Strange smell after new drain pipe installed.

Phil4432

Hello all,

So my neighbour recently had some work done to her drains.  We have 1930's 3 bed semis, she is the neighbour that is not attached; so the drains are underneath our shared drive.  There was some partial excavation of the drive, which has now been replaced.

They've had 1m of pipework replaced and 1.4m of liner installed.  Both at a depth of 1m.

The floorboards of our ground floor are suspended timber, there's enough space underneath the floorboards to stand.  The area is sealed off with no access hatch.

The work was completed today, and late last evening I noticed a smell from underneath the floorboards. It was coming from the front corner of our house, closest to where the work done.

It smells like builders putty or something similar.  So no fishy smell, nor gas, nor sewage.  No burning smell.  I did consider asking the fire brigade for safety, but there really is no signs of fire or burning.

There is no smell outside.  I've put my nose close to all our external drains, and the external vents.  Nothing.  The smell only comes from the one front corner of the house, and on the inside.

I can't understand how any smell from the new pipe would permeate the clay and then the external wall, even if there was a hole in the wall.  And if the new pipe works were smelling so strong, why would there be no smell outside?

Really at a loss here.

Any insight much appreciated.