Can you please help with sewer smell in my basement.

There is a approx 6" wide, cast iron(I think) pipe, that comes out of my cement basement floor about 3 or 4 inches tall. The rim is broken on the pipe ( about 1" x 1 1/2 " chunk), and appears that the previous owners of my house made their own cap for it. There is an awfull smell that comes from it and has taken me almost 2 months to find where the smell was coming from, as the smell would come and go. I have only lived in the house for 2 months and the smell was not there before and is always there now. How do I fix it? I'm really handy, and do all my own plumbing but this has me stumped!!! Please HELP. I have two very young children and don't know if this is dangerous to our family. My husband could also do it if it's real dirty work, we just need some direction. FYI / My house is about 80-90 years old with city sewer.

cap it off with a fernco test cap.It is not good for sewer gas to get into
your living space any where in your house.Also check floor drains for
no water in the trap.

I think this is what he was talking about. http://www.fernco.com/QC.asp

Since the pipe is broken, you likely will have to cut the pipe off so the end is even to get a good seal. In addition to the Fernco Jim mentions, there are plugs that can be inserted inside the pipe, and tighted. These remind me of a giant Thermos bottle plug. Cutting CI is not an easy task without proper tools. You can rent a snap cutter, or you can use a disk grinder. Some folks say they have used a reciprocating saw with a metal cutting blade, but I have never had any luck at all with that.

Thanks,
I guess what I will do it try and cap it off.

Gary Swart said:

Since the pipe is broken, you likely will have to cut the pipe off so the end is even to get a good seal. In addition to the Fernco Jim mentions, there are plugs that can be inserted inside the pipe, and tighted. These remind me of a giant Thermos bottle plug. Cutting CI is not an easy task without proper tools. You can rent a snap cutter, or you can use a disk grinder. Some folks say they have used a reciprocating saw with a metal cutting blade, but I have never had any luck at all with that.

Click to expand...

I just used the Sawzall w/metal blade solution last week...its not easy and you go through a few blades but it works. Its good when you're in a tight spot and snap cutters could be dicey.