04:08PM | 12/01/04
Member Since: 11/30/04
2 lifetime posts
I have a lightly used lower level BR (shower, toilet, lav) and it is produces a swampy smell that speads to the whole finished basement.

-I have a healthy septic system, 10 years old, just pumped out in summer.

-the BR and wet bar empty into a covered ejector pit which is vented.

- I keep water in the P-traps.

-I flush the toilet and run the shower once a week but the smell comes back.

-I caulked the lid of the pit.

-I dropped a little bleach in the pit, but this worries me because of the septic. The smell comes back the next day.

-I am stumped and frustrated.

Thanks in advance.


04:29PM | 12/01/04
Member Since: 11/27/04
172 lifetime posts
is this recent or been around a while?

have you opened the pit (yuk) and checked for ?

i am guessing that there are p traps and not just elbows down below. shine a flash light down the shower hole and see if water in there.

the other way is to take a garbage bag and cap the top of the sink air tight. and smell the next day in the basement for smell. if none them open the bag and smell. same with the shower drain. locate the smell source using the bag method.

and possibly your toilet wax seal is leaking the smell? is it loose on the bolts? if other methods don't work this is another area to check.

small bit of bleach in the pit is okay but not bottle fulls. there are cheap small bags with accellerator for septic tanks to ensure it's good health from bad treatment.


04:26AM | 12/02/04
The most common source is the sewage ejector pit lid. Silicone on top of the lid does not always cure odors that may come up from the bolt holes.

You can remove the lid and clean the surfaces. New pits come with a double sided 1/2" think sponge tape that is installed inside of the bolt holes. You can reseal with a thick bead of silicone on both sides of the holes. Make sure both the pit edge and lid are clean and dry.


03:40PM | 12/02/04
Member Since: 12/09/03
175 lifetime posts
I'm curious. Where does the vent go? I saw one system that had an automatic vent in the basement. Why anyone would do this is beyond my wildest dreams!! After a few choice cuss words for that installation, I ran the vent outdoors. Follow the vent piping and verify that it goes outside. C.


12:35PM | 12/03/04
Member Since: 11/30/04
2 lifetime posts
Yep, the vent pipe goes through the roof.



03:25PM | 12/31/04
Member Since: 12/30/04
1 lifetime posts
I am having a similiar problem in my basement. I decided to finish my basement and put in a brand new bathroom. It appears that the smell is backing up through the sink. There is also a plug coming out of the trap that stinks. Is that not plugged in for a reason?


06:56PM | 12/31/04
Member Since: 12/09/03
175 lifetime posts
Describe this trap and plug in more detail. Also where does the "plug" lead to. C.
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