zelik
New Member
Hi all,
I'm new to the forums and relatively new to plumbing. I've done simple things such as replacing bathtubs and sinks for my houses in the past but I have no clue whatsoever about building plumbing.
I'm from California but currently have moved out to Taiwan. I've recently moved into an old highrise apartment building (about 30 yrs old) and I've been having significant problems with sewage gas. The building has three apartments per floor and from what I've seen on the roof three sets of drain systems. On the roof, there is about 3 or 4 vent pipes (I'm assuming some are intake and some are vent). It's a 12 floor building with me living in 12-B. What's interesting is that everyone in the "-B" of every level is suffering from sewage gas stink but no one in the "-A" or "-C" are suffering any gas stink. On the roof (right above me since I'm on the highest floor) of my apartment is a storage shed the previous owner build that covers the original exit of the venting pipes but the pipes appear to have been extended to lead outside of the shed so there shouldn't be any blockage of the vent/intake pipes. All the other residents of the "-B" floors are blaming the sewage gas on the shed somehow causing interference with the venting of sewage gas and thus causing smelly bathroom odors.
Fixing this situation is way beyond me and I dare not try to fix it myself but I'm hoping to get some insight from all the experts here as to what the possible problems could be and what possible solutions are available. It's very difficult for me to get any good advice locally because different plumbers have said different things. The building's consensus is that I should put some fans to suck gas out of the vents but plumbers have told me that would only make the situation worst (which from my research I am assuming is right).
My stopgap solution has been to put in p-traps on all my bathtubs and cover all floor drains. This has completely prevented any sewage smell coming into my apartment but all the other residents below me are still stinking to hell and they resent me because they believe it's my fault. I've asked the previous owner and he said the sewage smell existed for the last 20 years he's lived in the apartment and it's always been an ongoing finger-pointing contest.
What should I do? Other than tear down the shed to convince them it's not the shed that's causing the problem(which technically I can't because of legal issues), is there something I can direct the plumbers to look into? The plumbers I have found (and I've asked MANY) aren't the most professional and I believe aren't certified in any way (maybe it's just the smell of alcohol and beetlenut on their breath that makes me feel this way). My building isn't offering any help, just pointing the blame at me and demanding I figure out a way to tear down the shed. It's just befuddling to me that the other residents in the "-A" and "-C" apartments aren't having this problem and that this problem has existed for some 20 years prior.
Any suggestions, advice, strongly greatly appreciated. I'll get some pictures of the vents on the roof asap. As far as what type of sewage or vent system the building is using I have no clue. The vents on the roof are just PVC types with an elbow at the end. No trap mechanisms on them at all.
Just to note: Taiwan, though a manufacturer of many advanced computer products, is quite backwards in plumbing/electrical systems for buildings. The newer buildings of course are plumbed nicely and don't suffer from the sewage gas problem I'm having.
Thank you,
Zelik
I'm new to the forums and relatively new to plumbing. I've done simple things such as replacing bathtubs and sinks for my houses in the past but I have no clue whatsoever about building plumbing.
I'm from California but currently have moved out to Taiwan. I've recently moved into an old highrise apartment building (about 30 yrs old) and I've been having significant problems with sewage gas. The building has three apartments per floor and from what I've seen on the roof three sets of drain systems. On the roof, there is about 3 or 4 vent pipes (I'm assuming some are intake and some are vent). It's a 12 floor building with me living in 12-B. What's interesting is that everyone in the "-B" of every level is suffering from sewage gas stink but no one in the "-A" or "-C" are suffering any gas stink. On the roof (right above me since I'm on the highest floor) of my apartment is a storage shed the previous owner build that covers the original exit of the venting pipes but the pipes appear to have been extended to lead outside of the shed so there shouldn't be any blockage of the vent/intake pipes. All the other residents of the "-B" floors are blaming the sewage gas on the shed somehow causing interference with the venting of sewage gas and thus causing smelly bathroom odors.
Fixing this situation is way beyond me and I dare not try to fix it myself but I'm hoping to get some insight from all the experts here as to what the possible problems could be and what possible solutions are available. It's very difficult for me to get any good advice locally because different plumbers have said different things. The building's consensus is that I should put some fans to suck gas out of the vents but plumbers have told me that would only make the situation worst (which from my research I am assuming is right).
My stopgap solution has been to put in p-traps on all my bathtubs and cover all floor drains. This has completely prevented any sewage smell coming into my apartment but all the other residents below me are still stinking to hell and they resent me because they believe it's my fault. I've asked the previous owner and he said the sewage smell existed for the last 20 years he's lived in the apartment and it's always been an ongoing finger-pointing contest.
What should I do? Other than tear down the shed to convince them it's not the shed that's causing the problem(which technically I can't because of legal issues), is there something I can direct the plumbers to look into? The plumbers I have found (and I've asked MANY) aren't the most professional and I believe aren't certified in any way (maybe it's just the smell of alcohol and beetlenut on their breath that makes me feel this way). My building isn't offering any help, just pointing the blame at me and demanding I figure out a way to tear down the shed. It's just befuddling to me that the other residents in the "-A" and "-C" apartments aren't having this problem and that this problem has existed for some 20 years prior.
Any suggestions, advice, strongly greatly appreciated. I'll get some pictures of the vents on the roof asap. As far as what type of sewage or vent system the building is using I have no clue. The vents on the roof are just PVC types with an elbow at the end. No trap mechanisms on them at all.
Just to note: Taiwan, though a manufacturer of many advanced computer products, is quite backwards in plumbing/electrical systems for buildings. The newer buildings of course are plumbed nicely and don't suffer from the sewage gas problem I'm having.
Thank you,
Zelik
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