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cmi97 · Aug 25, 2005, 12:28 PM

We replaced our sink in tha fall and had trouble with it backing up all the time. We called a plumber and he rerouted our sink to the pipe in the basement that the washing machine is connected to. The old pipe was then removed and capped off.

Soon after this we began having a serew odor in the basement near the hole where the grinder pump is located. We have also had a long history opf burping pipes when we wash clothes so we called the plummer again and they fixed the burping pipes by placing a vent near the upstairs bathroom, it was pushing air when the washer drained. We also had a sewer smell there and it is now gone. They also put a new cover on the sewer hole.

We still have the sewer smell in the basement and now it is coming up into the kitchen sink.

So this smell was in the shower when the washer ran, the vent fixed it. Now it is in the kitchen sink that is now connected to the same pipe that the washing machine is. Is is possible that the gases are still looking for a place to go and how do I get rid of them>

Christine

eg007 · Aug 25, 2005, 12:40 PM

Does your kitchen sink have a trap on it?

cmi97 · Aug 25, 2005, 12:44 PM

It does have a trap. The smell come up right after I run water down the drain. Is that a problem with the trap?

eg007 · Aug 25, 2005, 01:58 PM

Well first let me say I am not a plumber and didn't mean to imply in any way that I am. Having said that... it seems like maybe your plumbing got "streamlined" to where it drains fast enough to siphon some water out of the trap/s so there isn't enough in the trap/s to work the way it should. I just joined this site but I've seen some plumbers around.. hopefully they will be more help than I am. Good luck.

speedball1 · Aug 25, 2005, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by cmi97

We replaced our sink in tha fall and had trouble with it backing up all the time. We called a plumber and he rerouted our sink to the pipe in the basement that the washing machine is connected to. The old pipe was then removed and capped off.

Soon after this we began having a serew odor in the basement near the hole where the grinder pump is located. We have also had a long history opf burping pipes when we wash clothes so we called the plummer again and they fixed the burping pipes by placing a vent near the upstairs bathroom, it was pushing air when the washer drained. We also had a sewer smell there and it is now gone. They also put a new cover on the sewer hole.

We still have the sewer smell in the basement and now it is coming up into the kitchen sink.

So this smell was in the shower when the washer ran, the vent fixed it. Now it is in the kitchen sink that is now connected to the same pipe that the washing machine is. Is is possible that the gases are still looking for a place to go and how do I get rid of them>

Christine

Hi Christine,

If the plumber that rerouted your kitchen sink drain neglected to connect the vent back up that would explain the smell that you're experiencing. We don't combine kitchen and washer drains if we can help it. Especially if there's a disposal involved. The garbage mixed with grease from the kitchen combined with the fiber from the washer plus the fact the washer discharges with great force makes for blockage problems down the line. What does your plumber say or did he just take your $ and run? Let me know. Tom

cmi97 · Aug 26, 2005, 03:39 AM

How do I know if the vent has been hooked back up or not?

speedball1 · Aug 26, 2005, 06:09 AM

Originally Posted by cmi97

How do I know if the vent has been hooked back up or not?

One indication that it hasn't will be a "gurgle" in the trap when the washer discharges. The other would be to call the plumber and ask him. Be aware that with a regular vent system the vents pull air into the system to relieve the vacume caused by draining water but with a holding tank and a grinder pump the tank vent works both ways. When a discharge hits the tank the vent belches out foul air but when the grinder pump kicks in the vent pulls air in to relieve the vacume as it emptys the holding tank. Call your plumber back and start asking questions. Let me know what you find out. Regards, Tom

cmi97 · Aug 26, 2005, 01:27 PM

The plummer returned today and placed a p valve at the end of the pipe closest to the sewer hole. He said that should stop any odor from coming back up. I will let you know if that worked

cmi97 · Aug 27, 2005, 05:44 PM

The odor is worse than ever now. What is going on?? Could rerouting a single pipe cause an odor to develop within that pipe and also in the basement??

speedball1 · Aug 27, 2005, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by cmi97

The odor is worse than ever now. What is going on??? Could rerouting a single pipe cause an odor to develop within that pipe and also in the basement???

What is the "P" valve? Why did the plumber use it on the end of a pipe" What size was the pipe" !/2"? 2"? What room is the smell worse in? I'm going off line now and I'll see you in the morning. Tom

cmi97 · Aug 28, 2005, 04:00 AM

Maybe I called it the wrong name. It is a large piece of pipe that is shaped liked a sideways "S". HE put it at the end of the pipe right where it empties into the pit so that water would sit in the belly of the pipe and not allow any odors to get by and come back up into the sink. Well it didn't work. I get the odor when I run water in the sink. When I don't run water for a long time the odor is gone but as soon as I run it again I get a huge wiff of it. This is very frustrating. The smell is the worst in the basement surrounding the pit in the floor. The pit has a new cover on it and has a tight seal.

speedball1 · Aug 28, 2005, 06:33 AM

Originally Posted by cmi97

Maybe I called it the wrong name. It is a large piece of pipe that is shaped liked a sideways "S". HE put it at the end of the pipe right where it empties into the pit so that water would sit in the belly of the pipe and not allow any odors to get by and come back up into the sink. Well it didn't work. I get the odor when I run water in the sink. When I don't run water for a long time the odor is gone but as soon as I run it again I get a huge wiff of it. This is very frustrating. The smell is the worst in the basement surrounding the pit in the floor. The pit has a new cover on it and has a tight seal.

What your plumber installed is called a "running trap" You have narrowed the problem back to the holding tank. As I have explained, with a regular vent system the vents pull air into the system to relieve the vacume caused by draining water but with a holding tank and a grinder pump the tank vent works both ways. When a discharge hits the tank the vent belches out foul air but when the grinder pump kicks in the vent pulls air in to relieve the vacume as it emptys the holding tank.
What it sounds like is there may be a crack/ opening in the holding tank vent that releases foul air into your house as it vents out. By installing a running trap your plumber focused on the inlet of the tank on the theory that the pressure caused by the incoming water was forcing foul air back up the drainage system. If I were there my focus would be upon the tank vent itself.
This vent should go directly through the roof. If it were blocked the foul air would have no place to exhaust but back in your home. That's one scenario.
Another one, (and I ran into this out in the field) is if the holding tank installer decided it was too much of a hassle to run the vent out the roof and installed a AAV, (Air Admittance Valve) for a vent. While this "mechanical vent" works great on house venting systems it only lets air into the system, a holding tank has to vent both ways. By installing a AAV the installer guaranteed that the foul air couldn't vent out thus trapping in in the house.
This is just several causes that I can come up with right off the top of my head. But you might check them out. Good luck, Tom