Bad smell any help appreciated

[Rob201000]

Hi everyone just after a bit of help. We bought a new house 6 months ago and now and again the bathrooms stink of a sewage type smell. This is all 3 bathrooms not just one. I have tried keeping the traps full of water but it still seems to come through. Bleach helps but doesn't last long. I have noticed the vent for the sewage stack (sorry if that's not what it's called) is on the side of the house but is only about 7ft tall and doesn't even come up to the second story window. Could this be the issue? Cheers for any help

 

[gingalig]

Difficult to diagnose without knowing where all your pipe work runs , but the " vent pipe - stink pipe - stack pipe etc " should terminate above your roof line ( eaves) or have an external air admittance valve fitted, I have know one of these to fail and it caused a similar issue, I prefer an external pipe that terminates above your eaves or an internal valve.

 

[Rob201000]

Just been trouble shooting some things and I have some more info for you that may help. The kitchen doesn't smell. The en suite bathroom with toilet sink and bath doesn't smell, the main bathroom with a bath sink toilet and shower smells and the downstairs bathroom with a toilet sink and shower smells. Could it be the shower? This seems to be the common factor

 

[gingalig]

Just been trouble shooting some things and I have some more info for you that may help. The kitchen doesn't smell. The en suite bathroom with toilet sink and bath doesn't smell, the main bathroom with a bath sink toilet and shower smells and the downstairs bathroom with a toilet sink and shower smells. Could it be the shower? This seems to be the common factor

Possibly, showers sometimes have very shallow traps. If you can access the pipework it would be worth looking at as you could also have a leak.

 

[rpm]

Tried keeping the traps full of water you say, they should naturally have water in them.

 

[Rob201000]

Yeah I haven't checked to be honest if the water has evaporated or not I just run the taps every week or so.

 

[Rob Foster]

put a plug into the shower plughole and see what might not smell
easy hey

 

[rpm]

put a plug into the shower plughole and see what might not smell
easy hey

On a shower tray waste?

 

[chris watkins]

What is on top of this 7ft vent stack ?
Do you know what a A.A.A.Valve (Durgo) is / looks like?
are the bathrooms on two floors ?

 

[Rob201000]

Bathrooms on two floors the top of stack looks like a lid lol

 

[Rob201000]

https://www.NoLinkingToThis/p/flopl...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CIbg8N-wi90CFYE8GwodL1IFxw that's what it looks like on top exactly same

 

[chris watkins]

Pull it off (if it is external), there is likely to be another in side but leave that.
Check that the main drain is not blocked, if it isn't, I bet the smell goes from inside the house.
Unfortunately the main stack will need to be vented to atmosphere to allow air out, as well as in.

 

[Rob201000]

Pull it off (if it is external), there is likely to be another in side but leave that.
Check that the main drain is not blocked, if it isn't, I bet the smell goes from inside the house.
Unfortunately the main stack will need to be vented to atmosphere to allow air out, as well as in.

Ok I will have a look tommorow.. can you elaborate more on the main stack venting etc please

 

[chris watkins]

Check out (if you want a good read) Part H (1) of the Building Reg's
https://assets.publishing.service.g...achment_data/file/442889/BR_PDF_AD_H_2015.pdf

 

[Rob201000]

Read through it but doesn't make sense to me lol

 

[chris watkins]

That's we have to do 4 years training Rob.
but ask away tomorrow.

 

[Chewitt]

Are your neighbours experiencing the same problem?, is it a new development?. If so contact the developer.

It sounds as if as said earlier the water is being drawn from the traps as they offer the least resistance. The waste water needs air to evacuate the soil and waste pipe, if the Durgo valve washer is stuck it will not let in air. Also the waste pipe runs may be teed in together from the basin and shower, if the pipe run is too long without an adequate fall again it will draw air via the shower trap. Another option maybe to fit a McAlpine non return valve if the pipework is accessable.