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New Member
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Mar 3, 2007, 08:45 AM
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SEPTIC:sulpher smell when flushing the toilets
Hello
Every time I flush the toilets, I notice a sulphur smell emanating from them. Sometimes it is stronger than others. I notice it in all three toilets. I have a two story house with no basement, and a septic system with a drain field. I only notice this in the toilets, not with any of the faucets, showers or the washing machine. I have a culligan water softening system. I live alone in the house and I had the septic tank pumped about 18 months ago. Does this have something to do with the septic system? Thank you for your time Chris
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Eternal Plumber
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Mar 3, 2007, 09:10 AM
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Do you notice any bubbling in the toilet bowl after you flush? Regards, Tom
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New Member
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Mar 3, 2007, 09:26 AM
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No Tom, I do not notice any bubbling
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Eternal Plumber
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Mar 3, 2007, 09:29 AM
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You might have bacteria growing in the toilet. Try this, take a couple of gallons of bleach and tonight before bed time shut off the water to the toilet and drain and sponge out the tank. Now dip and sponge as much water out of the bowl as possible. Pour a gallon of bleach in the tank and wash down the sides and the underside of the tank lid. Now flush the bleach out and pour the other gallon into the tank and flush it down as well. Brush the sides of the bowl down. This should get any water left in the trap and bowl out leaving the bleach to work. LET IT SET OVERNIGHT! Next morning turn the water back on and flust the bleach out. Smell better now? Cheers, Tom
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New Member
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Mar 3, 2007, 10:08 AM
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Hi Tom
Would I need to do this with all three toilets? The smell comes from all three toilets (two upstairs and one downstairs). I originally thought it was the tanks but I smelled the water in all three tanks, and I cannot detect the odor at all. The odor only comes immedeatly after flushing. Sometimes the smell is very strong, and sometimes it is not noticed. Someone suggested I run cold water down the lowest floor drain, and that would clean out the trap. I ran a hose down the drain for four hours. I tried this about a month ago, and it seemed to alleviate the smell. Does this make any sense? The smell has come back within the last week. Thanks Chris
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Eternal Plumber
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Mar 3, 2007, 11:21 AM
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"Someone suggested I run cold water down the lowest floor drain, and that would clean out the trap. I ran a hose down the drain for four hours. I tried this about a month ago, and it seemed to alleviate the smell. Does this make any sense?"
Not to me it don't. A floor drain trap doesn't affect a toilet. If it were just one toilet I would suspect a faulty wax seal. I guess all three could be leaking sewer gas back but that's a long stretch.
You can try pulling just one toilet and changing out the wax seal and seeing if that helps the smell but I'm out of gas on suggesting anything else. Perhaps one of the other experts have a better solution. Regards, Tom
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Ultra Member
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Mar 3, 2007, 10:11 PM
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Tom, she mentioned a culligan system. I am thinking she has no chlorine in her water. Around the st john's river their well water always smells like sulfer and even a good culligan has a hard time cleaning it. I would try something simple like a chlorine tablet in the tank. One problem here would be the flappers need changing more often.
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