Sewage smells in bedrooms HELP!

googler

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

Katy
Enlarging the Avatar image it is apparent that not only is there an old WC pan branch but at the same height an old bath waste pipe goes back into the building ( and possibly not visible a bit higher a LB connection) . So there are 3 branches which if badly sealed could be allowing drain air back into the building . Seepage of foul matter back into the building is possible but I would suspect it is more the action of the discharge of fittings on the top floor, causing an increase of pressure in the soil stack below pumping drain air into the room through the badly sealed pipe ends.This would of course have been ( and could still be) exascerbated by any drain blockage at the foot.

....and, if as the OP says, the flush from the current bathroom is 'poor', then any residual matter lying inbetween the bathroom and soil stack won't have a water trap between it and the old soil stack connections....

mttylad

I cannot see any picture.

However the proper sealing plugs for 110mm are only a few quid, as are 40mm end caps.

If you can get to where they all join the main pipe it would be better to cut them there and seal them.

If that needs a tall ladder outside then that is still the best fix.

If there is any leakage underneath the floorboards then steam cleaning, blown into rags may give the best cleaning of it.

I once had problems like this in a past house, the pipe would often block leaving me the mucky job. The smell was awful - luckily (for us) we moved

keystone

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

Katy
Enlarging the Avatar image it is apparent that not only is there an old WC pan branch but at the same height an old bath waste pipe goes back into the building ( and possibly not visible a bit higher a LB connection) . So there are 3 branches which if badly sealed could be allowing drain air back into the building . Seepage of foul matter back into the building is possible but I would suspect it is more the action of the discharge of fittings on the top floor, causing an increase of pressure in the soil stack below pumping drain air into the room through the badly sealed pipe ends.This would of course have been ( and could still be) exascerbated by any drain blockage at the foot.

Crikey - you've got good eyesight!

Cheers

keystone

kookookaty wrote: »

thank you both for your replies. We did look under the floorboards in the middle back bedroom and there does not appear to be any pipes left or leakage so as you say should I assume it's a case of sewer gas leaking in though these old pipes and should I therefore get them removed - do you think this would solve the problem once and for all?

Thanks
Katy

I though you had said you can see where its been "sealed" (or not) with concrete. Never mind - one obvious solution is to get the unused soil branch (and any other residual pipework) cut off from the outside and then the soil stack and the walls sealed from the outside.

Any chance you could post that pic using the method I outlined above so we can actually see what the pipework looks like?

Cheers

kookookaty

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Here you go - regarding the point about the old soil pipe. When we lifted up the floorboards we could see that it has been sealed with concrete at the point it was cut off at the inside wall. thanks

keystone

kookookaty wrote: »

Here you go - regarding the point about the old soil pipe. When we lifted up the floorboards we could see that it has been sealed with concrete at the point it was cut off at the inside wall. thanks

Brilliant - thanks.



Looking at your pic your stack appears to be all in plastic except the old branch (A in my pic) to the old 1st floor bathroom which looks like cast iron. I cant see why they didn't remove the cast when that bathroom was removed but never mind. If the rest of it is plastic that branch can be removed (grinder at the wall and just disconnected from the plastic) and the branch connector replaced in plastic.

What is the pipe at B doing?

The old (basin/bath) waste (C) has clearly got a dip in it due to inadequate fixing and so has formed a sump. Not convinced its a 1:40 fall which it should be anyway but because of the sump so any foul water that has got into it won't flow out and that could also be the source of the smell. If its not doing anything I'd have that out as well.

The holes that are left in the wall from both pipes can easily be repaired.

You said earlier that your flush from the top floor bathroom was poor. I can't say I am surprised because that branch doesn't look as though it has 1:40 fall - at best its horizontal and it almost (it could be the angle of the pic of course) looks as if its going uphill! If thats the case flow will be poor.

I don't think its more than a days work to sort that lot out plus a length of soil pipe and some connectors.

HTH

Cheers

kookookaty

thanks a million for all your help - I will put your recommendations into practice and of course will let you know the outcome - what fantastic help you've been.
Katy:j

Sorry one more thing - I understand about removing old unused pipe work but when you say I need a length of soil pipe is that to replace the section of pipe that's had the branches removed? Thanks

ormus

what the hell is E?

keystone

kookookaty wrote: »

Sorry one more thing - I understand about removing old unused pipe work but when you say I need a length of soil pipe is that to replace the section of pipe that's had the branches removed? Thanks

Yes - what I meant was reconfigure the stack to a) lower the branch for top floor loo to make it flow properly (assuming I'm right about the fall that is) and b) get rid of the branch altogether for the redundant soil pipe and the hole that will be left when the old basin (?) waste is removed. I'll modify the pic tomorrow evening to show what I mean. Did you find out what the pipe at B is doing? Edit: Just thought it was prolly the bath or a shower. In which case that can come out too!

Cheers

PS Ormus has a point about the other pipe but as it doesn't seem connected to the stack I didn't bother with it.

kookookaty

God knows what pipe b is and pipe e seems to come out of what was once a toilet but is now an airing cupboard with the hot water tank? in it. By the way do you think your theories would also account for the same smells in the front bedroom on the middle flow and if so is that because the smells travel under the floorboards? Is it possible the smells could also be coming from the upstairs soil pipe through the ceiling below or are you convinced it's to do with the old pipe work? I appreciate you can't say for certain but is the latter the one your gunning for?
Cheers again