sewage smell in d/s loo

[fallguy299]

Hi, bit of a long shot, buy here goes. We are having a problem with a sewage smell emanating from our downstairs loo. It comes and goes but this week it has been worse than normal. We live in a 3 bed semi dorma-bungalow with an upstairs bathroom and a downstairs WC. The bathroom is at the back of the house, above the kitchen and the WC is in the front of the house in the hall way. I can see this the u/s bathroom has a waste pipe running internally from the upstairs toilet and down into the kitchen (boxed off). I cant see where the waste pipe is for the d/s WC. I've not had the floor up yet, but, initially, I thought that the d/s WC waste pipe was connected to the waste pipe in the kitchen, (running under the floor boards?) But from looking inside the inspection hatch, I have 2 sewer pipes, which correlate to each toilet when flushed. so it would appear that they are separate. Another issue is that, when someone uses the u/s toilet, you can smell it really bad in the d/s toilet, which is confusing me because as mentioned they appear separate? To compounds things, the house was built in the 1960's and there are no visible waste/stench piping on the outside of the house, like with new builds, so I'm guessing where they run and how many I've got. The neighbours around me have similar issues, which one said they'd lived with it for years??!!! Yorkshire water have come down and stuck cameras down the full length of our street and they've even run a camera from my inspection hatch to my property but they tell me that all the sewers are clear. So, im at a loss. The stench pipe looks like a 100mm pipe sticking out of the roof tiles at the back of the house. Do these get blocked up? it is a "stench" pipe after all. I was looking at getting the waste/stench pipe put on the side of the house, but obviously this is expensive and I achieveing anything if the d/s WC waste pipe isn't connected?? As you can see my head is frazzled, so any clarity on this would be appreciated immensely. thanks

 

[SimonG]

Well that takes some reading.

Is the toilet on a stub stack? Does it air admittance valve? Is it sucking the trap out the basin?

 

[Centralheatking]

Since some date this year ALL COMMON DRAINS ie from where your drain meets your neighbours
have become the remit of your utility regardless of being on private property .

Get them back and stamp your foot - nicely cause they are only peple like us really CHK

 

[Phil]

I think my head is frazzled too after reading that!

Does your downstairs WC basin gurgle or burp when toilet is flushed?

 

[snowhead]

Summary;

2 W.C's 1 up 1 down

Both separate connections to the chamber.

Upstairs connection has Vent pipe thro the roof.

They get smells in the downstairs W.c when the upstairs is flushed

Yorks Water have put a camera in the street and up to the Inspection chamber, looks to be all clear.

Common problem in the area with other houses.

I'd guess the upstairs connection is cracked under the floor and the smell is getting up thro the floor in the downstairs W.C.

 

[fallguy299]

Thanks for all the replies guys.
There is no gurgling that I've noticed.

Snowhead

One of the neighbours who is experiencing same, said that the waste pipe in our houses were coated with lead or similar and they're cracking through age. He's not checked himself but been told 2nd hand.

It would make sense, but If it is a crack as you stated, why isnt the smell coming up through the kitchen floor, where main pipe, which is potentially located, instead of in the d/s WC? The waste pipes are unconnected and 25ft apart?? Both areas are covered with the same laminate.

thanks

Summary;

2 W.C's 1 up 1 down

Both separate connections to the chamber.

Upstairs connection has Vent pipe thro the roof.

They get smells in the downstairs W.c when the upstairs is flushed

Yorks Water have put a camera in the street and up to the Inspection chamber, looks to be all clear.

Common problem in the area with other houses.

I'd guess the upstairs connection is cracked under the floor and the smell is getting up thro the floor in the downstairs W.C.

 

[fallguy299]

Should read "where the main pipe, which is potentially cracked, is located"