[jdnail1]

I have a 2 story home with 3 baths and a ejector pump in basement. The second floor master bath smells like the sewer sometimes. I changed the wax seal on it and silicon ed around it but it stills smells. It seems like when I force the ejector pump to kick on the smell goes away. Is there any way to stop this smell?

[ballengerb1]

Is you ejector pit vented?

[jdnail1]

Its has to be otherwise the whole house would smell wouldn't it this is a 3 year old house. It only smells in that bathroom. I also noticed today that there is a small pvc pipe coming from the main venting that blows heat or ac throughout the house and it goes down into the ejector well or what ever it is called. Is that normal?

[ballengerb1]

That may be a condensate drain line. Any chance you can take a picture of it? If it is a condensate and it drains to the pit then it must have its own trap, does it?

[jdnail1]

Ok I uploaded two pics hope they help.

[mygirlsdad77]

Pics didn't show up. Please try again.

Need to see this small pvc pipe and how it ties into the vent, and also if it has a trap. This could very well be your source of smell. But we need a diagram or picture, or very clear discription of how this drain is run.

[jdnail1]

Are they showing up I resized them?

[ballengerb1]

That is a condensate drain and it does not appear to have a trap. It needs a trap to stop sewer gas from backing up not the furnace plunum. You can make one by cutting the horizontal line and remove a short piece a few inches long, save the piece. Add a 90 elbow to the cut end pointing down, do this on both cut ends. Add two short pieces to the elbows both pointing down, add elbow on the down piece pointing at each other, reinsert your first short piece of scrap. This trap will collect water and make a seal. However, this may just be a coincidence and you may still have your smell. If so let us know.

[jdnail1]

Is this how its suppose to look?

[mygirlsdad77]

Yes. And great discription Bob. I will add that Im not a fan of having the drain for the a/c coil go directly to the sewer pit, as when the pump kicks on, it may siphon a small diameter trap. Just install the trap, and see how things go. If you still get a sewer smell, I would suggest capping the line going into the pit, and running the drain to a floor drain (floor drain already will have a trap and vent) or installing a condensate pump for the a/c drain and running it to a convenient drain location (laundry sink, washer standpipe, or even outside, etc. Please let us know how things work out.

PS. I see your pit vent is revented with other vents. You will most likely gets some feedback from folks here, but do know that reventing is acceptable in certain areas, all comes down to the authority having jurisdiction. However, most areas require the vent for the pit to have its own didicated vent up and out the roof, not to mention no drain tieing into the lid of the of the pit (thats why I suggest a condensate pump, or running the ac drain to a floor drain if possible.) Like said, try the running trap on the ac drain first, and if the smell still occurs, we take the next step.

[jdnail1]

You guys are great thanks, But is there that much condensation that I couldn't just cut the horizontal part and point it down into a bucket? We don't have any floor drains and going to sink would not be cosmetically feasible for the wife...

[mygirlsdad77]

Well, during the summer, you would be surprised how much condensate the coil creates, especially if you live in a hot humid area. You would need to keep a close daily eye on the bucket, and in reallity, it just wouldn't be the right way to do things, but it would work. I would really suggest the condesate pump. This way you could easily pump the condensate out through a rim joist and onto the lawn. Simply get the pump (under 100 bucks) and drain the ac into the pump, then run a 3/8 clear hose from the discharge of the cond pump to outside. Since it is only for a/c and not for a condensing furnace, you have no worries of caustic water or freezing problems, as it will only be expelling water in the summer months.

[jdnail1]

Now you are getting into something that I maybe can't do by myself.. LOL I'm going to try the trap first but I think I will put it closer to the ejector well than the furnace. This might help the siphoning affect that mygirlsdad77 had. What do you think?