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    Gene1956's Avatar
    Gene1956 Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Dec 10, 2006, 10:03 AM
    Sewer Smells and Odors in basement
    I have been in home about 3.5 years and recently (summer) started noticing sewer smell outside near venting pipe. Shortly after, sewer odors started in basement laundry room. Had septic tank pumped and smell seemed to go away for several days, then returned. Recently plugged a washer wastepipe and smell seemed to go away in laundry room and then showed up in bathroom in basement. Sometimes also has sewer smell outside of house (on opposite side of house from septic tank and lines to community field) Has been cronic problem since then. Septic company and plumbers seem to be at a loss. HELP! Any advise or recommendations? Any thoughts on why it would start all of a sudden?

    By the way, could the sewer line in be compromised? Are there any symptoms of such a problem (break, crack, etc. )
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #2

    Dec 10, 2006, 03:13 PM
    What vent did you notice the smell coming out of? Could it be the vents are iced up and blocked? Is the septic tank vented? Smells and noises are the hardest to track down if you're not there to do it. Regards, Tom
    Gene1956's Avatar
    Gene1956 Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Dec 10, 2006, 05:32 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by speedball1
    What vent did you notice the smell coming out of? Could it be the vents are iced up and blocked? Is the septic tank vented? Smells and noises are the hardest to track down if you're not there to do it. Regards, Tom

    Speedball1... thanks... vent is on the lowest part of house... but not iced or blocked (had problem before cold set in)...

    Septic tank not vented to my knowledge. What would cause all of a sudden (living there 2 and half years with no problems)?
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #4

    Dec 11, 2006, 10:13 AM
    OK Gene,

    I'm going to blame the odor on back pressure. House vents are designed to pull air into the system and when they're working you never notice them. But let them start to belch out sewer gas and they soon get noticed. If you have a partial clog the discharge would go on down the line, hit the partial clog and bounce back sending a bubble of sewer gas back up the vent. Then it would drain past the clog and you would never know it was there.
    What would cause this situation? A partial clog downstream from the vent. A septic tank that's full and needs to be pumped. Since it just started it should be easy to track down and fix. Regards, Tom
    Gene1956's Avatar
    Gene1956 Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #5

    Dec 11, 2006, 10:58 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by speedball1
    OK Gene,

    I'm going to blame the odor on back pressure. House vents are designed to pull air into the system and when they're working you never notice them. But let them start to belch out sewer gas and they soon get noticed. If you have a partial clog the discharge would go on down the line, hit the partial clog and bounce back sending a bubble of sewer gas back up the vent. Then it would drain past the clog and you would never know it was there.
    What would cause this situation? A partial clog downstream from the vent. A septic tank that's full and needs to be pumped. Since it just started it should be easy to track down and fix. Regards, Tom

    TOM

    Thanks... you are the first person of all the professionals that we have talked with that has some idea or suggestion. Couple questions... when you say downstream from vent are you saying generally outside the home? Does the fact that I smell sewer smells on opposite side of house from septic tank mean anyting in regards to your suggestion? The septic tank was just pumped a couple months ago (and was full) could there be some clog prior to tank then?

    Thanks

    Gene
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #6

    Dec 11, 2006, 11:06 AM
    Downstream means just that. As the water flows. If the vent's on a outside wall then the clog could be outside the house. Also if the drain field isn't doing its job the septic tank could need pumping again.

    "does the fact that I smell sewer smells on opposite side of house from septic tank mean anyting in regards to your suggestion?"

    It means the wind's blowing in your direction from the vent. Regards, tom
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