Basement sewer smell after showering.

[119jpj911]

Some Unfortunate circumstances put me in a rental home with some issues. It’s a turn of the century two story farm house with an unfinished basement and a septic system. The main level fixtures have been converted to PVC but the main stack is still cast iron. I have two problems.

1. The basement floor drain, as pictured, is the main drain for the washing machine and water softener. I checked the cast iron trap in the floor and sewer gas is coming up through what appears to be an overflow. I suspect the drain is clogged? It still drains though when the washing machine is used. Also, this floor drain does not appear to be connected to the septic. I’m guessing it is connected to a field tile.

2. The main floor bathtub, which has a p trap, after being used, caused the basement to have a strong sewer smell that seems to be separate from the above issue. I’ve checked the pvc connections and all appear secure. Any ideas?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kamil]

Maybe you have your shower vent connection before p-trap like this guy did:

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[Sponsor]

 

[119jpj911]

It’s not vented like that. Upon further inspection, it’s sewer gas coming out of the hole from the picture.

 

[Reach4]

This would be hard to diagnose.

When was the septic tank last pumped? I understand that this is a question for the landlord.

 

[119jpj911]

Septic was pumped two months ago. This floor drain isn’t connected to the septic. The septic exits the house about ten feet away and two feet up on the wall.

 

[119jpj911]

Well it looks like the floor drain, specifically the trap is plugged real bad. Mostly sand, small pieces of concrete and chunks of debris. I tried a pistol style drain opener and nothing. The clean out is open and that’s how it’s still draining and that’s where all the sewer gas is coming from.

Any diy opinions, maybe a shop vac to suck out the debris? If not I’m calling the pros because I’m out of options. Thanks!

 

[John Gayewski]

Yes shop vac.

Sewer gas would not be coming from a pipe that wasn't connected to a sewer. So it's connected to either a city sewer (unlikley) or the septic tank via a pipe even lower than thr once you see.

 

[119jpj911]

I live in a rural area. In my last home, I was told the floor drains connect to the county field tile system and not the septic.

This floor drain is much older than the septic as well and was firing it’s the same in this place. It’s across the farm field from my past home, it’s older than my last, but appears to be similar.

 

[Reach4]

So the question would be if the tub upstairs is connecting with that non-septic system rather than the septic system. Can you follow pipes to tell that?

 

[119jpj911]

Not inside the house they are not. It’s possible the floor drain is connected to the septic then.

If I had to guess, the floor drain has been plugged for a long time and they were perfectly fine with the clean out being used as it was still open.

I appreciate all the responses. This site has really helped me over the years.