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tpappwill · Feb 26, 2008, 08:52 AM

Hi, I have been leaving with a nasty sewage smell in my bathroom for the past two weeks. It is a smell isolated to my master bathroom, but that is so strong it will move the smell to my bedroom and at certain times of the night, my family room. The second bathroom is fine.

When it first happened I told husband that I thought the toilet was gassing, (we are on septic) he stuck his nose by the base of the toilet and stated that the stench was not coming from there and that he thought it was a dead animal. After a week he stated that he thought we should call a plumber. The plumber said he didn't think it was the toilet but the tub, he replaced all of the scooter(?) vents in the double sinks and the tub. He snaked out the tub drain and went under the house (mobile home,bought in 2004) and found nothing. When he left the smell was still present but he said it would clear up. It didn't!

Since we have now been living with it for so long we have noticed some other characteristics, we have noticed that it may be coming from the shower and did the whole bleach over night with boiled pots of water in the morning to both the shower and the tub. It seemed to clear up for a few hours, but then came back with a vengeance especially at night. After dark the smell is horrendous (not that it's particularly pleasant in the daytime! I haven't slept in my bedroom for two weeks. We have not had the septic tank pumped since moving in, can this be the problem?

ballengerb1 · Feb 26, 2008, 10:30 AM

Some older septic systems are a closed system and they need to vent back into the home vent stack. You could have a bad wax ring on the toilet but the plumber should have checked that out, did he? You could also have a bad vent stack in your mobile home. It may have cracked or the PVC wled may be broken. I recommend pumping a septic tank when you buy a home and then maybe every 10 years depending on usage.

tpappwill · Feb 26, 2008, 10:39 AM

Thanks for the response! Home and septic tank was brand new when we moved in around 2004 and haven't had it pumped. No the plumber did not check the ring because he stated that he didn't think the smell was coming from the toilet.

ballengerb1 · Feb 26, 2008, 02:38 PM

Odors can be really deceiving, seems like they come from nowhere. If he said it was not coming from the toilet then did he say where is was coming from, probably not so that means he really doesn't know. Has anyone who is knowledgeable said for sure it is sewer gas. I recall someone thought a dead animal so is it FOR SURE sewer gas?

tpappwill · Feb 26, 2008, 05:59 PM

When the plumber came to the house and changed the vents, he stated that he believed that those areas are where he believed the smell was coming from. He stated that the vents stopped the gases from coming into the house :confused: . He is supposedly coming to the house tomorrow to change the shower vent because he believes that may be the problem. I HOPE... I will keep you informed! And thanks so much for all of your help!! :)

ballengerb1 · Feb 26, 2008, 06:12 PM

A vent is basically an open pipe that reaches up through the roof to outside air, it also reaches down and is connected to the drain pipe to releave and air that builds up when wtare rushes into the drain. The vent pipe has sewer gas in it 24/7/365 so if its cracked or anything it will leak gas.