Sewage smell in downstairs of house.

[JJJJJJ]

Hi. I have seen a house I'd like to buy but on the 2 occasions I have viewed it there has been a strong smell of sewage as i have walked in, and it's in the kitchen too. It's a 1996 built 2 bed house converted into 3 bed with only one bathroom which is on the 1st floor. The 1st floor doesn't smell. The smell isn't coming from the kitchen sink. Any ideas what it is?

 

[Chuck]

Could be anything from trivial, e.g. a trap that has dried out due to a long period of disuse, to serious, e.g. a broken drain resulting in a large pond of raw sewage beneath the building that's rotting the fabric.

Unless the cause is obvious, identifying it may involve a drain-survey and/or taking up flooring, etc. to inspect voids. This is something the current owner needs to do because it can involve a certain amount of mess and damage to finishes.

 

[snowhead]

Is the house empty?
Dried out trap for a washing machine, or dishwasher maybe.
If not then external drain and the smell is getting through a vent or the window.