Septic Fun

[Renze]

Renze,

Great story!!!! I don't mean to take pleasure in your pain, but you made me laugh at how you suffered and will now be traumatized for life when you smell that brand of deodorant

In USA TV commercials, dont they warn the audience like "dramatization is applied" or something ??

Anyways, the idea is fading now.. sometimes its just a matter of flipping the inner switch

 

[WVBill]

Fireplum, Now I have heard another name for a Mechanical vent. (Pro Vent, Perth Vent). I wander what other names they are called in diff. parts of the country? Terry

Around here (Eastern Panhandle of WV and Northern Virginia) they're called "Studor Vents" or generic name "Air Admittance Valves"

WVBill

 

[Lasgambler]

WVBill, Thank You, I knew I was forgetting one that I knew. "Studor".
I have not heard "Air Admittance Valve" Makes sense though.
Terry

 

[Redneck in training]

My brother's wife once flushed something (most likely bleach) to a toilet and killed bacteria in the septic. Even though the problem was located to septic itself his house smelled very bad. It took almost whole season to restore the septic to working order.

 

[dynasim]

I believe that putting bacteria and yeast into the tank will cause "outgassing"(bubbling, fizzing, etc.). If your tank itself is unvented, that gas is going to end up in your house.

Chris

 

[gemini5362]

I believe that putting bacteria and yeast into the tank will cause "outgassing"(bubbling, fizzing, etc.). If your tank itself is unvented, that gas is going to end up in your house.

Chris

Maybe i am wrong but wont your stack vent allow that gas to escape up in the air above your house. I thought that was one of the purposes of those vents. My septic tank is unvented and I have never had a problem with smells. We put rid x in on a regular basis to promote yeast growth

 

[KiotiAcres]

Oh, I'm here! I was just enjoying the stories

We're no further in really identifying the smell. It has warmed up a bit, which helps. And my folks have developed systems for opening certain windows and venting the house for it to be tolerable.

All of the suggestions listed have been tried. Right now we're in the process of removing sections of wall, etc, trying to check vents that are buried within. Working on Eddie's theory that it is an issue with vent joint.

Had a septic/plumber out, he inspected the same things we did. Hasn't found anything yet. We've explored all visible element of the system. Now going for those that are not visible. Also going to try to smoke it to check for leaks.

Fun stuff, thaks for the all the suggestions.

 

[CurlyDave]

Do you think one of these would find the source? TIF Instrument TIF8900 Combustible Gas Detector

 

[jinman]

I quickly scanned all the responses and didn't notice anyone saying to check the HVAC condensation drain. Mine drains into my sewer. In the winter when there is no condensation, that trap dries out and allows the HVAC system to draw air straight from the sewer vent. I redid mine so I can pour in water to keep it hydrated in the winter. Smelly problem solved. . . .

 

[schmism]

We have had problems with our toilet seals "leaking" gas but not water.

when we moved in to our trailer the old partical board sub floor had failed so that the toilet was reclining nicely. the Floor, insulation all stunk. It took months after i replaced the toilet for the smell to go away. After that depending on weather conditions we would get a whiff of septic. turns out when i replaced the toilet and put new floor down the was ring had missed a section no larger than about 1/4" not enough to leak water, but if the wind was blowing just right over the roof vent it would kinda back pressure the vents and push a slight smell up through that area.

Its also my experience that it takes SOME time for the smell to dissapate.

Some mentioned dead mouse. My experience is this. *MY* septic has a more "harsh" smell that kinda has a tinge to it in the nose. On the other hand, the dead mouse has a rich deep stink smell, without the "tinge" (i know trying to describe smells, bout the best i can do... hope it helps)

 

[steveoutdoorrec]

That dead mouse smell can linger for a long time. I once helped with a bottle drive for the local school and there was 1 dead mouse in a beer bottle. It was only in my wife's van for about 20 minutes but the smell lasted for a week of driving with the windows open 24 hours a day.

That's why when I have to deal with them in the house or outbuildings I use a bait that will drive them out of the building for water. They have a tendency to die inside a wall and smell for a while.

Quick story: during a visit to my great-grandma's place in Va one summer there was a very bad smell coming from somewhere. So my ever so proper grandmother crawled around sniffing the floor like a hound dog until she pinpointed where it was strongest. It was strongest in the dinning room so my dad crawled into the crawlspace and came out with a mostly decomposed possium. He said that it was all he could do to keep lunch down.

 

[Gator6x4]

Is the primaryheating source for the residence fuel oil or propane? A malfunctioning propane furance can omitt a foul smelling ordor.

 

[rox]

The pllumbing over here in France is very wierd. No vents and the bathrooms jsut seem to stink more than I am used to. I hesitate to say this since you already had a plumber over but since it is such a simple thing to do I'll offer it. My husband learned this trick from the plumber he useed at his restaurant. We have one toilet in our house that for some reason or another starts stinking so we heat up huge pots, as many as we can fit on the stove at one time, of boiling water, carry them into the bathroom and then my husbqnd and I pour at the same time to get a lot of continual pressure going. It seems that the shower and sink are tied into the same exite pipe as the toilet so we run the water in the shower and the sink and pour the boiling water down the toilet. We don't knwo why but it always works. The stink goes away for a pretty long time, 3 to 4 months and then when it starts to stink up again we jsut repeat.

I sincerely hope you keep us updated on what this turns out to be. I am always disapointed in the people who post, get all into thier problem and then never come back and supply the ending. We have had to have the rotorruter guys come out also. We have a complicated sewer system with a lift pump and all. I gladly let my husband take care of those issues.

 

[KiotiAcres]

Oh, it's no mouse/rat. I know that stink well.

There's no HVAC in the house.

Still no complete solution. But we've yet to tear through all of the vents. My money is on a leaky vent or some yet undiscovered leak (read in the walls, etc).

We'll see, I'll post when we find it!

 

[capt jack]

You funny Europians. If someone tried to throw a 50lb weiner pig into my septic tank I would throw a fit. That's BBQ.

The first turd is all the bacteria that your tank needs.


A dead piglet, sheesh.

I agree with Highbeam, cook the pigs, and throw a politician in the septic tank, might help solve several problems!! WARNING: use state or national politicians only... "most" city/school officals still serve for the right reasons.
(Except Chicago).

Jack

 

[KiotiAcres]

Well, there's been some success. Why, we're not totally sure. But smell free for almost a week now. Many things could have contributed (introducing bacteria, clearing vents, etc). But one significant major addition was adding essentially a P Trap near the Septic Tank, on the main line between house and tank.

It's not necessarily a cleanable trap, but does work to form a water-based vapor filter... Just FYI if someone runs into a similar issue.

 

[rox]

Well, there's been some success. Why, we're not totally sure. But smell free for almost a week now. Many things could have contributed (introducing bacteria, clearing vents, etc). But one significant major addition was adding essentially a P Trap near the Septic Tank, on the main line between house and tank.

It's not necessarily a cleanable trap, but does work to form a water-based vapor filter... Just FYI if someone runs into a similar issue.

Hey great! I am sur your parents are happy to get the stink out. I am very suspecious that we get stink out of one bathroom because I suspsect the pipe is not angled down enough so the debris hangs around in the pipe. Once in a while when we throw the boiling water down it clears out the pipe and things move for a while. Again congratulations on getting the issue resolved.

 

[rimshot]

Sheesh! What's everybody so upset about? Everybody has a smelly septic tank. Well, maybe not mine.(grin)

Could the smell just be downdrafting from your roof vent. Is your vent pipe on the leeward side of your house? If so and the peak is between the wind and the vent pipe it could simply be coming down from the peak and pushing the smell down. This happens frequently around these parts (for everybody but me of course) especially after a large amount of water drains into the tank like after doing a load of clothes.

You don't need a leak in a pipe for a septic tank to be stinking.........but it helps some!

rimshot (thinks his $h#t doesn't stink)

 

[johnnylight]

Just another thought has any of your neighbors sprayed any repelents??
They have a strong septic smell example deer repelent liquid fence.
**** that stuff stinks...

Do you have a trap?

I had the same issue a trap solve the issue.
My stink was coming from the vent on the roof vent.

 

[johnnylight]

Hey congrats --I see you fix the problem.