'Noxious' Smell in Bathroom, Gas?

Johnny Derpp

Firstly, I know what you are thinking...'smell in the bathroom, duh!!! Burn a match'.

Well that's not the case.
We moved into a place while ago and the downstairs toilet had nasty smell in it.
I first thought it was stagnant water or something as the house had been vacant for a while, but it seems that no amount of flushing, toilet cleaner, rim bock, air freshener or scented candles do the job as the smell keeps returning.

One time after leaving it idle for a week, I went in the smell of whatever it is kinda burned my nostrils.

It's a celtic tiger house and all this got me thinking of an article I read online awhile ago (that I can't find now) about a half finished ghost estate somewhere in the country. The sewage system for the estate wasn't finished properly, and as a result, some kind of dangerous gas was escaping into the air that posed a real health risk.

I can't remember the name of the gas to research how to check for it.
Does anybody else remember the incident I'm referring to?
Does anybody have any advice on how to proceed?
I've thought about contacting the EPA but wanted to be sure it wasn't some mickey mouse problem first.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

harvester of sorrow

The main gas associated with sewage/waste systems is hydrogen sulphide(H2S).This gas is poisonous,it numbs a nerve in your nose and stops you smelling it any more wich can lead to death in doses over 25ppm.
Dont hesitate in getting this checked.Contact your nearest drain company and get them to have a look at this.
http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_sulfide

mathepac

There could be a number of causes (including Celtic Tiger plumbers / plumbing). Some possibilities:

The "stack" isn't sufficiently high to allow noxious gases to clear (the upright pipe at the back of the house that foul water empties into)

U-bends not fitted to sinks, wash-hand basins, baths or showers. These provide a water seal to prevent smells entering the house

U-bends dried out due to lack of use - just run the tap / shower head for a minute or two to re-create the seal.

Do you have a septic-tank or a main-sewer connection?

djpbarry

Moved from S&EI.

senordingdong

Had a similar problem, it was dodgy plumbing in the end.
Ask your neighbours and see if they get the smell out of their toilets too...I imagine any such problem to a sewage system wouldn't be isolated to just one house.

Johnny Derpp

harvester of sorrow wrote: »

The main gas associated with sewage/waste systems is hydrogen sulphide(H2S).This gas is poisonous,it numbs a nerve in your nose and stops you smelling it any more wich can lead to death in doses over 25ppm.
Dont hesitate in getting this checked.Contact your nearest drain company and get them to have a look at this.
http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_sulfide

How does one check for hydrogen sulphide?

harvester of sorrow

Your local drain company (dynorod etc)will be able to check for this.


I dont work for Dynorod.

builditwell

Also , as Ive found on a job in a "celtic tiger" lash em up house, the plumber left an inspection cap off the soil pipe which was a premade joint for a w,c above the bathroom in the attic. Que months of nasty smell !!

Johnny Derpp

harvester of sorrow wrote: »

Your local drain company (dynorod etc)will be able to check for this.


I dont work for Dynorod.

Will it be expensive do you know? We're not rolling in it like.

stoneill

You need a Crowcon or Gaspro detector to tell you levels of H2S and O2 deficiencies.
Any drain cleaning contractor company would have these as standard equipment and can do a survey for you.