Eavestrough emitting sewer gas - Fix with PTrap??

[JCAspen]

Our whole water system setup is a bit strange I think. We moved into an old home that would have had a water/sewer system added at some point. We don't have a complete picture of how this system works.

Since we have moved into the house though we have noticed times where the sewer smell is quite strong outside the house. I have determined it is coming from a small container type thing with two eavestrough drain pipes flowing into it. It doesn't seem to be sealed well. The smell isn't there all the time but it seems directly tied to when the water in the house is used a bit more like a load of laundry or a shower. That being said, it does not smell every single time we use a larger amount of water either. Now that summer is here and I have windows open, it can stink up the house fast if I am not careful!

The eavestrough system around the house all flows into a pipe (I am not sure where or how since it's mostly underground) which travels through our yard and out into the field behind our house. We are near the top of a slope so it's all gravity fed. I believe these pipes are somehow tied in to the septic tank so if liquid level in there got too high, it would flow out as well. At the outflow in the field however, I have never noticed a smell of sewer gas so I don't know much about that.

Does anybody have any suggestions as to how we could fix this stink problem? Since it seems to be just coming from that eavestrough spot, should we somehow try to connect the two eaves troughs into a spot that is more or less sealed, with a p trap on it? I know it would be ugly, but we have a propane tank next to it for my gas stovetop and I think we could build a nice cedar box over the whole thing if need be.

I would welcome other suggestions as well! Thank-you!

Here are links to two pictures.
https://flic.kr/p/uW4qTc

https://flic.kr/p/vdvdgB

 

[Gary Swart]

I have absolutely no idea what you have here, but whatever it is, it's homemade and certainly not anything that would pass code inspection. It's a good example of why there are codes and inspections. I suspect you do not have a problem that can be fixed with a quick, cheap patch job, your entire septic system is likely in bad shape.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Sjsmithjr]

If your eavestrough system (gutters and downspouts) is connected to your septic system it shouldn't be. Your best course of action, at least initially, may be to contact a professional to determine if this is the case and hence the cause of your sewer odors.

It is always prudent to have the septic system inspected by a professional (specialist) if you are uncertain of its condition and/or configuration as is the case here.

-Sam

 

[FullySprinklered]

Your eavestrough is, I think, what we call gutters locally. There are quite a few companies hereabouts who do gutter cleaning, helped along by the fact that the gutters tend to load up with leaves, etc, in the fall, and reproductive fall-out in the spring. Without maintenance, this organic matter builds up in the gutter and eventually throws out a rotten smell reminiscent of sewer stink as it works off.

 

[Bluebinky]

It may be that this is a "grey water system" (shower, laundry, and roof drain connected together and dumped out in the "back 40". It's possible that it's not connected to the septic system/cesspool at all.

I also agree that it may just be rotten leaves either in the gutters or in the buried pipes getting stirred up sometimes.

 

[JCAspen]

Thanks for all your suggestions and thoughts!

I started reading through all sorts of posts on this forum yesterday and I killed two hours!

We are going to have a local specialist come but he hasn't been here yet and I wanted to get a wider range is thought in it.

 

[JCAspen]

I am fairly certain this is at least a grey water system but I suspect it may be tied in somehow to the septic tank as well.
Our well is a flowing well with no pump in it. The water flows into our house itself into a tank and from there is is pumped throughout our house
. When more water flows in than we need, the overflow goes out of the house in the same system as the eaves trough (gutter) system. That water goes out of our house through a separate pipe than the toilet/sink/shower/laundry water.

I think it must be tied into the septic since 'the smell' happens (not every time) when we use a lot of water in the house system such as laundry or a shower. I do know for sure that those pipes go to the septic.

It is a strange system for sure.