Forum
« Negotiate Lease Renewal Car insurance recommendations »
March 2, 2009
Basement sewer smell
My parents finished their basement about 7 years ago in their Sunset Park home. At times the bathroom seems to smell like sewage. The bathroom smells awful if its closed. We have to open it up and let it "air out". I came across the term "sewage gas" online. Is there anyway I can test for this? Can this smell also be something else? Anyone ever had this issue before? Insight welcomed!
Thanks all.
Comments
Call a plumber. You might just need a new cap on the sewer line.
Also, the sewer line might be clogged and need to be snaked.
A plumber should be able to take care of it pretty simply and with nominal cost (a few hundred max).
Posted by: christopher at March 2, 2009 4:38 PM
From time to time the basement of our 16 unit building stinks to high heaven. The configuration of the pipes must be less than optimal, or people are flushing really big stuff. The plumber has come and cleaned out the system (I haven't witnesses firsthand what he does), and the smell has gone away. I would call the plumber and generally be careful about what gets flushed down the drain. Even hair can be a problem and build up. Sorry, this is pretty vague, but that's all I can think of!
Posted by: meerkatz at March 2, 2009 4:43 PM
Maybe something doesn't have a trap. What fixtures are in the bathroom? Are there any large round plugs or caps sitting on an opening in the floor? Any slight amount of water around the base of the toilet after it flushes? What about a large pipe strapped horizontally to the wall? Inquiring minds want to know.
Posted by: modsquad at March 2, 2009 5:00 PM
Can anyone recommend a plumber in the Sunset Park / Bay Ridge area?
Thanks.
Posted by: guikazoid at March 2, 2009 5:15 PM
Improperly vented I bet. When you flush the toilet do you feel a rush of air/gurgling sound from the vanity sink/shower/tub drain? Sometimes if the toilet is not vented the sudden rush of water will blow the water out of the P traps allowing the gas to vent inside your bathroom instead of to the outside.
Posted by: IMBY at March 2, 2009 6:15 PM
IMBY, when i sometimes flush, yea. I hear a gurgle from the shower/sink.
Posted by: guikazoid at March 2, 2009 7:34 PM
Check your Vents, if you want I can check for you at no charge, I can even pour some Enzymes down the trap to keep that smell to a minimum.. If needed I have a team of licensed plumbers who can provide you with reasonably priced repairs. Email me @ acrcontracting@optonline.net
AL
Posted by: alrosariojr at March 2, 2009 7:46 PM
i will lay odds that the shower or tub in the basement was put in without a trap...hence the stink..get a real plumber in to look at the situation...gateway plumbing, while pricey is really honest..
Posted by: eman1234 at March 2, 2009 8:52 PM
I will lay even bigger odds that the shower hasn't been used in months and the water in the trap has evaporated. Before you spend money on a plumber and get all excited you need to pour some water down the shower drain and see if that takes care of it.
Posted by: wyckoff at March 3, 2009 1:47 PM
Are the main waste lines underground or above ground? If they are above ground, is there an ejector pump? I had a situation with a sewer odor in a newly finished Basement and found that the Contractor that install the ejector left an open port. That wasn't pretty!!!
Posted by: Brooklyn Plumber at March 3, 2009 3:51 PM
Run water in sink and shower to fill the traps and then flush toilet. Listen for sound of gurgling from drain in sink. Look under your sink. You will (should) see a u shaped curved drain pipe that "traps" water and prevents sewer gas from entering. When you flush your toilet the water rushes downhill to the main sewer. If there is no vent for the toilet, this rushing volume of water can suck the small amount of water from the trap under the sink or from the shower drain trap. Once the water "plug" is displaced, there is no barrier and the sewer gas enters. Sometimes plumbers omit the vent for the toilet thinking that the short run won't matter. If you find this to be the case, you will need a plumber to make the corrections... or run water in your sink and shower after you flush which will refill the traps. Good luck.
Posted by: IMBY at March 4, 2009 11:41 AM
Post a comment
Please be patient while your comment is published. It may take a moment.