Help Another Sewer Gas Problem

[pistolsmom]

My MIL's house STINKS!!! Background.......house was built about 50 years ago.....they NEVER had the septic tank pumped. The last few years off and on you could smell sewer [any time of year] both outside the house and inside the house. Finally last year she agreed to having the septic tank pumped. Still had the smell off and on so they replaced the vent pipe last fall. Still had the smell and now it's REALLY bad. Any ideas?? Leech bed plugged?? Any easy way to tell???? Anything else to check? All ideas appreciated!!!!

[mwhit]

Is there a leaking or broken sewer line under the house (or in the basement)? I'd really try and determine the problem-- sewer gas can be deadly.

Michelle

[pistolsmom]

Well...not IN the basement........any easy way to check under the house without tearing it down??

[jennigrey]

Does a sewer vent pipe have a water trap to allow the system to "burp" or is it a vent pipe that is open-air all the way to the septic? Is there maybe an old unused sink or toilet whose "P"-trap has gone dry and needs water poured down it?

[tamsam]

Where are you located and what kind of house? Is there a crawl space under the house or is it on a slab? If there is a crawl space there should be a door to access it and vents. To check under the house open the door and see it the smell is coming from there. If it is on a slab there shouldn't be any smell coming from under it as all the pipes would be in concrete. If neither of the above then time for a call to a good plumber. Hope you find it. Sam

[jross]

I found an empty p-trap for a washing machine that had it's outlet changed to a grey water system in the basement of a cottage that was stinking up the place.

[WayneR]

If you can acess a low spot in the system, the use of smoke can reveal leakage.
If the line between the septic tank and the house is clear , smoke can be blown into the line at that point using fans.
The only smoke exiting will be out the vent, as designed. Any other "exits" are leaks.
Some plumbers (not all) have the equipment and experience to conduct the test.

[Jim S.]

There must be an unobstructed pathway between the septic tank and the vent at the rooftop for proper venting. That means that there can be no physical obstruction (clog or break) or water obstruction (due to settled pipes, improper tank inlet setup or improper slope on the pipe between the house and tank). Like others have said, all drain/toilet traps must have water in them. Don't forget about any floor drains in the basement. If you have not had cause for them to be used for awhile, the trap built into them can become dry.

[WayneR]

A city wide smoke test was made near here a few years ago.

It was remarkable the number of houses that had floor drains and roof
gutters connected to the sewer system.