Hi there,
Apologies for the mammoth post but my neighbours and I really need some advice...
I recently purchased a flat that was built in 2016. The apartment is still under the NHBC 10yr warranty. Since moving in, I discovered that the rainwater pipe that runs through my winter garden balcony at one end of the property is connected to a combined water/sewage system with the terrace houses across the road. The smell is awful, like rotten eggs, and unfortunately, the winter garden balcony is the only way to get 'fresh' air into the property at that end of the flat - so this is a real issue.
The neighbours in the two flats below mine who have the same layout have also experienced this problem - they started a conversation with the building management company and the original builders in 2017. After much back and forth, we managed to get the builders to come, clean the pipe and add a non-return valve at the bottom of the pipe, which solved the issue for a short time, but now the smell is back with a vengeance. Another neighbour in the block next door, presumably with a different connection to the sewage system, has just also reported the smell entering his property.
This other neighbour today has had a plumber come and investigate - he said "yes the drains are connected to the sewer, not ideal but it is what it is. The problem is that these drains should all have water traps (like a toilet system) with standing water to prevent air from coming up from the sewer, and these traps would need regular waterflow to ensure they stay full of water.
In my case, as I'm on the top floor, I have two drains on my balcony, one that swan necks from the main stack, and one that comes directly up from the main stack. I'd previously put a non return valve on top of the swan necked one and didn't realise i had another vertical drain. Today as we took up the decking we found the vertical one and it was literally blowing sewer air straight up! I've now blocked up that vertical drain, and have the non-return valve on the other, so things are much better (though still not perfect).
Weirdly there's a different drain configuration on each floor and the third floor doesn't even have a drain, so the whole set up is shoddy as hell.
Apparently the ideal fix would be to have traps installed under each drain (which is a fair bit of work, and would be visible on balconies. Failing that as a short term fix, blocking the drains/using non return valves does help."
Files attached:
Pipe location - shows where the pipe and the additional drain are located under my balcony decking.
Floor plan - shows the location of the pipe in the property - with a green star for the pipe
My question is:
1. Is this diagnosis correct - do we need to push the original builders to install the water trap systems in each balcony?ll.
We're getting to a point where we might need legal advice, as neither the builder nor the management company are willing to help.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thank you!!
Apologies for the mammoth post but my neighbours and I really need some advice...
I recently purchased a flat that was built in 2016. The apartment is still under the NHBC 10yr warranty. Since moving in, I discovered that the rainwater pipe that runs through my winter garden balcony at one end of the property is connected to a combined water/sewage system with the terrace houses across the road. The smell is awful, like rotten eggs, and unfortunately, the winter garden balcony is the only way to get 'fresh' air into the property at that end of the flat - so this is a real issue.
The neighbours in the two flats below mine who have the same layout have also experienced this problem - they started a conversation with the building management company and the original builders in 2017. After much back and forth, we managed to get the builders to come, clean the pipe and add a non-return valve at the bottom of the pipe, which solved the issue for a short time, but now the smell is back with a vengeance. Another neighbour in the block next door, presumably with a different connection to the sewage system, has just also reported the smell entering his property.
This other neighbour today has had a plumber come and investigate - he said "yes the drains are connected to the sewer, not ideal but it is what it is. The problem is that these drains should all have water traps (like a toilet system) with standing water to prevent air from coming up from the sewer, and these traps would need regular waterflow to ensure they stay full of water.
In my case, as I'm on the top floor, I have two drains on my balcony, one that swan necks from the main stack, and one that comes directly up from the main stack. I'd previously put a non return valve on top of the swan necked one and didn't realise i had another vertical drain. Today as we took up the decking we found the vertical one and it was literally blowing sewer air straight up! I've now blocked up that vertical drain, and have the non-return valve on the other, so things are much better (though still not perfect).
Weirdly there's a different drain configuration on each floor and the third floor doesn't even have a drain, so the whole set up is shoddy as hell.
Apparently the ideal fix would be to have traps installed under each drain (which is a fair bit of work, and would be visible on balconies. Failing that as a short term fix, blocking the drains/using non return valves does help."
Files attached:
Pipe location - shows where the pipe and the additional drain are located under my balcony decking.
Floor plan - shows the location of the pipe in the property - with a green star for the pipe
My question is:
1. Is this diagnosis correct - do we need to push the original builders to install the water trap systems in each balcony?ll.
We're getting to a point where we might need legal advice, as neither the builder nor the management company are willing to help.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thank you!!
