Sewer smell

[MasterPlumbersKeymaster]

We moved into our new home April 1, 2000. Ever since, at intermittent and seemingly random times, we experience an odor in our powder room that smells like a sewer or septic tank. Sometimes it is fairly faint, and is only smelled when we walk into the powder room; other times it is so strong we can smell it in the living room. The intalling plumber has investigated everything he can think of to find the cause, with no improvement so far. We are to the point of replacing the toilet, which is a Kohler Memoirs, to see if there is something defective with it. The odor comes with no apparent relationship to using the toilet or sink in the powder room. The hot water source is separate from the one for the kitchen and laundry, but does share the same source with the master bath. The powder room is on the main level over a heated, finished terrace level. I know nothing about plumbing, but it has our plumber stumped, and I would happily forward any suggestions you have!

to our plumber.

[GuestParticipant]

WE have a similar problem.. just bought new home Oct 2000, notice sewer smell coming from washing machine during washing load one time… now smell sewer smell coming from different toilets all though house.

hopefully someone has some suggestions?
Thanks

[GuestParticipant]

This is a follow-up which will hopefully trigger a response:
everytime you use the toilet and flush, a rancid, sewer like smell comes from toilet for up to 45 minutes to an hour after the flush. and then that same smell appears in other toilets upstairs immediately after the flush in the one toilet. And as I think I mentioned in the previous post, we have gotten the same smell on occasion in the washing machine as clothes are being washed. And even weirder, at the same time as the sewer smell was coming from the washing machine, a detergent, soapy smell was coming from the toilet in the bathroom adjacent to the laundry room.
The plumber has changed the wax seal on one toilet, and has totally re-installed a new toilet in another bathroom, with no changes so far.
Is it possible that a soft water system that we had installed could be a problem?
Please help!?

[GuestParticipant]

It could be a number of things like not enough vents on the main drain or syphonage could be occuring through a water sealed fixture which will smell if the water seal has been broken

[Wallingford Plm+HtgParticipant]

The first place I would look would be the venting system.Have someone look down the main vent stack on the roof,if you even have one!It is possible that the house was plumbed by a non professional without any permits.

[Author]

Posts