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    ShootMePlease's Avatar
    ShootMePlease Posts: 6, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #1

    Jul 13, 2010, 01:32 PM
    HI, I just moved into a basement apartment and whoever built it has installed the Low Prow Sewage Ejector system and left the ejector itself exposed under my kitchen counter! I really like living here but the thing stinks every time I run the washer, clean dishes, shower, or flush the toilet. I was wondering if there was any meaningful steps I could take to make this godawful smell go away! I sealed the lid with duct tape to no avail and have just been spraying aerosol air fresheners but I don't feel that is solving the problem! I have a friend who is a plumber but I don't want to call him over to help if I can do something myself!


    HELP ME!!


    And by exposed I mean the housing is visible and I could access the machinery if I needed to. Its not completely exposed!
    massplumber2008's Avatar
    massplumber2008 Posts: 12,832, Reputation: 1212
    Senior Plumbing Expert
    		  
    #2

    Jul 15, 2010, 04:05 AM

    Hi shootmeplease...

    The system you describe needs to be completely closed off... otherwise sewer/waste odors will enter your apartment as they are doing now... THIS IS VERY UNHEALTHY/UNSANITARY!

    Contact your landlord right away and let him/her know that this needs to be resolved quickly. If they are non-compliant or fail to act reasonably you can contact a local plumbing inspector and have him pop over to help PERSUADE the landlord. Hopefully, this will not be needed.

    Low Pro will sell a sealing kit. Otherwise, your landlord could also use a flexible silicone sealant around the cover, bolts/nuts and the pipes coming out of the pit cover. The fact is that the seals need to be GAS TIGHT so absolutely NO sewer gasses escape... this is VERY SERIOUS STUFF!

    Back to you...

    Mark

    PS: Please post any reply to the box at the very bottom of the page. Thanks!
    ShootMePlease's Avatar
    ShootMePlease Posts: 6, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Jul 15, 2010, 05:52 AM
    Hey thanks. Ya I have a plumber friend who is going to come help me clean it out and seal it off with silicone. I sealed it with duct tape until then and the smell is gone!
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
    Eternal Plumber
    		  
    #4

    Jul 15, 2010, 06:11 AM

    One other thing you might check is the vent. It is vented isn't iut?
    Where does the vent terminate?
    Purchase the Sealing kit as Mark suggests and if that doesn't get it the vent would be the next place In looked. Is this what you have? (see image). Regards, Tom
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    ShootMePlease's Avatar
    ShootMePlease Posts: 6, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #5

    Jul 19, 2010, 05:47 AM
    Okay. So I had my plumber friend over and he took a look. Turns out, the previous tenant had opened the pump for some reason and screwed the bolts back in by hand preventing the seal from engaging properly. So simple. Problem solved
    ShootMePlease's Avatar
    ShootMePlease Posts: 6, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #6

    Jul 19, 2010, 05:47 AM
    Okay. So I had my plumber friend over and he took a look. Turns out, the previous tenant had opened the pump for some reason and screwed the bolts back in by hand preventing the seal from engaging properly. So simple. Problem solved
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
    Eternal Plumber
    		  
    #7

    Jul 19, 2010, 05:58 AM

    Thanks for the update. Good luck, tom
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