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September 13, 2008
sewer smell coming from tub???
We just had a clawfoot tub installed in a bathroom that previously had no tub. Donnato plumbing did all the work and now there is a sewer smell emanating from the overflow and drain pipe of the tub. You can actually feel the air coming out of the overflow. Can this be fixed? If so - how?
Comments
Yeah... your plumber should put back the drain trap that took out.
If there is something coming UP the drain, that's very very bad and definitely not to code. Sewer gasses could kill ya!
I do find it hard to believe there is no trap in the drain... but ya never know.
Posted by: tybur6 at September 13, 2008 1:58 PM
Pour bleech down the drain...this happens to us once a year and the bleech always kills it.
Posted by: nybk01 at September 13, 2008 2:27 PM
I'm willing to bet that it has no trap.
Posted by: Rick at September 13, 2008 3:04 PM
It seems to have a trap, the closet below is opened up to the beams and we can see the plumbing...there is what looks like a trap there. Donnato is a licensed plumbing company, would they really install not to code? If there really is a trap, as there visually seems to be, what then?
Posted by: WTbound at September 13, 2008 4:26 PM
On a slightly different topic, are you happy with the tub, and if so, where did you buy it? We are interested in buying a new clawfoot tub to replace the very old dilapidated one we currently have, and aren't sure where to begin looking.
Posted by: LCSR at September 13, 2008 4:53 PM
If there is a trap... which you say there is (I don't doubt you!) I wonder if nybk01 is on to something. Some bleach to kill something rotting in the drain.
But if you are "feeling air" then.... umm... i would have to go back to the no trap theory. You see something similar to the following coming from the bottom of the tub?
http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/how-to-replace-a-drain-trap-1.jpg
You can clearly see the plumbing from the downstairs closet?
I really wouldn't think a licensed plumber or ANY halfway intelligent person with a pipe wrench would bypass a trap, but ya never know. The only drain that doesn't have a trap is the toilet drain (because the trap is in the toilet itself... that's why you stuff the hole with something or cap it when you remove a toilet.
Seems strange.
Posted by: tybur6 at September 13, 2008 5:39 PM
As Tybur6 already pointed out, sewer gas can be toxic. Why try to diagnose this yourself (except for it being a weekend)? Call Donato's emergency number and ask them to come back and check their work. This link has some info that might be useful, and some that is far afield from Brooklyn: http://www.askthebuilder.com/599_Sewer_Gas_Smell.shtml
Posted by: vinca at September 13, 2008 9:57 PM
You might have a trap but did they vent it? Without a vent, water can siphon out of the trap. Try trickling a little water into the drain and see if that breeze and smell goes away. If so, you've probably got a venting problem.
Posted by: Steve at September 14, 2008 2:59 PM
I hope that they connected your piping to the roof vents, call them to verify, I am sure that Donato would do the right job, especially since this sounds as common practice.
If so & you still have a smell problem, maybe I can help you, I have some chemicals used to treat sewer lines, they are safe and would be poured down your drain lines and down your basement trap. We use this product regularly, we treat a senior citizens center on Court Street monthly.
I can be reached at (917) 573-3304.
Or @ alrosariojr@aol.com
Posted by: alrosariojr at September 14, 2008 8:53 PM
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