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jday2011 · Nov 21, 2012, 06:44 PM

I have a pipe that connects just above the water line in my floor drain in the basement. It looks to be original to the house since the floor drain is clay pipe and cast to accept this pipe. Could I be getting sewer smells from this pipe? The trap in the floor drain is always full of water so I know it's not coming from a dry trap. I have also poured tons of water down the drain to no avail.

If someone could help me figure out where this is smell is coming from.

ballengerb1 · Nov 21, 2012, 07:28 PM

"connects just above the water line in my floor drain " do you mean it is above the trap? What does this pipe carry

jday2011 · Nov 21, 2012, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

"connects just above the water line in my floor drain " do you mean it is above the trap?? What does this pipe carry

Yes the pipe connects above the trap. I stuck my Gopro camera down the floor drain and all I can see is a bunch of debris in the pipe.

ballengerb1 · Nov 21, 2012, 07:46 PM

If that rotting debris is above the trap it could be the source of your odor. What is the pipe draining, what's it hooked up to

jday2011 · Nov 21, 2012, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

If that rotting debris is above the trap it could be the source of your odor. What is the pipe draining, whats it hooked up to

I have no idea what this pipe is hooked up. The house was built in 1951 so I am assuming that it might have tied in to the external weeping title around the house. But I really am just guessing and I have been told by a plumber that it is to tight of am angle to get a camera in the pipe to scope it.

ballengerb1 · Nov 21, 2012, 07:49 PM

The drain with the trap, it leads to where? Does this floor drain go to a sump pump or what? You could try packing that pipe with oily wrags to see if the odor goes away

jday2011 · Nov 21, 2012, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

The drain with the trap, it leads to where? Does this floor drain go to a sump pump or what? You could try packing that pipe with oily wrags to see if the odor goes away

The floor drain goes to the sewer. I have had it scoped and the pipe is clear and in very good shape the plumber said

ballengerb1 · Nov 21, 2012, 07:55 PM

Rarely do city sewers allow curtain drain (thats what they are called) to drain into a sewer but the house is 70 years old and who knows what the codes were then. Packm it with oily rags, real tight, see if the smell gets better. Leave the packing in for a few days to see if the pipe is even active

jday2011 · Nov 21, 2012, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Rarely do city sewers allow curtain drain (thats what they are called) to drain into a sewer but the house is 70 years old and who knows what the codes were then. Packm it with oily rags, real tight, see if the smell gets better. Leave the packing in for a few days to see if the pipe is even active

I'll give it a try. I remembered that I found what looked to be the remnants of an old septic tank beside my house burred in the ground about 6 feet deep and 4 feet round. I'm wondering if this pipe was for this tank.

Originally Posted by jday2011

I'll give it a try. I remembered that I found what looked to be the remnants of an old septic tank beside my house burred in the ground about 6 feet deep and 4 feet round. I'm wondering if this pipe was for this tank.

If this is where the smell is coming from I am going to spray foam it closed. When I bought the house I found a ton of shopping bags stuffed in this pipe.

ballengerb1 · Nov 21, 2012, 08:14 PM

Check to see if it is active after a rain, don't foam it until you re sure it is never active. The bags tell us the previous owner did not know how to reach the AMHD folks for advice

speedball1 · Nov 22, 2012, 08:16 AM

Some floor drains have a cleanout plug above the trap line. If this plug's missing then that's the source of your smell. Can you trace that line back to a connection? Back to you, Tom

jday2011 · Nov 22, 2012, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Check to see if it is active after a rain, don't foam it until you re sure it is never active. The bags tell us the previous owner did not know how to reach the AMHD folks for advice

I really wish I could post pictures in here to show you what the pipe looks like.

It's not even connected, It's broken off and looks like there is a bunch of built up at the elbow I can see.

I tried to run a garden hose down the pipe and the smell that came out at first was horrendous.

Hopefully this works here are some pictures

speedball1 · Nov 23, 2012, 10:02 AM

Can you trace the pipe back from the broken connection? I asked about a cleanout plug in your floor drain, Do you have one and if so is it plugged? Back to you, Tom

jday2011 · Nov 23, 2012, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by speedball1

Can you trace the pipe back from the broken connection? I asked about a cleanout plug in your floor drain, Do you have one and if so is it plugged? Back to you, Tom

No there is no clean out for my line. When I had it snaked and scoped I has to take my basement toilet off to get access to the main line. This line goes to the side of my house and the main sewer line goes out the front of my house. So this is connected to something outside that is not the sewer.