We've been getting an intermittant sewer odor in our house for the past several months. Before we call a plumber, we'd like to know if there's anything that we can do ourselves. So far we've checked the floor drain in the basement, and after talking to our neighbors, who used to live here, it doesn't drain into the septic system. It runs parallel to the drain field, and drains out into a drainage ditch in a field. We keep the traps full on all sinks, etc. But it could be that for some reason one is being syphoned out.
The odor happens after someone has used a larger amount of water, such as a shower or a load of laundry. I haven't been able to pinpoint it yet, but I think the odor is worse after using hot/warm water in larger amounts. The odor doesn't begin until several minutes after the large water usage. Could it be that it's somehow connected to when our gas water heater turns on? Some type of negative air thing?
The odor is the strongest in the basement, but it does come up into the house. When the furnace runs, the odor comes through the registers, and even sometimes it seems to be radiating from the cold air returns.
We've used our noses, but we haven't been able to pinpoint the exact area that the odor is eminating from, however, it does seem to be worse in one area in the basement and in the upstairs area right above (there is a cold air return in the upstairs spot).
So we're using the process of elimination, having ruled out the floor drain, our next step will be to reseal all of the drain pipe connections that go into the main sewer line. If that doesn' work, I dunno......
We don't have tall trees near our house, so I don't think leaves are in our vent stack, but maybe some yellowjackets had a nest down there somewhere. The sinks, showers, toilets, all drain fine though. We have been making sure our traps are full.
The plumbing is new, not cast iron. Oh, and also, the odor happens when it's cold outside. When it's warmer, we don't have the problem. We live in Michigan, so cold means about 30 degrees or so.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks!
The odor happens after someone has used a larger amount of water, such as a shower or a load of laundry. I haven't been able to pinpoint it yet, but I think the odor is worse after using hot/warm water in larger amounts. The odor doesn't begin until several minutes after the large water usage. Could it be that it's somehow connected to when our gas water heater turns on? Some type of negative air thing?
The odor is the strongest in the basement, but it does come up into the house. When the furnace runs, the odor comes through the registers, and even sometimes it seems to be radiating from the cold air returns.
We've used our noses, but we haven't been able to pinpoint the exact area that the odor is eminating from, however, it does seem to be worse in one area in the basement and in the upstairs area right above (there is a cold air return in the upstairs spot).
So we're using the process of elimination, having ruled out the floor drain, our next step will be to reseal all of the drain pipe connections that go into the main sewer line. If that doesn' work, I dunno......
We don't have tall trees near our house, so I don't think leaves are in our vent stack, but maybe some yellowjackets had a nest down there somewhere. The sinks, showers, toilets, all drain fine though. We have been making sure our traps are full.
The plumbing is new, not cast iron. Oh, and also, the odor happens when it's cold outside. When it's warmer, we don't have the problem. We live in Michigan, so cold means about 30 degrees or so.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks!