Hello,

I just opened a salon on the street level of an old building. We are currently experiencing a sewage smell in the service area which is above an old bathroom and shower. Right now we've had a couple of contractors and plumbers come in and have said they would investigate the issue at a large cost but neither one of them have really taken the time to ask the appropriate questions and determine an initial theory or assist in resolving the situation. I find that the plumbers and contractors seem to be only after retrieving funds.

Can someone please help.

sternlady, do you own the building? If not the landlord should address the problem. Is there just the basement under you? Old unused drains dry out and allow sewer gas to up, you can try pouring water in the old drains to fill up the traps. Good luck

Hi Sternlady...

First thing that comes to mind is an old, perhaps abandoned floor drain somewhere on this level. Basically, you want to look around for any old drains/fixtures that are no longer in use... could be that the PTRAPS have dried out and are now allowing sewer gasses in to the property.

Is there an abandoned washing machine stand pipe, for example? If so, you would cap this drain to stop gasses from entering the building.

Check the mechanical room as well... find many abandoned floor drains here.

Another issue could be a failed AAV.. also called a mechanical air vent. Look around for AAVS and see if you can find one... see image. These are famous for failing and allowing sewer gasses in to a property. If you find one, replace it.

Let us know what you think...

Mark

Thanks for your prompt reply. The only old drain I can see is the shower and bathroom downstairs. Its really old - like 10 years + and has not been used since. How do I cap this drain to stop gas from entering the building? Also, how can I possibly find an AAV? It's a really old building and I doubt there is a proper ventilation system installed? Right now I just poured water in the bath room drain and sink... is that sufficient?

Please advise.

Thanks!

If these drains were not used in years, then you have most likely found the issue!

A more permanent fix for these drains would be to suck the water out of the drains and fill the traps with canola oil or similar oil. You don't need much, just enough to cover the ptrap. Here, the oil won't evaporate for years to come.

Otherwise, the landlord should have these drains sealed off permanently.

AAVS are very rare in commercial building so don't bother looking at this point.

Try the oil and see how it goes for a few days.

Please let us know how you make out... OK? We always appreciate updates!

Mark

Ok will do thanks!

The update - The plumber from Bosco Plumbing investigated the issue beginning in the old unused basement and bathroom below the salon including the leaking sinking (which he shut off), the bathtub and the toilette, but found no issues. He then checked inside the ceiling of the salon for any drains and still nothing. Finally he conducted a trial error process with the washing stations and operating bathroom of the salon and found the issue in the toilette. He concluded that the smell was originating from the toilette because there was a gap of air between the toilette bowl and the gasket which caused the sewage smell to climb up to the surface (he explained all of this in much more detail). He stated that the gasket needs to be replaced but as a temporary solution he would sealed the edges of the toilette bowl to prevent the air and smell from escaping. He seemed pretty confident with his diagnosis and I truly believe he's right. The bill was high but worth it and the landlord has agreed in front of him to reimburse me ASAP, because she was unaware of the payment terms with plumbers. However I was and I knew it was immediately. Fortunately in the mist of his investigation we found structure and mold issues with the basement downstairs. Which the landlord has agree to take care of but I doubt she'll do it without being pushed. It's a very bad habit but it seems be the only way to make this woman take her job and investment seriously and that is to threaten her with a lawsuit or in this case it would also include exposing he to the ministry of health, which would result in a hefty fine. The previous plumber she received a quote from was Express Router... what a complete con! The plumber came in for 5 minutes and concluded that it was a trap issue, then without further investigation, he stated that he could fix the unknown issue for a ball park figure and she wanted me to pay 80% of the cost. I wasn't having that and when I asked her for a further explanation and break down of the cost, she didn't have one nor did he provide her with a physical and detailed quote. It was a complete scam and I was so surprised that she allowed him to pull that stunt and almost gotten away with it. When I called Bosco Plumbing, they came down the next day, conducted a briefing free of charge with the expectation that they were going to come down the following day to conduct a further investigation, which they did. Overall, I am truly happy with their service!

Good news! I am wondering though if you told the plumber you filled the basement pipes/traps with water... surely this was a contributing factor, too!

Good luck!

Yes I did but he wouldn't admit it. Lol! Thanks for the support!

You're welcome... Pop back anytime!