gaseous smells

[Chris Barclay]

I had what seemed to be metane gas smells coming from my bathtub overflow . I removed the bathtub,capped the drain, and cemented it in. I have three other bathrooms and do not necessarily need this one. It seemed to work until the day got warmer and the smell returned. I removed the toilet, put a new wax seal and still have the same smell. I am so discouraged. The vent closet has the smell when I get on the roof below the roof vent. When I took sheetrock off, there did not seem to be any fumes in the walls around the 4 inch vent pipe. How can you check this pipe in case there are stress cracks are bad glue joints. I am wainting on a plumber, but until then the fumes are almost unbareable. thks Andy

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ANDY

[nicktheplumberParticipant]

Andy,

The persistence of the sewer gas smell AFTER capping and “cementing” in the tub drain is strange. I assume you do not have other fixtures in the room that could be releasing the odor…or do you? You aolso said you “cemented” in the drain. Does that mean it is in a concrete slab and you filled it in with concrete? Or do you mean you have plastic drain pipes and cemented on a cap?

If the smell returned during a heavy rain this indicates a problem with your waste and vent lines (you are probably running roof water runoff into your sewer).

There are too many possible problems and your description of the setup is not precise enough for me or anyone else to make an accurate diagnosis.

NtP

[popeyeParticipant]

WELL, I tore out all the old 4inch vent pipe and to my amazement, when I cut the bottom section of the pipe, it just hung there. Someone had installed cabinets on the other side and screwed two big screws into the 4 inch vent pipe. Does it take awhile for all the fumes to disappear. The severe smell is gone, but their is still a faint odor left. I really hate this smell and wished plumbers were easier to get out for service in this area. I guess there is too much work for too few plumbers. There is a crack in the cement floor and I have even been sniffing it to see if some more fumes are coming up. I can at least sit here and send you this reply, as before I could not bear to be in this room, but there still is a slight smell. It has been two days since the removal of the pipe and I just now replaced the sheetrock. Tks so much for your reply. I take my hat off to plumbers. I would not want to be around those gaseous smells dayin and day out for nothing. My air condition just came on and I think some of the smell is in the vents. Tks again

[sgrabielParticipant]

Try a charcoal activated filter to eliminate those odors.

[popeyeParticipant]

I don’t know which plumber did this work, but I think the glue got to him real bad. I finally tore out the lavatory and started cutting pipe to replace. The drain plug that was screwed in just popped out. The plumber that did the work for this man before I purchased this home two months ago, did not cement the plug adapter into the drain pipe. I hope and pray the other joints are firmily cemented in. I cut out as many joints as I could and will replace them them with as few as possible. I am surely not a plumber, but this was truly a poor job by a licensed plumber. I hope this is finally a solvent for my gaseous headaches. Where does one get a charcoal filter system and where does it go. Thanks so much for all of your patiences. Andy

[sgrabielParticipant]

http://www.odorhog.com makes a filter http://www.sweetair.com makes a filter as well

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