LimerickMan
Registered User
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- 20
I'm presuming that you have the typical en suite with a shower, toilet and basin. How often would each be used? If one of these is used infrequently, the downpipe from it could dry up. Normally, the water in the pipe acts as a block to odours coming back up the pipe.
As incorrectly mentionned previously, the downpipes are always dry. Bad odour will appear if the syphons are empty. There should always be some water in it, that's what blocking the odour from coming back from the drain/sewage into your house
Few reasons lead to syphons being empty, main ones being:
- Lack of use (not you case)
- If the dowpipes are not correctly vented. Typical case if that the shower syphon empties when the toilet is flushed assuming they are connected to same downpipe (which they are in typical ensuite). Or on windy days/heavy rainfall, the draft created in the downpipes could affect the water level in the siphon, hence odour coming in.
First thing to do as usual is to try to find root cause yourself by checking water level in all siphons when odour appears.
Fill up all the siphons and smell each of one to try to detect any odour. They should be none. Note water level (not easy but doable).
When odor comes back, smell each siphon again and find which one if letting the odor in.. Check water level, if should be too low hence odor coming in.
I bet you that the problem is the size fo the vent pipe which should be of the same size as the downpipe (approx 100mm -110mm)
Hope it helps.
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by a siphon - could you explain the term?
Siphoning happens where the waste is not properly ventilated, the soil stack should have be vented up at roof level. If there is no ventilation, or it is inadequate, water, etc. flowing out the waste can cause a vacuum which will siphon the water out of the trap.
Leo
Thanks, Leo. You wrote in one sentence very clearly what I wrote in many sentences and in gobbledigook.
Hi Bacchus,
We have a similar problem intermittently in our ensuite and I haven't got to the bottom of it yet. I'm not exactly sure what you mean by a siphon - could you explain the term?
When we've had the problem I've smelled the shower, sink and toilet and never got an odour from any of them. The only thing I've managed to get an odour from is the ceiling extractor fan - could this be the cause?
Also how would you suggest checking the water levels?
Thanks,
M
Can you tell me if you have heard of such a thing as a "mushroom" vent and is it adequate for venting a soil stack ?
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