- This topic has 2 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 20 years, 10 months ago by
Retired plbg1.
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Darren K. Pardue
After a long steady rain, we get a sewer gas odor in our downstairs den. The odor seems to originate from the crawl space under that part of the house (which is inaccessable). I can also smell it to a lessor degree in the attic above that part of the house (probably coming up the walls).
The problem seems to have begun right after our street was completely torn out and replaced as part of a city-wide street and infrastructure replacement program.
Our plumbers doubted that it was related to the rain and thought it might be a dead animal, but that theory has been eliminated since the odor has always occured after a good rain for the past three years!
What could cause this odor? Any suggestions on a course of action? Could it be related to the street program or is that just coincidence?
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If there is a horizontal drain in your crawl space, and the piping is cast iron, the top of the piping might have a hairline crack or the top of piping might be gone.
Very possible and sometimes common in areas where residential nieghborhoods abut commercial or industrial plants.
A smoke test in your sewer system would be your best bet. If you smell smoke in the house in that area, there is a good chance that my theory is right.
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Dunbar is on the right track. One thing I want to ask do you have combination storm & Sanitary sewers there, that could explain why you smell it more when it rains. The sewer gets over loaded and forces the smell into your pipe and if the pipe leaks you smell it more, have the smoke test are water test done.
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