Sewer Gas

[Josh]

Hi Everyone:

I am new to this discussion board 'cause I have a question. I have allot of experience in residential construction, etc, but I must admit I am a little intimidated by plumbing. But I got a call today with a plumbing question from a customer who's home my company built.

She has a sewer gas smell in her basement coming from the floor drain in the utility room and from the sump pump. There is a pipe running under the floor from the floor drain to the sump in the other corner of the basement, about 20 feet. The only water running into the sump is the water from the floor drain, in which only the air condition condensate and the water softener water drains, and the water from around the foundation. She has called the plumbing contractor and they came out and suggested that the drain be covered, currently its not, and that to run water thru the drain to the sump. They are as confused as I am because there is no black water running into this tile that could cause this smell.

The only part of the sump pump connected to a drain is the discharge pipe which is connected to the city storm sewer, which is LEGAL in this particular jurisdiction, and the discharge pipe DOES have a check valve installed. The plumbing contractor even opened the discharge pipe to see if there was any smell, there wasnt.

Could it be possible that the minerals in the water softener discharge is causing the smell in the drain? The house is 6 years old, and this has been a off and on problem since day 1. My customer is very upset with both my company and the plumbing companies (she has had like 3 opinions).

Any ideas? Any suggestions are appreciated.


Thanks


Josh

[Plumber2000]

Josh,

If you see the trap has a good trap seal then I'd rule out the trap, could be the water discharge from the softener, only thing to do is trap some water during the discharge cycle and see if in fact that is where the smell is coming from.

[Josh]

The water softener was a issue I never brought up to my customers yet, she is upset as can be at my company and 3 different plumbing contractors, because in her own words, were "stupid" In case I didnt make it clear, the drain that the a/c and water softener drains into is a floor drain in the slab. I dont recall, but I assume they used a PVC pipe into the sump? Otherwise, the footer tiles also drain into the sump, which is why we are confused as to what is causing the smell from the sump and the drain. I will work the water softener into our conversation next week. The thought crossed my mind that the salt and minerals from the water softener going down the drain were causing the odor.

Thanks.

Josh

[RioHyde]

Are you sure the floor drain ties into the sump pit and not the building drain? Here you cannot dump a floor drain into a sump pit that drains to the storm sewer. If the floor drain is connected to the building drain and the only thing it catches is the condensate from the A/C unit then in the winter the floor drain trap could lose its seal due to evaporation and you'd get a sewer gas smell. Run water into the floor drain and see if really does dump into the sump pit. If it turns out that the floor drain is draining into the building drain a trap primer might be your solution.

It really sounds to me like the floor drain doesnt go to the sump pit.....but without seeing it and checking it all out for myself, I cant say with 100% certainty.

Good luck