Chucky Mama Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 This is a bit of a bizarre one and a long one too - sorry but I am puzzled. Since the beginning of the year we have been getting a smell like sewage intermittently starting in our kitchen. It can fill the whole of the downstairs and part of upstairs at it's worst. It seems to be coming from 3 cupboards. It does not come up through the sink or dishwasher. A camera has been put through our drains and there is a 'little movement' of some joints but nothing dramatic (quoted £1,000 to reline them on the off chance that is the problem ). None of the drains are full or not draining properly with the exception of 1 storm drain in the garden. We have a private sewage treatment plant that has been checked and is apparently working normally. It has been suggested that an animal could have died in the wall cavity but surely it would have rotten by now and I would have thought that when the temperature was below freezing the smell would go. Strangely the smell often starts around 7pm but we are not doing anything around that time that is different. A draft was coming from these 3 cupboard so OH has blocked any gaps with foam but it hasn't made any difference. Help! does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this problem??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Could you have something in the cavity wall that might have expired and when the heat is turned up it gets a bit whiffy, it can take a long time for that sort of smell to go. Or as my DD had , water pooling under the house, it was solved by putting in a drainage ditch around the house where the flower beds went up to the walls.... so it couldn't gather so to speak , she hasn't had any whiffs this winter she is very happy to tell me when she sees me. Only other thing i can think of is a broken drain pipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 We once had a similar problem and it turned out to be the Ash tree and Willow tree in our neighbour's garden. They also caused subsidence of our house so worth thinking about. Their roots had worked their way into the drains and were blocking the flow. Maybe it's worse in the evening because more people are home and using facilities! Sadly, because we loved them, the trees were chopped down and the smell eventually went. Don't know if it was connected but I think it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superkitty Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 We had a problem with sewage smell in the house for about six months until a plumber found out that our main soil pipe had been vented into our loft rather than out through the roof Might that be worth a look? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Could there be a cavity under your house with either damp or a dead animal in it? Your mention of a draft makes me think this might be the case. Our house is Victorian, some in the street have cellars, some like mine have an 18" crawling space under the ground floor. We've had dead mice, kindly brought in by the cats and then left when they lost interest; the stink from one tiny mouse take ages to dissipate but it's a quite different pong from sewage. How old is you house and are there any land surveys of the area if it's fairly modern? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 I'd guess at sitting water under the house, recently the ground has been as wet as it's ever been and there is sitting water in places where there wouldnt normally be any. If the smell subsides with a few days of warmer drier weather that could be your answer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 I think Redwing is right. We get a similar whiff occasionally, and have had the floor boards up several times, and found a lake under the house, which eventually subsides .... along with the smell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 I've only once been in a building were there were dead rats rotting under the floor the smell was nothing like sewage ten times worst did the drainage guys ckeck the storm drain it's not unknow for someone to conect a washing machine to one or it could be you have and old disused sewer pipe under the kitchen thats not blanked off properly thats started to back up and leak but normaly once the sewage is in the soil the smell just builds up. A bad joint in the soil vent stack in more likly the cause.but in doesn't mean that it's leaking by were the smell is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 Thanks everyone for you replies, I really appreciate your suggestions. The house is 15 years old and we have been in if from new. We will investigate where the main soil pipe has been vented (thanks superkitty). There are no trees that we can see that might be causing a problem. We do apparently sit on the aquifer and the smell did start around the time of the first really heavy rains so sitting water is not out of the question. Last night at about 7pm the smell was vile but it went after about 30 minutes I can't understand why if it was standing water, it doesn't improve when the ground is frozen, perhaps it is the warmth from the house We are loathed to getting all sorts of people in to investigate as it could cost a fortune, apart from anything else, we can't predict when it is going to smell (often 7pm but not always). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Hmmm, the smell starting at a certain time makes me wonder if it's connected to others or your household using their drainage more at that time... kiddies' bath times for instance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 No, nothing goes on at that time, not even the washing machine or dishwasher. Last night we were all out and came back to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Neighbours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowberry Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Would any of the investigations be covered by your insurance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 We had cameras put down on our insurance, they found very little other than slight movement of a couple of joints. The chap blasted out a bit of grease and quoted £1,000 to reline the pipes 'just in case' it was an issue (he didn't think it was). Our insurers said they wouldn't pay as the problem was caused by grease and that was our fault. We said that is it was the grease, it was no longer there but the smell still was They have cocked a deaf ear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 it could be a blockage/slow running section of pipe down line from you but I'd expect a build up of sewer gases (which is more than likely the cause of a smell)to happen when the use of the sewer is at a low point so there's a build up of waste and gases or there could be a syphon effect on a waste trap under the sink bath etc or a toilet allowing gases to escape into the home that could be caused by a blockage somewere down line from you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 That is interesting sjp. 1 storm drain in our garden is quite high and not draining. There is a drain in the road further down from us that is discharging water from the top. Might this be causing us a problem? Our storm drain does not smell and it is no near where the smell is coming from. I called the water board yesterday to get them to check road drain out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 That could be the cause CM, although if it's the drain in the gutter you'll need to call the Highways Department for your area. I live on a hill and if the drains in our road aren't jetted once a year, they get blocked and the houses on the road at the bottom get flooding in their cellars. I usually ring them myself when I notice that the drains are blocked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 I just phoned Thames water who were going to check it out yesterday while I was out. They said they cancelled the job as it was Wessex Water's area. I phoned Wessex Water who say it's Thames Water. I phoned Thames Water who put me on hold while they argued with Wessex Water. Thames water have gone away to think about it Edit: they have thought about it and are coming out tomorrow to have a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 believe that when it happens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 You have my sympathy - our smell (posted some weeks back) appears to have abated - had all appliances out - no dead mices found (2 cats one who smuggles them in - in his mouth ) No suggestions - you seem to have thought of everything. Who do you pay for your water? Surely whoever receives your hard earned money should do the job. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 Literally just got a call from Thames water ...they now say it's not them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Literally just got a call from Thames water ...they now say it's not them... that could be right I'm with South Staffs water but the sewers passed to Severn Trent a year or so back. road drains as already stated are council highways job to sort out is the smell sewage or rancid/sour water smell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 is the smell sewage or rancid/sour water smell difficult to say for sure. The guy that put the camera down said he though it could be sewage gas or foul water. Thames water have gone away to have another think - they have come back to me and are not accepting ownership. I will try the Highways guys on Monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Would it be worth contacting Ofwat the water ombudsman to see who is responsible? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 I'm not sure that Ofwat would know TBH; waste water or 'run-off' comes under highways... just to confuse matters Reminds me of the old nickname for the DHSS - 'Department of Stealth and Total Obscurity' Ours is covered by the highways department at Bicester - a good half an hour from here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
