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exeterphil
Junior Member
Joined: 02 Nov 2007
Posts: 32
Location: Ramshackled House
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 Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:26 am Post subject: Bad smell underfloor near soil pipe |
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Have a problem with a bad smell and unsure how I should go
about tackling it? Below is a description of the problem which
I suspect is something to do with the soil pipe. Hope someone
can offer some advice on what I should do.
Many thanks!
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The problem
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Since moving into our Victorian Terrace, we'd always smelt a faint
sulphery eggy smell in and around the ground floor. The smell would
come and go, but since removing the carpets, and hardboard cover
the floorboards the smell is very noticeable.
Last weekend we replaced all the joists, cleared out tones of debris
and relayed a new floor, half expecting to find a dead rat or something
simple but didn't. Sniffing around, the area under the dining-room
floor closest to where the soil pipe goes underground is where the
smell is strongest.
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Details of the property
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• The soil pipe runs the full height of the property venting at the top,
down the outside rear wall and down through into the covered lean to.
• The lean to has a tiled floor which is suspended over the original
outside concrete floor.
• The toilet flushes fine (as long as it's not too full), and sinks and bath
all empty as they should. The trap is clear (because I stuck my arm
down pulling years of debris out yuk!)
• I believe the inspection chamber manhole is located below a raised
flower bed - which would need some digging out to open.
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tim'll fix it
BANNED
Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 2137
Location: Leicestershire
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| Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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i think the only way to be sure is to find and uncover the inspection pit, then get someone with a camera to check back up the pipework
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exeterphil
Junior Member
Joined: 02 Nov 2007
Posts: 32
Location: Ramshackled House
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| Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 9:15 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Tim, definitely the most sensible thing to do...
Will get a spade and start digging to find the inspection chamber this week.
But out of interest, what possible causes could there be?
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tim'll fix it
BANNED
Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 2137
Location: Leicestershire
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| Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 11:33 pm Post subject: |
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how old is the house, could be an old clay pipe that has cracked, could be a badly fitted joint, a dodgy repair, really hard to say without seeing it
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Wood Magnet
Senior Member
Joined: 07 Feb 2006
Posts: 3550
Location: sunderland
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| Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 1:59 am Post subject: |
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Are you sure it's not partly blocked, you said " the toilet flushes fine, as long as it's not too full". Seems to me that it may be partly blocked somewhere.
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People forget how fast you did a job - but they remember how well you did it.
I no longer skinny dip, i chunky dunk these day's. |
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exeterphil
Junior Member
Joined: 02 Nov 2007
Posts: 32
Location: Ramshackled House
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| Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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Someone by chance looked at it briefly... seemed to think there is partial blockage down there. The house is an old victorian. As soon as I can (this weekend at the latest, I'll dig down to the inspection chamber and call in a professional.
Hopefully its just a simple blockage, and not something to do with a cracked pipe. Be lovely not having to dig everything up.. but I'm prepared for the worse!
cheers
Phil
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exeterphil
Junior Member
Joined: 02 Nov 2007
Posts: 32
Location: Ramshackled House
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| Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:45 am Post subject: |
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Good news on this one...
Had local drainage company check everything out and it was just a simple blockage. Pipes are all ok! (phew). The smell was simply caused by solid matter staying in the pipes and rotting over time. Should the system get blocked again all I'll need is a set of rods. At least I know what to do for future reference! |
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Hoovie
Devon DIYer
Joined: 27 Jul 2007
Posts: 8036
Location: East Devon
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| Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 12:01 pm Post subject: |
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Result!
As you say, prepare for the worse and chances are you'll be happy 
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I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, "Where's the self-help section?"
She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose. |
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tim'll fix it
BANNED
Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 2137
Location: Leicestershire
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| Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 8:47 pm Post subject: |
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nice one
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Wood Magnet
Senior Member
Joined: 07 Feb 2006
Posts: 3550
Location: sunderland
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| Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:50 am Post subject: |
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Ooh! i was right. :grin:
_________________
People forget how fast you did a job - but they remember how well you did it.
I no longer skinny dip, i chunky dunk these day's. |
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