[SweetyTweety77]

Hi

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this question, but I think there's something wrong with the plumbing and drains in my house, and I'm worried about what it may be doing to my familys health.

The house is about 50 years old, and we've lived there almost a year. We moved in last April (08') and because it was spring, we had the windows open every day so there was a lot of fresh air in the house. For the next few months it was summer, and so obviously we carried on opening the windows, until early October when it started to grow colder. As soon as we stopped, a funny smell developed.

It would drift in around the front door/hallway, then move up the stairs and settle in the master bedroom and my daughters room, which is the very first room as you go upstairs. It would then go into the living room, and sometimes into the study. Occasionally, when we would go out, we would come back in through the back door and be greeted by the smell as soon as we entered the kitchen, which was not pleasant. After a couple of hours, it just goes away.

It has not disappeared, in fact it is worse than ever, and it's March 09' now so I am starting to get very fed up. The worst thing is, it's so unpredictable. We struggle to invite guests around because we don't know if the smell will show up while they are there, and I cringe when someone rings the doorbell if the smell is about because it's very overpowering near the front door. When it is very strong my daughter feels sick, gets bad headaches, loses her appetite, and has slightly blurred vision. One night it was so bad we had to go out. We have spent a small fortune on joss sticks and scented candles.


I did some research and I'm starting to wonder if it might be sewer gas? :confused: The smell is a mixture of mould, rotten eggs, and something I can't quite put my finger on. My friend suggested there may be a dead animal under the floor or in the wall, and the decay could be causing the smell but I don't see how this could be possible, since the smell is not there all the time. I told my landlord about the problem as soon as I could, which was February as he had been away for three months, and he checked the drains. He found a small amount of white mould growing there, so he pressure-washed it out. However the very next day, the smell was back. Do you have any idea what it could be? Many thanks.

[speedball1]

Look up in the attic and tell me if you see any open pipes up there? Back to you, Tom

[Milo Dolezal]

It can be number of things. You to find the source of smell by elimination method. But first...

1. Do you have any bathrooms you don't use too often?
2. Any floor drains in your house ?
3. Sewer Ejector in the basement ?
4. Look under each sink: do you see P-trap under every sink ? (P-trap is the J-shaped drain pipe ).
5. Did you do any plumbing repair in your house recently? Are you on septic or City sewer ?

See if you can answer these questions first...