New Bathroom - Intermittent Sewage Smell

[Lionelbl]

Hi all,

First post here so please be patient.

We recently had our ensuite remodelled and were initially really happy with the result. However, there is now sometimes a smell of raw sewage which I have tracked to the back-to-wall toilet (it could have been the shower or the sink).

It's not always present and I can't discover what triggers it (whether it's another toilet in the house being flushed or something).

Anyway, I removed the front panel of the toilet unit and apart from the rubble which was left in the cavity, I was surprised to see that the contractor had used a flexi pipe which actually runs uphill from the toilet to the waste. I'm no expert but from where I'm sitting that doesn't seem like a good idea. Could this be the source of the smell? I'll attach some pictures to the post. Unfortunately, these are not the best quality and it's difficult to see the extent of the difference in height.

Please give your honest opinions including how you would have solved the uphill waste issue (according to the specification, the toilet waste is 180mm from the floor, the main waste is higher but it's hard to say how much higher). Before I call the contractor back, I'd like some concrete facts to put in front of him.

Many thanks in advance!

 

[DAZB]

The WC waste must sit higher than the soil outlet otherwise you will get solids sat in the low point and it is a recipe for disaster. It needs refitting correctly by the contractor so it can flow properly or you will have future issues.

 

[blup]

You can get adjustable pan connectors, they are offset a little so as to be higher than the pan outlet. That might be a solution if the problem is in fact the occasional settlement of solids in the waste.

Blup

 

[noseall]

Hi all,

First post here so please be patient.

We recently had our ensuite remodelled and were initially really happy with the result. However, there is now sometimes a smell of raw sewage which I have tracked to the back-to-wall toilet (it could have been the shower or the sink).

It's not always present and I can't discover what triggers it (whether it's another toilet in the house being flushed or something).

Anyway, I removed the front panel of the toilet unit and apart from the rubble which was left in the cavity, I was surprised to see that the contractor had used a flexi pipe which actually runs uphill from the toilet to the waste. I'm no expert but from where I'm sitting that doesn't seem like a good idea. Could this be the source of the smell? I'll attach some pictures to the post. Unfortunately, these are not the best quality and it's difficult to see the extent of the difference in height.

Please give your honest opinions including how you would have solved the uphill waste issue (according to the specification, the toilet waste is 180mm from the floor, the main waste is higher but it's hard to say how much higher). Before I call the contractor back, I'd like some concrete facts to put in front of him.

Many thanks in advance!

Disturbed or wrong type of shower/bath/basin traps are the usual culprits. Smells should not get past the loo trap.

 

[fillyboy]

Disturbed or wrong type of shower/bath/basin traps are the usual culprits. Smells should not get past the loo trap.

Vented trap on the sink might cure the problem. Sounds like after a number of flushes, water is being sucked out of one of the traps.

 

[Odds]

First post?
I recall a similar thread where the op thought the odour was coming up from the kitchen.

 

[Madrab]

Absolutely nothing wrong with using flexi, as long as it's used properly. A lot of BTW pans need the pan connector attached first (with a jubilee clip, then the toilet is pushed back)

Water will struggle to run uphill, if there's a dip then a rise on the pan connector then some waste water will always find its way back and sit at the connection/low point, when you flush the toilet the water seal can be broken and the sitting water smell can find it's way back into the bathroom.

That needs the installers back to fix!!

 

[Lionelbl]

Thanks all for your advice. I'll get them back and update here afterwards...

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Please give your honest opinions including how you would have solved the uphill waste issue (according to the specification, the toilet waste is 180mm from the floor, the main waste is higher but it's hard to say how much higher). Before I call the contractor back, I'd like some concrete facts to put in front of him.

You lower the connection on the stack, or raise the pan to suit. It is as simple as that. Given they've managed to get such a fundamental rule of Plumbing, wrong, I dread to think what else you may find....

 

[Koolpc]

Exactly as above. Not good workmanship to be honest...