Can a gas leak detector help me?

[Clarky3225]

Hi sorry im a newbie, pls help if u can.

I had a new bathroom installed about a yr ago and since then when i flush the toilet the room stinks of sewer gas. Not only does the b/room stink it also smells in the kitchen too, which is directly below the toilet/b-room. It doesnt do it everytime, which is why its been hard to identify 4 plumbers or experts that come over. It does it alot more when i use the small flush button on the toilet as opposed to the big button. Even when its not stinking the house out tho there are areas close to the floor in the b-room where u can get a smell of it, so somein isnt sealing properly and doesnt shut correctly everytime its flushed. 1 plumber just said its really hard as its a smell so couldnt help!

Im wondering if i bought a gas leak reader (capable of detecting methane and h2s) whether it would be sensitive enough to detect the gas in the air after flushing, if i held it right next to the toilet for example. I need to prove its happening before i can claim against my insurance. It stinks so badly i would have thought it would detect something, or am i wrong?

Also could it be the toilet (that was cheap from an online place) or maybe the durgo getting stuck or something?

Please advise if u can!
Thanks

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Did you have a bath replaced with a shower tray?

 

[Clarky3225]

the shower is in the bath and yes we had a new bath fitted...

 

[ShaunCorbs]

the shower is in the bath and yes we had a new bath fitted...

Anything changed location?

 

[Clarky3225]

Yes pretty much everything. bath was against side wall now against back wall so 90 degrees to what it was, shower on back wall also, toilet against left side wall rather than against back wall as b4. there used to be a vent pipe going through ceiling, into loft and out roof but plumber told me no longer needed and a durgo was fitted...?

 

[Clarky3225]

its gonna be super difficult to pin down whats causing it, just hoping its not ripping all the tiles out. For now i just wanted to detect the gas so people cant say im a mentalist!!!!

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Yes pretty much everything. bath was against side wall now against back wall so 90 degrees to what it was, shower on back wall also, toilet against left side wall rather than against back wall as b4. there used to be a vent pipe going through ceiling, into loft and out roof but plumber told me no longer needed and a durgo was fitted...?

That’s probably your issue you’ve lost your vent you need at least one vent to atmospheres per drain / manhole

 

[Clarky3225]

That’s probably your issue you’ve lost your vent you need at least one vent to atmospheres per drain / manhole

thats really confused me!! i didnt realise that but i dont get why it wudve been done just using a durgo and no vent? Also Im in a rented place at the mo and they have a new tiled bathroom but theres no vent to outside at all, its all contained within the bathroom...??

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I’m guessing they’ve altered / moved the soil pipe and didn’t want to terminate it through the roof

 

[Clarky3225]

I’m guessing they’ve altered / moved the soil pipe and didn’t want to terminate it through the roof

Yeh maybe, ive no way of knowing but that cud be it. Thanks for ur advice Shaun. Do u think a gas leak detector may pick up the gas/smell or would it be too widespead??!

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Be too wide spread but it’s definitely a trap issue you could try masking tape over the sink bath outlets to see if that stops it for a day etc

 

[Basher]

I can tell you from personal experience that one of the gas detectors below will 'sniff out' sewer gas etc very effectively. Bit of a fiddle to operate but it does work. In our case the problem was resolved by replacing a Durgo with a vent to atmosphere. The drainage system ought to have a way of dealing with +ve pressure, which a Durgo doesn't!

 

[Clarky3225]

I can tell you from personal experience that one of the gas detectors below will 'sniff out' sewer gas etc very effectively. Bit of a fiddle to operate but it does work. In our case the problem was resolved by replacing a Durgo with a vent to atmosphere. The drainage system ought to have a way of dealing with +ve pressure, which a Durgo doesn't!

Thanks so much guys, i appreciate ur advice. What you said basher makes sense to me, we had a durgo replace the old vent to atmos so its likely that we need a vent back sort it out...that also may explain why its a bit inconsistant, sometimes the durgo does its job othertimes it leaks gas thru. Ill get a leak detector and try to get actual evidence. Thank u guys.