there at one time, explaining the old cast iron pipe that was left uncapped.

Milo Dolezal

Also, do you have a sewer ejector ? Any exposed sewer pipes ?

MichelleOM

Not sure what a sewer ejector is... doesn't look like there are any exposed sewer pipes (these would all be at floor level, or underground, correct?)

Milo Dolezal

If there is a sewer ejector than you would have some kind of hatch door in the floor and maybe some pipe coming out of it.

Pipes in the basement would be running below the ceiling or on the wall.