Two smells for the price of one!

[WaterTight]

Questions about smells commonly asked here but never seem to get much of a conclusive answering. Probably because it's quite an investigative process?

Two problems: One smell for me, one for neighbour.

1. Me: Downstairs bathroom. Contains: Toilet, basin, shower.
Shower is never used, basin and toilet used daily. Sewer/drains smell appears, various times of day. Not pinned it down to relating to times when other appliances in house used yet. But I think it seems to be more likely to occur after a period when that room has not been entered. Like overnight. The toilet pan has water in it at a normal level. Is my next course of action to undo basin trap and check it has water in it? Could it be seldom-used shower? How do I check that trap is full without removing base? Or should I just pour lots of water down it?

2. I replaced a toilet for my neighbour. When I did, the new one revealed explanding foam that had been sprayed around where the waste-pipe went down into the tiles. He has since cut away at it (entriely of his own decision and without consulting me) and now complains he can smell sewer smells. What do you think the foam was doing then? Sealing a poor connection between plastic pipe and something under tiles like clay? And what would be the solution because I said I'd have a look...


Thanks chums!

Edit: He asked whether we could put grout down to seal it up again...Would that work? It's quite a big gap apparently, not been round to see.

[easyt]

First action would be to pour some water into the shower trap. Probably all it requires.

[Bernie2]

Hmm!

You would have to know the system properly first. Have a look at the Building Regs to see how it should be done and then compare how yours differs, then try to make it come as close as you can to the Building Regs.

Traps do dry out, but how long it takes for them to do so, depends on all kinds of things such as temperature and so on.

Also if you have a lot of Air Admittance valves instead of vents in the system they can trap drain gases. I think sometimes people forget drainage systems require venting.

[double d]

Sounds like your trap seals have gone, maybe through self siphonage,compression ect, check to see if your traps have seals by dipping it in to the traps, not sure but think that you need about 50mm of water to act as the seal

[philtheflush]

its 25mm. ive got problem where the customer can smell a faustiness or damp i couldnt find a leak so i think it could possilbly be the seals

[BenC]

is their actualy a vent pipe as i was at a house recently that was having random smells now and again and the only place it was vented was by the sh*t tank the one on the house had been capped off for some reason, took the cap off and they have not had any problems since

[ferret]

Maybe as you are neighbours i assume you have the same layout ie ground floor bathrooms , that both wc outlets were sealed the same way and need resealig correctly .(just a thought)