To prevent sewer gas smells from coming through vents, clean dirty evaporator coils, clogged condensate drain line, dirty air filters, clean ducts and vent cover using warm water and soap, vacuum the duct and vent cover, install duct filter pads in your vents, use baking soda to reduce odor in your air ducts, and hire a professional to clean your vents and ducts.
Sewer gas can be caused by dried-out water traps, missing clean-out caps or plugs, or a failing wax ring around the toilet. Dry water traps are common sources of a sewer gas smell, and it is important to check sewer vents and clean-out drains outside the building. A plumber can usually fix a vent pipe termination problem easily.
Properly vent your plumbing system to allow for the release of sewer gas. Open windows and doors to allow fresh air to circulate and decrease the odor. Use exhaust fans in your home.
To remove the sewer gas smell from your home, identify the source of the leak, repair or replace damaged plumbing connections, check floor drains and new plumbing to remove odor, clean and deodorize drains, use odor absorbers for sewer gas smell, and ventilate your home.
To remove the unpleasant odor of sewage in your home, ensure that P-traps under sinks, showers, and toilets always have water. Drain traps help prevent gases from entering a home but can clog or dry out due to cold weather or poor air ventilation. If your vent pipe is in the wall, it needs grill access to allow air to pull down the vent.
To eliminate sewer gas smell, use a combination of hot water, baking soda, vinegar, and lemon to run through the drain to fix the problem. Call a professional help if you suspect a sewer gas leak in your home and follow these steps to prevent sewage leaks and unpleasant odors.
📹 Explained! Sewer Gas Smell Outside or Inside of Your House & How to Fix
Here is the common cause of sewer gas smell inside or outside of your home when you have a septic tank. Jim gets the …
How do you mask sewer smell in house?
To neutralize sewer gas smell, use commercial odor absorbers like charcoal-based or baking soda in affected rooms. Adequate ventilation can reduce sewer gas concentration in your home by opening windows and doors, using exhaust fans in bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms, and considering a carbon filter-based ventilation system. If you cannot identify or eliminate the source of the odor on your own, call a professional plumber or sewer and gas odor specialist. They have the expertise and equipment to detect and resolve complex issues related to sewer gas odor. Additionally, be aware of the risks of DIY sewage flood cleanup and call experts when unsure.
How do you vent sewer gas?
To reduce sewer gas smell in your home, ensure proper ventilation by opening windows and doors, using exhaust fans in bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms, and using a carbon filter-based ventilation system. If you cannot identify the source of the odor, seek professional help from a plumber or sewer and gas odor specialist. They have the expertise to detect and resolve complex issues related to sewer gas odor. If you have experienced a sewage flood, be aware of the risks of DIY sewage flood cleanup.
Practice preventative maintenance to prevent sewer gas smell from occurring. Avoid flushing items that can clog pipes, such as sanitary napkins, diapers, or grease, and schedule regular inspections and maintenance to catch potential issues before they become a problem.
Why does my bedroom smell like sewer gas?
Vent pipe clogs are a common issue in washing machines, as they prevent sewage gasses from seeping into the home. These clogs can cause leaking odors and can be fixed by accessing the roof, shining a beam into the vent pipes, and searching for obstructions like bird nests or debris. Using a snake or other long tool, try to dislodge or remove the obstructions. For optimal results, work with a professional plumber, as they have the knowledge and tools to safely and quickly remove clogs from vent pipes.
Is it bad to breathe in sewer smell?
Sewer gas exposure poses health risks, including hydrogen sulfide poisoning, eye and respiratory irritation, and varying concentrations of toxic and nontoxic gases. Highly toxic components include hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, while nontoxic components include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide. Municipal and privately owned treatment systems can also contain these gases. The concentration of sewer gas varies depending on the source.
Is Breathing in sewer gas harmful?
Sewer gas exposure can cause various negative health effects, including tiredness, irritated eyes, coughing, nausea, shortness of breath, headaches, irritability, memory issues, and dizziness. High concentrations can lead to severe health issues, including loss of consciousness, respiratory distress, coma, or even death. Even minor exposures can cause serious health issues if someone already has a respiratory illness. If the leak issue is not resolved, the symptoms may persist, and a physician may be necessary to address the issue.
What absorbs sewer smells?
The olfactory phenomenon of sewer gas odors can be attributed to either superficial or complex factors, contingent upon the specific odor emanating from the drains or sewer lines in question. To eradicate the malodor, a solution of hot water, baking soda, vinegar, and lemon should be introduced into the drain.
How do you neutralize sewer gas smell?
To eliminate the malodorous effluvium of sewer gases from one’s domicile, it is recommended to open windows to admit fresh air, utilize vinegar and baking soda to absorb the noxious odors, employ charcoal in bowls and scented odor eliminators to neutralize the malodor, and clean the sink overflow, which is a hole located underneath or across from the faucet. These measures facilitate the circulation of air and facilitate the elimination of the noxious odor associated with sewer gas.
How do you air out sewer gas?
Ensure your plumbing system has proper vents for the release of sewer gases, and regularly check them to ensure they are not blocked by debris or obstructed. Sewer gas smells can make your home feel unpleasant and uninviting, disrupting your peace of mind and making it difficult to relax. These odors can indicate a more serious problem in the plumbing system and can be caused by several factors.
Is breathing sewer gas harmful?
High concentrations of hydrogen sulfide can cause death and loss of consciousness, while methane in enclosed areas can cause suffocation due to decreased oxygen levels. Sewer gas, a mix of toxic and nontoxic gases, forms when household and industrial waste decays. Highly toxic components include hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, while other components include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide. Municipal and privately owned treatment systems can also contain these gases.
Is smelling sewer gas harmful?
Sewer gas exposure can cause severe health effects, including tiredness, irritated eyes, coughing, nausea, shortness of breath, headaches, irritability, memory issues, and dizziness. Higher concentrations can lead to severe health issues, including loss of consciousness, respiratory distress, coma, or even death. Even minor exposures to sewer gas can cause serious health issues if someone already has a respiratory illness.
If the leak issue causing sewer gas leaks into your home is not resolved, you may continue to experience these symptoms. Therefore, it is crucial to address the leak issue to prevent further health risks.
Is it safe to stay in a house that smells like sewer?
The presence of sewage odors in residential settings may signify a significant underlying problem, which, if left unaddressed, could potentially result in adverse outcomes such as fires or explosions. These incidents, if they occur, would undoubtedly entail considerable financial costs associated with fire restoration services. This odor is distinctive in comparison to other common household odors.
📹 Sewer Gas Smell Vent Pipe
Http://www.AsktheBuilder.com founder, Tim Carter, a master plumber since 1981 shares a tip from his …
Thank you for sharing this information. Five years ago I had this problem and my nephew installed a link pipe to my underfloor main sewer line and installed a radon fan with a four inch stink pipe affixed on the back of my house controlled by a regular light switch on my back porch. Expensive but it worked. Wish the p pipe was in our “tool bag” back then. God bless you and your family sir.
So glad I came across your article. Have had sewer smell in the house every time the furnace comes on. Checked P traps all over the house, changed the wax ring at the toilet a few times. Went as far as replacing the toilet, all with no positive results. I opened the septic tank lid and there was a T on the inlet pipe. I have put a temporary seal on the top of the T. Hopefully this fixes our problem. Is there any drawback from sealing that end of it?
Hi Ben! I’m a single female living alone in central Texas. I have a single wide trailer. I often get a wif of sulfur from the front of my house, outside. My septic tank is far behind the house. No smell inside. Should I put the 90 degree elbow in my 750 gallon septic tank or raise the roof, vent pipe?
We continue to have a sulfur-like smell in our house and it’s driving us insane! We’ve had 3 separate plumbing companies unable to diagnose. Their only recommendation is to spend $4-$5k on a smoke test. We just can’t afford that right now. We originally thought we’d found the source of the issue. We found the EXACT smell coming from inside our sumo drain line outside. There are attic vents just above that line. We cleaned and unclogged that line and the smell went away for a few days. Well, it returned with a vengeance in our utility room. Could the smell be coming from my sump basin?? We’ve pretty much exhausted all other potential sources. Also, the smell usually worsens after it rains, when it’s muggy, or when the heater is on. It usually only smells in the utility room and the 2 levels directly up from the utility room in a bedroom. Your input is worth gold at this point!!
can sewer gas damage your body. I had sewer gas leaking into my house because of a big trees roots in front of my house and the the sewer and gas was backing up into the pipes. i eventually had to move out of my house because it was making me so sick. I eventually affter a few months called the fire department and they found it was sewer gas… the town had the street dug up wthin a week and then i had to put a new sewer line it…However, I think the sewer gas damaged my body. I read that sewer gas takes the oxygen out of your body and can cause alot of health problems.. I wish I would have moved out sooner, but I couldn’t afford lving in a hotel while paying a mortgage.
Mr. Grumpy We installed a new toilet almost two years ago, and since then, after 5-6 months, the water level in the toilet goes low, starts bubbling, and eventually won’t flush. We have spent so much money calling cesspool services to drain it, using chemicals, and replacing the septic cover. I contacted the guys who installed the toilets; they removed the toilet and made some adjustments, which worked for another 5-6 months, but the problem has returned. We have three bathrooms: one upstairs, one on the main floor, and one in the garage (which is closer to the septic and cesspool). The garage bathroom flushes fine, but it smells horrible. The main floor bathroom, which has the new toilet, is the problem. Wastewater from the main bathroom flows toward the garage bathroom and then to the septic tank, so why can’t the middle toilet flush while the garage and upstairs toilets work fine? I don’t understand this problem. Is it a vent issue or something else? Please help me resolve this issue. Thank you!
Hi Jim We get a strong sewer smell in our home during the occasional rain but not all the time sometimes it seems the smell is coming from HVAC system, when heat is on. We are on septic which has been pump and cleaned the furnace in basement is near sump pump which keeps ground water in it during the winter I mention that bcuz we don’t know if the HVAC is drawing the odor from the sump pump. Plumbers who have come out seem not to be interested in exploring the issue bcuz there was no smell at the time of appointment and no plumber will go on the roof to check vent stack, p traps seems to be ok, wax rings on toilets all have been changed there is never the smell of sewer outside in yard no indication of septic issues
thank you soooo much Jim the grumpy plumber love this now if it wasn’t 20 below due to the windchill I could fix the smell now… unfortunately it is and with strong wind and my septic lids drawing frost I believe I am stuck with the smell for now…… never had it this bad and I am sure the cold is part of the issue…. plus a fairly recent pump out leaves not enough turds to produce much heat😂😂😂😂😂 so hoping the pipe from the house stays open….. yes it’s the cold snap after weeks of basically no winter this year… el Nino turned into el freezo!
Hi Jim, I have sewer gas coming up and actually am suffering from hydrogen sulfide poisoning. I am having a hard time getting my land lord to believe that this is a real thing. Any advice on what to do. The symptoms are just getting worse, I’m to the point of wearing a mask in my home….. Help!!!!!!
We don’t have septic, we are connected to city sewer. I can sometimes smell sewer smell in the air outside. I can smell it in a shed connected to the house where a sanitary pipe exits the bathroom directly above. There is what appears to be a vent coming out of the ground next to that sanitary pipe, plus, there’s another vent right outside of the shed. Any suggestions about what could be causing this odor?
hey jim 3 months after installing new septic tank and mound system we get strong sewer smell in our basement where pipe goes to take, we tried everything but cant stop or track down cause… smell gets a lot worst at night after everybody showers. i want to try the 90 in tank but i seen a lot of people say it creates a double trap and will cause other traps in house to fail. and another concern without fresh air intake where will gas go when they build up? what are your thoughts? thanks alot going on 1 full year trying get rid of sewer gas in house and still living in it
I just got a new house. There’s a rotten egg smell when I turn on the hot water, but not cold water. I have a 11 year old water heater. Will it fix the smell if I get a new water heater and replace the anode rod every 3-4 years? If I replace it with the instant hot water, will it never smell like eggs? Thanks!!!
Hi grumpy plumber, thanks a lot for the tips. I have a septic tank recently installed and it has an air pump, I have bad smell in my house at night, particulary when it is warm during the day and cold at night, I put a vent pipe in the garden in the inlet of the tank, and the bad smell persists. I do not have access to install the solution inside the septic tank. would it work to make a trap underground in the garden with the pipe between the house and the septic tank? Hope you can help me!!
I’m a happy man because of you, I bought a house 4 years ago and it’s been hard to find a solution to the sewer smell in my house and I had planned to sell the house due to the smell until I watched your article and did what you showed in the article and I can proudly say all my problems with the smell is goin. It just cost me $6 and I want to say thank you so so much and stay blessed, you are the best.
Hey, great website and great article! I have a quick question for you, but I have to rant a bit about my situation… and maybe this will help someone else experiencing similar. I’m on city sewer and have been dealing with this problem, off-and-on, for the last 10 years. It seems to be seasonal, and even related to the weather. I am about a block away from the sewer lift station, but my home is the lowest point on the street, even the lift station is higher. My home is also shorter than my neighbors, and consequently, my vent is a bit lower… I seem bear the brunt of sewer gas wafting out the vent nearest the road. None of my neighbors have the same complaints. The only thing that really helps is when the city runs the lift station fan to help purge gases, but it’s not always helpful. It’s worse at night when everyone in the neighborhood is showering and doing dishes, plus the atmospheric conditions at night appear to allow it to settle right near my front door and yard. The city recently started injecting a chemical into the sewer system to help prevent gases, but that hasn’t really helped. They won’t install a check-valve because they say it’s not really a “problem”, and conversely, would cause me to experience main-line clogs. My question for you is… my vent pipe seems to be covered by a lead fascia/shroud… it comes up and over the pipe, and is bent down inside the pvc pipe. How exactly would I go about adding a cap in this scenario? Would it benefit me to try and raise the pipe higher, as weird as that would look?
Tim, thanks for article. We have sewer smell inside one bathroom in 2 bathroom home. Bathrooms are right next to each other . We replaced the wax seal, checked under the house for leaks, no leaks. We have a septic tank system. These smells coma and go. We ran water in in shower and sinks to fill those P traps to no avail. What could solve the problem?
I have a different question. We are planning to have a metal roof installed and the roofer suggested we remove and reroute our 4″ vent stack a bathroom exhaust to the gable end of our home, which is 25’ away. It may be helpful to know we have a conditioned attic and live in a northern climate. What are your thoughts about this?
Well i am very intrigued as we have the odour issue and its in our bedroom as the septic is just outside our window and the vent is directly above us in the roof. We live in rural Ontario, cold climate, lots if snow. I understand the reason for removing in the winter, but as some others – our odour is much worse in the winter. We have a wood burning fireplace just outside our door so i am assuming the “draft pull” from the chimney is pulling in the odour. So not sure how to solve my winter issue with your “removal” recommendation. Robert.
Hey Tim, Great stuff, we have been smelling the horrible gas/sewage smell for a few years now but only outside when on our back deck and especially in the fall/winter seasons. Never had the smell inside our house though, so would we still smell this odor outside? The vent is on the backside of the house which is where our deck is located and occasionally we get the smell and it’s unbearable, every day really. Thanks for any insight. I’m definitely going to try this but wanted to get your advice on the smell outside the home. Thanks a lot Josh
Hi, hope you will see this comment. We have a 4 -Storey Building and the plumbing is vented out the roof. However at times there is a sewer smell in the groundfloor rooms. We have temporarily installed a fan at the top of the vent to force more air out and this has solved the issue for now. But it seems to be only treating the symptom. What would you suggest we do? Thanks!
Hi Tim, I really appreciate all of your content, thank you very much! I’m having this issue with the front vent pipe of my house, it’s constant and so bad I can’t even be in the front of my house if the wind isn’t blowing the gas in the opposite direction (issues is a 10 of 10 level)! I’m definitely going to try your idea! I’ve tried the Odor Hog and it does absolutely nothing, the odor is that strong and it’s sad because we love our home. Two neighbors directly to the east of our home (very large attached condos) are having the same issue so our corner of the cul-de-sac is really bad. My question is, could this be a city sewer issue if so what could potentially be the issue? This is my 3rd home and I’ve never experienced this issue. Thank You Sir!
Hi Ask the builder, I added a bathroom and this is a new roof vent that was added to vent the toilet, shower and sink, its coming in off a fork from the main line leading out to the street, about 50 feet of new 4 pipe leading back the new bathroom, this new vent on the roof is for that new bathroom. The work was done by an experienced plumber and passed inspection, but this vent has a MUCH stronger smell than the three existing ones on my house, Why would this be? I’m trying your cap idea on this one pipe.
I’m here to say this tip is 💯💯🔥!! I was very skeptical about covering my vent pipes as I always assumed they were open for a reason and flowed in one direction..outwards! I placed the exact rubber caps with clamps and drilled a 1/4 inch hole in each and 5 days out NOT A SINGLE ODOR and all fixtures appear to be operating at maximum efficiency! Thank you so very much Sir for your expertise and time put in this article as you literally saved me 1000’s
My vent pipe (2″ dia.) terminates in the basement of the house, built in 1950, I recently purchased. There is no smell in the basement, only in the bathroom which is upstairs. I discovered a PVC cap loosely sitting on the pipe opening. After perusal this article, I removed the cap, only to find the smell became much worse, filling the entire ground floor with stench; the house is single-story. I then placed the PVC cap firmly onto the vent pipe, and, the smell completely dissipated within 20-30 minutes. I then observed how the toilet flushed, noticing a slight degradation of its’ flushing action, but surprisingly not that much. I then removed the cap, drilled a 1/8″ hole in its center, and firmly placed it back on the vent pipe. So far, there is no smell and the toilet seems to be flushing normally. I normally keep all my bathroom sink and bathtub drains closed when not in use. I opened them to see if the smell comes out of them. There is a smell but it is very slight, less than what had emanated from them before capping the vent in the way I previously described. Water drains from them normally as well. I Hope this helps others.
I ve been having a stinky bathroom for the winter. We‘re at the top of a hill so we get all the sewer gas. Sometimes I can smell it outside. Definitely when I’m on the roof. We have a washer in the bathroom. I figured that was it. But it didn’t smell behind the washer. I installed a one way flap and it still happened. Figured, maybe wax ring. Changed it twice and caulked around the base. Still get random sewer gas smell. I went on the roof and filled in the gap between the flashing and the sewer pipe. While up there I noticed my bathroom vent fan is only a few inches from the sewer vent. I think I’m pulling the gas in on days the wind blows that way.
Tim, we built a new home on our country cabin lot in 2016 and have been having the sewage odor issue since then. I though it was a leaching field issue but could not fine the source but narrowed it down to the vent stack. I installed the cap as you directed and have not had the issue since. I just wanted to thank you for such great advice.
Enjoyed the article, a new subscriber! I do not have a septic system but I still have a strong smell of sewer gas on the main floor bathroom that has a shower that is very really ever used. I let the shower run for a few minutes every once in a while and that seems to help but lately it’s pretty nasty ! Wondering what your thoughts are ? Thanks
I live in New Hampshire. I’ve been extremely frustrated with a sewer gas smell in my yard when it gets cooler out in the fall. It continues in the winter as well. It’s disgusting. When I take the dog out or have family over I don’t want to smell it.. I’ve tried a charcoal filter cap and all that did was back the smell up into the house. If this cap with a hole in it works, why would I have to take it off in the winter?
I’m desperate for answers. Brand new build. Sewer smell coming into the house through the air vents when air is circulating. Not every day but often and every day this past week. It’s been 6 months of this problem and builder cannot solve it. Says it’s a wind issue. They put an extension on the roof stink pipe as they thought maybe the air intake was sucking the sewer gases into the house. That did not solve it. We are on a septic system. Plumbers and HVAC have been here. No solutions. Smell is horrible and nauseating. We can’t live like this.
? What? How is this a fix? As you said, it’s still going to vent there, what difference is this supposed to make? It smells like dead animals outside my house. For the past couple years I figured the family of ground hogs died underground somewhere. Just did a bunch of work on my roof and the smell is coming from the vents. It would make more sense if the solution was to have taller pipes. It’s too low for a one story house, which is why you can smell it often outside. If you’re smelling it inside your house I don’t see what this is supposed to do either.
Awesome advice and thank you for sharing this with us. i just had my septic pumped and now our vent pipes are gassing the neighborhood. Our neighbors actually called the gas company cuz they thought there was a gas leak. I had a plumbing company come out and they put a studor vent on ine of the vent pipes now the smell is coming out of one of the other pipe vents. The guy that pumped the tank said dump a gallon of bleach down the sink and that didnt work so i started googling and this article came up so i will try this and if it works i will post another comment. One question i have though is what if we have multiple vents? Do we cap all of them and put a hole in all of them with this method?
Man this might work but it very bad advice! It wont take much to clog up a little hole, and now you have no venting for your plumbing system. Also asking a homeowner to climb on their roof that often is like talking to a tree, even if you tell them that little hole will freeze over in the winter, and why our vents are sized the way they are.
It works great, I been doing this for a couple of years now after seeing this article. Sorta sucks when the winter months show up I have to take them off like you said but summer time on the deck is very nice not having to smell the sewer gases while setting on the deck. Thanks for the great advice it works perfectly.
I would be greatful for any advice as i am trying to solve my elderly mother’s toilet tank overflowing issue. It only happens when her clothes washer is filling. With the toilet tank lid off, you can see the clean water rising as the clothes washer in the next room is filling with water! The water overflows the tank and drains down onto the floor from the toilet flush lever. Once the clothes washer tub fills and water shuts off from that, said toilet stops filling. Just in case there is a question about this there is no problem with flushing the toilet. It’s all involving clean water backing up somehow from the clothes washer over filling the tank and spilling onto the floor. Shutting off the water below the toilet tank has been the only fix so far. It’s a pain to have to turn it back on to flush the toilet then turn it off again to avoid the issue described above yeahAny idea what’s going on?
Hi Sir, I have a septic tank on ground floor. And right above it on first floor we have our toilet. Now the problem is that the builder build a GAS PIPE from from septic tank n due to that all the gas is coming directly to toilet as the pipe from toilet to tank is straight. We tried to make another space for Ventilation in d pipe but now we have smell in ground n first floor both. Can u give me ur suggestion
Ours smells inside the house at any given time throughout the year. It just started the past few weeks and has gotten worse. We don’t open the windows in the summer spring or fall as it’s too dusty for my wife’s allergies. We have a septic system and wondered if the smell is coming from it somehow through the basement pit ad in through the A/C. It comes and goes throughout the year but for some reason, when the wind blows or we haven’t had rain for awhile, it gets bad. Can I vent the clean out caps to help air flow from the septic or is that a no no? Help please! Thank you!
Thank you, I am from a cold climate and we have been having severe problems with the septic smell especially after someone showers and in the winter you will smell it far worse than summer. So we used your tip but instead of putting holes in the top we put two small holes in the sides and we haven’t had a problem since. Thank you:) your awesome.
I haven’t tried your solution yet and I am a woman renting a 1 bedroom house. But I have done everything in my power to clean drain. I took the trap apart and cleaned it good and put the vinegar and boiling water and bleach. Then the sani sticks which actually work sometimes, but it seems that at monsoon season here in Arizona nothing is getting that prwtred smell out from under the sink vanity So this would be my last hope.
No, that didn”t work. Inside my home it smell like sewage and up on the roof the vent pipes smell like sewage coming out of it. It is real bad. All p traps have water in it. The smell gets real bad when it windy, raining and cold outside. i snake all the pipes found no clogged and disconnects. What more can I do to solve this problem. Sleepless
Hi, Colonial home with one vent on 1 and 1/2 bathrooms. The 1/2 bath on first floor has sewer smell coming from sink. Pulled and cleaned P trap. No change. Going to check vent tomorrow. If I cover vent and I have someone flush toilet. Would that vacuum help clear blockage? Can I clear with garden hose? We have had some stormy weather in Central Massachusetts over past month. Many trees around home.
okay i recently bought a home and notice the smell at first but seen there was a ton of water under that house and took the smell for stagnated water or how ever its spelled. well it was not it. i noticed that there is multiple sewage lines and the one that is allowing sewage gas back through my shower i installed a aav underneath the house and it help for a min but i can still feel a breezes coming from the shower drain what am i doing wrong the only thing that is ran too the line i am talking about is the toilet and shower. installing it i used a 1 1/2″ y pipe and ran it inline with the shower drain i put the vent cap up toward the floor the smell is driving me crazy not to mention the nagging coming from the wife i figure that would fix it. have one more 1 1/2″ aav but tbh i am stomped on what could be causing it. any input would be great
The smell is in the basement and at the top of the stairs, we smell no odor outside, it’s inside, it comes and goes, but when the smell does come back, it gets in the heat vent system and can be smelled throughout the whole house. I think the vent pipe might be clogged or partially clogged. Not sure what to do.
Hi Tim, I do not have a main exhaust pipe in my home. I am on a septic system and have a crawl space where inside the craw space I have two air admittance valves on two different drain pipes. I want to encapsulate my crawlspace to dehumidify it and remove mold so the crawl space vents will be closed but of course there will be an access door. The crawl space is 1800 square feet. The septic also does not have an exhaust pipe on it but it does have an inspection pipe 4′ away from the septic yet it has a screw cap on it. Will I need to add an exhaust pipe to my system and if so, where do they go? Can I drill a hole in the inspection cap? Can I leave it as is? Thank You.
I just purchased a mobile home with a metal roof and I see no roof vents coming out of it. Not sure where they are venting at but my kitchen sink wasn’t draining very fast and I noticed they put a pvc cap on where the vent should have been under the sink. I drilled a hole in it but now my house smells like sewer. Should I punch a hole and stub it out the wall?
We bought a new construction home in summer 2020. Last winter 2020 we noticed our main floor bathroom stunk on cold and windy days. This year we are noticing it again. It really stinks in just that one bathroom, not the basement or 2nd floor bathrooms below and above it (or the master on the other side of the house that has a different vent pipe above it). This builder forgot to connect a basement bar rough in to the vent pipe after doing an inspection pressure test which we found after doing a smoke test. No smoke was noticed in this particular bathroom however. Is it possible that the vent pipe in the roof is just too short and therefore cold windy air is pushing the smell back in? Or is it more likely that a wax seal is bad on this particular toilet? We have 3 bathrooms on this side of the house presumably on the same vent pipe and only this main floor bathroom stinks. We have an 18 month old conventional septic system outside which does not smell outdoors. Thanks for any advice.
@Ask the Builder The place I’m living in (overseas) was NOT ONLY built before any codes were put in, managed to put the drain pipe from the apartment above mine, through my kitchen, and it’s connected to my sink. The result is, that, when the pipe burps, it smells like an open sewer (it may be hooked up to their toilet upstairs. Since I don’t and CAN’T communicate with the above stairs neighbors, I was wondering if I could put a “choke plate” like you find on the air intake on a carburetor so let the water flow in one direction but works as a baffle for gas coming back the other way (almost like a gate valve but more of a swing gate/baffle. Does something like that already exist? What’s it called? Is there a brand you can recommend?
What about when the smell is coming from the inside basement bathroom? The roughed in plumbing was already done before we purchased the house. We put in the new bathroom and the smell is strong in the bathroom. When using the tub, it floods the next room over (Laundry room) from the drain in the floor.Only in the winter (Cold place). In the summer we do not get the oder.
Thank you so much. I purchased a new house and I was dealing with this problem for a decade. Recently, I thought of removing the pipe far from the house entrance, but it was required lots of work and cost. Just realized to see if there is any Youtube article about it and found yours. I did what you said and it was a miracle. It’s been a week. it cut 100% of the smell. None of the family members experience the smell anymore. Thank you so much. It was a great fix.
This is very interesting, and I’m trying to convince myself 3/8inch is big enough. Can you help me to understand the math behind this? Let’s take a simple example – a toilet with say 15 feet of vent pipe. What is the way to calculate minimum hole size (or minimum air needed) to flush the standard amount of water? and I assume the equation changes depending on length of venting?
Very nice information. Just built a house and have same gas smell in the yard. Ive tried charcoal filter and it worked good in the summer but when it freezes out with alittle water in the air it freezes causing our drains to burp. Im going to try your method as I think being here in Mo we dont get alot of big snows and the heat from the baths would thaw out the vent hole and it would be efficient during those cold months
We have a bad smell outside of our house only when somebody is showering. I’ve verified it is coming from the vent pipe on the front of the house. We also have a vent pipe on the back of the house…this is the bathroom with the shower. I’ve tried to get a plumber here with no luck. They just say it’s normal. Well this smells like death. Guests have asked us what that smell is. One plumber said put a 4 foot extension on the vent pipes. Not sure I want a 4 foot pipe coming out of my roof! I want to try your solution. So, my question, do I try this on BOTH vents or just the one that smells?
We’re on the city sewer system and our home has two vent pipes. Both of them stink but one really reeks. We put a 2-foot PVC extender pipes on them which has helped some, but we’re still experiencing the issue. Here’s my question: Do you take these off in the winter because snow and ice can block the small hole, or is it because the moisture in the vented gases will freeze and block the small hole? Reason I’m asking is because it would be easier to put the cap on and then drill a couple of small holes in the vent pipe extension immediately beneath the cap, rather than through the cap – then I could potentially leave them on all winter. Great article, btw. Thx!!!
Hello. Love the idea, but I heard of another one. It’s called the “Studor Air Admittance Valve.” If I install one of these at the P-traps, would it bypass the vent? If yes, would the gas smells be cut off? I’m thinking I will need to cap the vents, like what you show, but not drill a hole in them. I bought an OLD house and the odor in one room has soured the carpet. It stinks when the weather shifts and happens mostly at night, when the sun goes down. What a God send you are.