[llmauro77]

Help please! Recently bought a 90 y/o home. Every once in a while the basement smells like sewage. It is a finished basement, some mold on walls noted here and there. Nothing substantial. The smell gets worse the more laundry we do. We have two drains in the one end not finished, and I have poured multiple gallons of water/cleaner down them in order to make sure they are not dry. I have attempted to locate every vent down there and cap (if it does not make it all the way up). Have had a ton of rain here in western Pa this month and the place is dry as a bone. One day, no smell. The next, horrible. We have an interior french drain that appears to be fine, actually, no smell at all from there. What can we do??? It's driving me, and the wife, nuts. Thanks

 

[oh'mike]

You are on the right track,looking for improper vents---The most common culprit is the vent for the ejector pit----when the furnace kicks on,negative pressure is created---thus sucking sewer gas out of the vent.

In an antique house--also check for a cracked iron drain pipe or a bad lead joint.---Mike---

 

[llmauro77]

Thanks mike. Where would the vent for the ejector pump be? Thanks

 

[oh'mike]

If you have an ejector pit there will be two pipes entering the lid of the pit---one carries away the water (it will have a back flow valve) the other is a vent pipe.---If the lid and pipes are not sealed properly sewer gas can be sucked into the room when there is negative pressure--

Or if the weather outside forces air down the roof vent.--

Do check for flaws in the old cast iron drains ----if they are as old as I think there may be cracks or open lead joints.--Mike--

 

[llmauro77]

Thanks for your help mike. I'll check those out.

 

[llmauro77]

Ok. So one day later, I capped off an inch and a half vent near the washer, and my wife did no laundry today. No sewer smell what-so-ever. So, could that horrible smell
Have come from that simple vent, or is it something more involved associated with the washer drainage? Thanks for your help in this frustrating matter!

 

[oh'mike]

A big fart can from a small hole.:whistling2::laughing:

 

[llmauro77]

Gosh I hope that's what it is!!! We will see. On now to figuring out the leaking bathroom that is destroying my porch ceiling. Ahhhhhh, the luxuries of home ownership....

 

[oh'mike]

Enjoy your home----Mike----