Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - I give up...help needed again with bathroom odor

Hi again, I posted some time ago about a bathroom odor and was instructed to clear the "stink pipe vents" on the roof. Not only did my husband flush them several time, he also used a plumbers snake several times. Well, just the day after using the plumbers snake, as soon as I did laundry, that very same odor was back. I took the snake myself and ran it down the "drain" for the wash machine. Still, to no avail. The odor is so bad tonight and we are beside ourselves and don't know what to further do. The odor is definately a venting odor from the stink pipe: smellls like sewage. HELP...don't know what else to do.
Sharon

Hello
I did not see the last posting so I so not know what you have tried to do to fix the problem so will just ask some questions. Do all the sinks, tubs, laundry drain, floor drains have a trap properly installed? Does it come from only one location? the one sink. is this sink on the first floor of a two story house? Does the sink have a loop vent installed? When is the oder the stronges. after a differant sink, toilet, launtrey unit been used? or all of them? Are you on sewer or septic tank? Lets staart from here and see what we can find....

And I guess you are sure it could not be something like a dead field mouse in the clothes dryer vent, which you are sauteeing every time you run the dryer? Just checking!!

HI!
My original post was about an odor coming from the bathroom somewhere. "Old Guy" a registered memeber, said that the "stink vents" on the roof were probaby plugged up with debris. After flushing these vents, the smell would go away for a while. Especially when it would rain, the house smelled like an open septic tank. We have a septic, but there was no sign at all that it was backing up. Had it pumped 2 years ago. Well, when my hubby would flush the vents on the roof, the smell would go away for a few days, only to return. Then "Old Guy" suggested a plumbers snake. We did that too, only to have the odor return again in a few days and sometimes the next day.
I've never even considered that something could be in the dryer vent. The odor not only occurs when I use the washing machine, but when my daughter uses the shower. Both are on the same plumbing and in the same bathroom on the first floor. I called the septic company and they even suggested that it was a plugged vent on the roof, a stink pipe my husband calls it. Hope that helps with your diaganosis. If not, e-mail me at jakesharon@juno.com. I just can't stand this occasional odor any longer. My hubby is ready to tear into a wall and see if there is a problem, an expensive venture if in fact it is something more simple.
Thanks a Bunch!!!
Sharon

The original post was on 11/27/00 by "guest", before I became a memeber. Hope that helps.
Sharon

Did I say "stink vents"? LOL. I don't think so.
ANYWAY, sorry to hear that your problem persists, Sharon.
It HAS to be a trap problem somewhere. That should be the only way that sewer gas is getting back into your house.
A trap is either being siphoned because a vent pipe is partially clogged, OR (and now I'm beginning to suspect THIS)a trap is leaking its sealing water out. It might even be a leaking/seeping wax seal under a toilet.
Have you checked under the house? A trap OR a line could be leaking.
Have you seen ANY signs of leaks anywhere?

HI OLD GUY....sorry, my hubby calls it a stink vent! Anyway, no sign of leaks and we have a cement foundation. Maybe he just isn't getting at the "CLOG". He could feel something with the plumbers snake, it cleared, but no signs of anything on the snake itself. I am so sick of this odor. Do you think we should call a plumber??? You have been such a big help. Thanks!!
Sharon

Sharon,

I asked about the dead field mouse, cause it happended to me. We had done the snake/water hose on the roof vent, and could not get rid of the odor. Did notice that is was worse when the dryer was running, but also when the shower/tub was running (more heat in the room?). Whatever, it was winter, and those little creatures were trying to find a warm winter home. We found a dehydrated, very aromatic field mouse in the dryer vent.

Just asking. Old Guy is right about most things, so he'll probably get you there.

Well, as with all D-I-Y, when all else fails, call a pro.
Good Luck!

Sharon,

I think I may be able to help you with your problem. My parents had exactly the same problem as you. Whenever they did wash in the first floor laundry room a horrible sewer smell came from the bathroom. They also were on a septic tank. It was not the roof vent pipe. We tried that several times. My dad eventually pulled the toliet up and noticed that the plasic flange that mounts to the drain pipe of the toilet was cracked. This allowed the sewer gas smell to leak from under the toilet instead of going up the vent pipe. There house is six years old, and my dad replaced the wax ring on the toilet once because it was leaking. He must have over tightened the toilet and cracked this plastic flange. I don't know how old your house is, or if you even have plastic drain pipe, but it wouldn't hurt to lift the toilet if you do, even if you don't make sure the toilet is tight to the floor, and the wax ring is sealing properly. Please let me know if this is what your problem turns out to be. I know we were scratching are heads on this one for over a year. I am glad to say that the problem has been resolved.