sewer smell in basement bathroom

[AndyH]

Ok, I can run a new line to the attic. Just to clarify though The red line shows what I believe to be the sink drain and direction. The green line is the pipe that goes up to the roof.

I was thinking I could tie in to the part where the green line is. What do you think?

 

[Dlarrivee]

You can't tie into that line unless it were above the flood level of the sink in the kitchen. You're probably better off tying things together in the attic.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[AndyH]

Ok ill just run it up to the attic. Now, that elbow that I have the green line pointing to appears to have been leaking. There is some mold and water stains on the insulation and drywall below it. How would water ever get in that part? I guess maybe just rain falling in the vent on the roof? Also, what's the best way to stop it from leaking?

Thanks!

 

[Basement_Lurker]

Are you sure the green line is an actual dry vent...it's bizarre to have relief stack there on it's own for no reason in such a small system.

 

[AndyH]

Yeah I'm 99% sure it goes straight up to the attic. I filled up the kitchen sink and let it drain and I felt and listen to the pipes also. The water is coming from the 2" on the right side of the tee in the direction the red line shows. Also where that 2" goes up through the floor, someone wrote on the floor "vent". Do you think I should call a plumber to come look at it and see what they think? Wonder how much they'd charge just to look at it?

 

[Dlarrivee]

I would hope it is simply a vent, a san-tee on it's back is a no-no everywhere that I know of...

 

[Jadnashua]

Is there a bathroom, or something else above that?

A vent stops being a vent when you drain something into it. You can connect to an existing vent only at least 6" above the flood plane. For example, say your kitchen sink was in a 36" counter. If the drain plugged, water would have to fill the pipe and sink up to 36" before it would flood something. To remain a vent, any connection needs to be ABOVE that level by 6". there are exceptions with wet venting, but that starts to get more complicated.

 

[Basement_Lurker]

I'm not there, so I have to take your word that that red line is just a relief vent...which as I said is very bizarre. If you are %100 sure that there is nothing tying into that line except for the vent line in the attic, then you can actually just remove that venting tee from the drain line and repair the line, and then redirect the vent line to you bathroom group. Most likely this was the original intended purpose of that vent line (if it really is a dry vent), but the plumber's forgot and nobody caught their naughtiness.

btw...all that patina on your copper is a sign of poor workmanship...but I guess you already knew that from your venting issue..heh

 

[AndyH]

no, there's no bathroom above that. That line is going up in a wall that seperates the kitchen and a bedroom.

 

[AndyH]

ok i zoomed in the wall with my camera and took a pic of where that 2" pipe comes down from the kitchen sink. The part with the red circle is where i took the pic. You can see the pipe coming down into a tee with what appears to be a cleanout on the other end.

 

[AndyH]

I'm not there, so I have to take your word that that red line is just a relief vent...which as I said is very bizarre. If you are %100 sure that there is nothing tying into that line except for the vent line in the attic, then you can actually just remove that venting tee from the drain line and repair the line, and then redirect the vent line to you bathroom group. Most likely this was the original intended purpose of that vent line (if it really is a dry vent), but the plumber's forgot and nobody caught their naughtiness.

btw...all that patina on your copper is a sign of poor workmanship...but I guess you already knew that from your venting issue..heh

Well I am running a new vent up to the attic to tie into that 2". I have already drilled the bottom and top plate of the wall that other 2" runs through. I am going to run my new vent beside the other one. I can see all the way up the wall and that existing 2" goes straight up and out the roof. The only thing that ties into it, is in the attic there is an 1 1/2" tied in to vent the kitchen sink. So as you said, that existing 2" is probably to vent the downstairs bathroom. Should I continue running my new vent? Or, should I do what you said and disconnect the 2" from the drain and use it?

 

[Jadnashua]

Your lowest fixture's vent would no longer be a vent if you use it to drain stuff from above...that's why you must go 6" above the highest fixture's flood rim before you can tie vents together so that it can stay a vent.

 

[AndyH]

Thank You to everyone for helping me with this problem. I ran a new vent line to the attic and tied it in. Everything seems to be working great! Here's a pic of how I ran it in the bathroom. I was too lazy to climb back up in the attic tonight to take a pic up there, I'll do that tomorrow.

Thanks again!