Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    jpmorg's Avatar
    jpmorg Posts: 12, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Mar 5, 2011, 11:27 AM
    Sealing soil stack at foundation?
    A tenant complained of a sewer gas smell in a garden apartment. I was able to get to the sewer stack which is located just behind the refrigerator where there is an opening in the wall. There is a flimsy tin cover sitting over a gap between the foundation and the soil stack. What is the best way to seal between the foundation and the soil stack? A friend suggested stuffing some crumpled up newspaper between the stack and the foundation and sealing over with cement. Is this correct procedure. If so, can I leave the tin cover in place to serve as a foundation for the cement and seal over that or should it be removed. What type of cement should I use (hydraulic?). If this is not correct procedure, what do you recommend?
    joypulv's Avatar
    joypulv Posts: 21,591, Reputation: 2941
    current pert
     
    #2

    Mar 5, 2011, 11:33 AM
    If sewer gas can be smelled way down at the bottom of the building, then the stack has some sort of break which not only lets out smelly air but also wet sewage, and that needs to be fixed, not covered over. Do you see anything wet in there?
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
    Home Repair & Remodeling Expert
     
    #3

    Mar 5, 2011, 12:23 PM

    Although I have done what you describ once this is not the way to correctly fix this. Before I go any further please tell me what your stack is made of.
    jpmorg's Avatar
    jpmorg Posts: 12, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #4

    Mar 5, 2011, 12:54 PM
    Comment on ballengerb1's post
    I'm having some trouble submitting a comment. Just testing to see if this goes through
    jpmorg's Avatar
    jpmorg Posts: 12, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #5

    Mar 5, 2011, 12:56 PM
    Comment on ballengerb1's post
    Okay... seems to work now. I'm not sure of material (PVC, galvanized?). I am not at building now, but hope to do repair tomorrow. Can you recommend proper procedure depending on the material I find when I am there?
    jpmorg's Avatar
    jpmorg Posts: 12, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #6

    Mar 5, 2011, 01:01 PM
    Comment on joypulv's post
    Nothing wet. After looking over all the plumbing, my friend (plumber) could not find a problem with p-trap or other plumbing, which he was able to inspect via acess panel in wall. Finally, we pulled out fridge and he was able to get behind the wall. He seeemd to think the poor seal between the soil pipe and the foundation was the source of the problem. The smell was pretty strong in that area. Also, below kitchen sink (hich backs up to this area) is where tenant first noticed the smell.
    joypulv's Avatar
    joypulv Posts: 21,591, Reputation: 2941
    current pert
     
    #7

    Mar 5, 2011, 04:04 PM

    When you say foundation, do you mean floor or wall?
    Since you aren't there and you want to fix it tomorrow, and it isn't wet anywhere, then I suppose get a 40 lb bag of quickrete and fill the space and hope for the best. But I think if it's that strong, there's a break in cast iron pipe (not PVC or galvi) where you can't see. That will lead to problems, but finding out the problem is a big job. Hopefully ballengerg will be back soon for a pro's advice.
    jpmorg's Avatar
    jpmorg Posts: 12, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #8

    Mar 6, 2011, 08:06 AM
    Comment on joypulv's post
    The pipe goes into the floor. The smell is not real strong, but it is noticeable when you smell under the kithcen sink and when you get in that area behind the wall. I think I will do a temporary fix for now (stuff some newspaper in the open space between the floor and the soil pipe, and seal with plastic and duct tape) until I get some further advice. Hopefully, ballengerb1 will respond with further info. Thank you.
    jpmorg's Avatar
    jpmorg Posts: 12, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #9

    Mar 6, 2011, 09:27 AM
    Comment on ballengerb1's post
    After I do temporary fix today I will write and let you know the material used for the soil pipe. Would appreciate any further information on how to permanently seal the area between the pipe and the floor. If I see anything else that could be causing the problem, I will let you know. Thanks.
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
    Home Repair & Remodeling Expert
     
    #10

    Mar 6, 2011, 11:27 AM

    The soil pipe does not get sealed to the foundation, it passes through it but the pipe itself is sealed. An intact pipe is all you need and from what you say the stack may have a grack or a broken section. Stacks are most often cast iron or white PVC. An iron stack can weigh a thousand lbs. so a break at the bottom can be serious, the whole stack weight sits on the bottom
    jpmorg's Avatar
    jpmorg Posts: 12, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #11

    Mar 6, 2011, 12:33 PM
    Comment on ballengerb1's post
    This building is over 100 years old, so maybe things were done differently back then. I don't think sewer waste is coming through this pipe, but maybe shower or sink water from upper floors. What I saw today when I was there was a heavy metal pipe (cast iron?) which goes into a hole in the floor. The pipe is open at the bottom and extends about 4 inches below the floor where it looks like it just drains into another pipe going out to the sewer. I was able to reach down and pull a gob of hair out which was protruding from the bottom of the pipe. There was a rusted tin cover and some crumbled cement around the pipe. I removed the tin and crumbled cement and stuffed some crumpled up newspaper in the perimeter between the pipe and the floor and tape some plastic over the paper and around the pipe, which seemed to help. It would be fairly easy to use the newspaper as a base and add some quickrete over the area for a better seal. Please advise. Thanks.
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
    Home Repair & Remodeling Expert
     
    #12

    Mar 6, 2011, 03:09 PM

    The cast iron stack has been around for quite some time, white PVC is relatively new. The point where you see "just drains into another pipe " should be a cast iron tee, this should not be an open connection so this is where your sewer gas is getting into the home. If you are unwilling to hire a plumber to do this fix (its dangerous) them build a cirb out of lumber and poor a 2" thick pad of crete sealing this area. However it is likely to clog again.
    jpmorg's Avatar
    jpmorg Posts: 12, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #13

    Mar 6, 2011, 05:47 PM
    Comment on ballengerb1's post
    Thanks for that help. What exactly is a cirb? Did you meran crib? Are you saying to build a box around the pipe, say with 2x2s and then fill the box with quickrete? If you could provide any more details that would be helpful. How do I build the box so it will fit around the pipe with a bottom to hold the quickrete? Thanks,
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
     
    #14

    Mar 6, 2011, 07:29 PM

    What you are describing is hard to visualize. Can you post a picture.
    What I am imagining what you have is a cast iron vent pipe that is not properly sealed at a joint. Sounds like someone tried to seal it in the past by stuffing paper in around it and then covering it with some kind of tin or sheet metal.

    If that is correct, unless you have the tools and know how to make a lead joint, the best thing you could use be Soil Seal. That a plastic like putty that hardens into something like lead. Available at Lowe's and Home Depot plumbing sections. Comes in a blue or gray, quart can.

    Take a photo (several) and post it here so we can see what you are dealing with.
    jpmorg's Avatar
    jpmorg Posts: 12, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #15

    Mar 7, 2011, 07:15 PM
    Comment on hkstroud's post
    I will take a photos of the area the next time I am at the site and post them here. For now, stuffing crumpled up newspaper around the perimeter in the space between the pipe and the floor and taping plastic over the area seems to have solved the problem, but this is probably not a permanent solution. The tenant says the smell is no longer there.

    The hole in the floor is about 9" in diameter and the pipe that goes into this hole is about a 3" or 4" steel pipe... probably waste from sinks or showers in the building from the 1st and/or second floor. It is open on the end. Perhaps something has broken away, but I did not see any pipe sitting beneath this open-ended pipe. At any rate, problem has been solved temporarily. Would appreciate additional comments after I post photos. Thanks.
    joypulv's Avatar
    joypulv Posts: 21,591, Reputation: 2941
    current pert
     
    #16

    Mar 8, 2011, 06:50 AM
    Sinks and showers may be directly above, but sewer gas from toilets will still come back up the same waste pipe. And any waste can stink quite a bit.
    If the end of the vertical pipe is hanging in air, then there is support above (cast iron clamps under a joint usually) and it shouldn't cost a lot to have this fixed properly. Code doesn't allow PVC under all that cast iron, however (but I defer to the licensed plumbers here). And the plumber can put in a cleanout.
    Big globs of hair means that it's time to make everyone in the building use $2 hair traps.
    jpmorg's Avatar
    jpmorg Posts: 12, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #17

    Mar 8, 2011, 06:12 PM
    Comment on joypulv's post
    Yes, the steel pipe is secure from above. No PVC antwhere. When you say a $2 hair trap I assume you mean those things you put in your tub/showere to block hair from going down the drain. I'm a little surprised my friend (plumber) who noticed where the problem was ocurring didn't tell me what would be the proper fix. He seemd to think a little newspaper and quickcrete would take care of the problem.
    joypulv's Avatar
    joypulv Posts: 21,591, Reputation: 2941
    current pert
     
    #18

    Mar 9, 2011, 05:19 AM
    Your friend is telling you what you can do as a non plumber and of course you can do that.
    What you don't want however is unseen sewage under the slab over time, so a proper connection with a cleanout would be in your best interest, despite the fact that you will need to hire your friend.
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
    Home Repair & Remodeling Expert
     
    #19

    Mar 9, 2011, 11:01 AM

    jpmorgan, sorry but cirb is a typo from a guy with fat fingers, should be a curb, just a 4 sided box to hold the concrete.
    jpmorg's Avatar
    jpmorg Posts: 12, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #20

    Mar 9, 2011, 07:41 PM
    Comment on ballengerb1's post
    Thanks. That's what I thought you meant. I'm having a hard time visualizing how I would build this box with a bottom (it would need a bottom to hold the concrete, otherwise the concrete would just fall into the hole) and get it around the pipe. Would I cut the thing in half (or build two halves with one side open on each half) and make a half-circle cut it the bottom piece, so that when the two pieces are put together there will be a hole for the pipe to fit through. I could then screw the two pieces together with a brace or something. That would give me a box with a hole in the bottom (for the pipe) that I could fill with concrtete. Make sense? Any other ideas for building this box around the pipe? Thanks again.

Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions

 

Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search

Add your answer here.


Check out some similar questions!

Soil Stack [ 2 Answers ]

We had a couple of leaks in the bathroom that showed up in the drywall in the kitchen. We have gutted the bathroom believing that we had a clog in the pipes. THe plumber tells us that the soil stack which has some rust spots and a small hole that we can see should be replaced from attic to...

T-ing into soil stack [ 6 Answers ]

I have a very old house that has been updated piecemeal. Now I need to T a 1-1/2" PVC pipe from the bathroom sink and tub into an existing soil stack. The soil stack is non-ferrous and has an outside circumference of approximately 14-7/8" I have several questions: With this outside diameter, is...

Spongy soil on the foundation [ 4 Answers ]

Here's my newest issue: A few weeks ago, I noticed that a portion of my foundation was being exposed due to erosion. The basic issue was that the rain runoff was running down the sides of the house and wearing off the dirt. I went to speak to a local supplier about the issue and they...

Rust on soil stack [ 1 Answers ]

I've been seeing rust nodules on our soil stacks... do the these cast iron stacks need replacing?


View more questions Search