Sewage Gas leaking into house

[Jon Wilson]

So, we moved into a new build a couple of years ago, and a few times now, we have been woken to the smell of sewer gas in our house.

The problem seems to be a rubber bung in the kitchen floor under the kickboard, it connects the sink to a 4" sewage pipe, and it pops out periodically. It also seems to coincide with Northumbian water vans knocking about. One time raw sewage was spewing down the street.

It happened last night again at 1am, and not long after there was a team of lads pumping out the drains in the neighbouring street. I went and had a word, they said there was a blockage at a pumping station, and to ring them today.

Is this an issue with the rubber bung, does it need to be refitted replaced, or is it an issue with the sewers that is causing pressurised gas to push out the bung.

My house doesn't seem to be vented, there is a pipe in the loft that goes no where.

Thanks,
Jon

 

[Chuck]

Photograph(s), please.

 

[chris watkins]

Rubber bung type reducers should not be installed internally, for this very reason, they are for external use only.
It needs to be replaced with a solvent weld type & the vent in the loft needs to be investigated as it should go to atmosphere. It is not allowing the back pressure to dissipated so it will cause these problems when there are issues further down the system.

 

[Rob Foster]

So, we moved into a new build a couple of years ago, and a few times now, we have been woken to the smell of sewer gas in our house.

The problem seems to be a rubber bung in the kitchen floor under the kickboard, it connects the sink to a 4" sewage pipe, and it pops out periodically. It also seems to coincide with Northumbian water vans knocking about. One time raw sewage was spewing down the street.

It happened last night again at 1am, and not long after there was a team of lads pumping out the drains in the neighbouring street. I went and had a word, they said there was a blockage at a pumping station, and to ring them today.

Is this an issue with the rubber bung, does it need to be refitted replaced, or is it an issue with the sewers that is causing pressurised gas to push out the bung.

My house doesn't seem to be vented, there is a pipe in the loft that goes no where.

Thanks,
Jon

Ok Mr Wilson, I think your post
is very serious on many levels.
You say sewer gas...or is it carbon monoxide, or methane ?
how do you know. Do not rely
on your housebuilder...call your utility directly and get the gas checked NOW. Then call the water utility and do the same, methane is just as bad. Then get a professional outfit to call by for an hour..pay them to get their report...then u will feel
safe OR not. If this was my gaff and my family I would not sleep,there and I have 45 years
experience in this industry

Rob Foster aka centralheatking

 

[chris watkins]

Ok Mr Wilson, I think your post
is very serious on many levels.
You say sewer gas...or is it carbon monoxide, or methane ?
how do you know. Do not rely
on your housebuilder...call your utility directly and get the gas checked NOW. Then call the water utility and do the same, methane is just as bad. Then get a professional outfit to call by for an hour..pay them to get their report...then u will feel
safe OR not. If this was my gaff and my family I would not sleep,there and I have 45 years
experience in this industry

Rob Foster aka centralheatking

Well Rob he knows it isn't carbon monoxide for sure cos it doesn't have a smell.!!
& secondly if the bung is out after being push back in I would say it is pretty conclusive.
Maybe stick to the "centralheatking" mate.

 

[Jon Wilson]

Photograph(s), please.

Images of bung attached.

The whole bung raises up a few centimetres. When you get down to take a look the smell makes you want to hurl.

Thanks
Jon

 

[chris watkins]

The whole bung raises up a few centimetres. When you get down to take a look the smell makes you want to hurl.

You Wuss Jon, now you know what us plumbers have to put up with.

When you said new build I assumed the underground would be brown plastic but it looks like clay pipe might have been used. Do you know what the bung is pushed into ?

 

[Rob Foster]

Well Rob he knows it isn't carbon monoxide for sure cos it doesn't have a smell.!!
& secondly if the bung is out after being push back in I would say it is pretty conclusive.
Maybe stick to the "centralheatking" mate.

Top UP Mate is going well on its own now thanks 2640 sold in last 3 months. Rob Foster
aka centralheatking

 

[chris watkins]

Thought as much, it is just about the self publicity then Rob.
Just post anything don't worry if it is correct or not (as can't find the very sad face).

 

[Rob Foster]

Thought as much, it is just about the self publicity then Rob.
Just post anything don't worry if it is correct or not (as can't find the very sad face).

of my 1300+ posts few mention top up mate, condensermate, or pressure sentry in fact you mentioned it. cheers Chking

 

[chris watkins]

Do you know what the bung is pushed into ?

Sorry I can see the edge of clay pipe in the other photo. You will need to fill the hole up with some lean mix sand & cement to hold it in place as it is going to be hard to get a correct joint to replace the reducer (bung).
The problem is that your drain system is not vented to relieve the back pressure you should have this corrected.

 

[Stigster]

This a good demonstration why taking the easy route with the vent being terminated with only air admittance valves can be a bad idea. Seeing this more and more now.

 

[Sparkgap]

Sounds a bit suspicious. If there's enough back pressure to push out a bung it will be more than enough to push past water traps in WCs and sinks and send the pong into your kitchen/bathroom. Personally, I'd have a vented stack on my property at the top of the line and only rely on AAVs for stub stacks further down.

 

[Rob Foster]

This a good demonstration why taking the easy route with the vent being terminated with only air admittance valves can be a bad idea. Seeing this more and more now.

so correct, especially as with all things they wear out. Seen air admit s in some very funny inaccessible places, it is a cheap answer to the problem with long term implications in my opinion
Rob Foster aka centralheatking