tiolet vent pipe problem?

[lisa riel]

I live in a manufactured home and have two bathrooms. There are no vent pipes coming out of roof, so I am assuming there is a different type of vent. Anyway, there is a really strong odor of sewer gas in one bathroom. On rainy or snowy days it is much stronger and I can smell it from my cold air return ducts near the smelly bathroom. Can someone please advise? Thanks

[Jimmer]

Lisa,

Welcome to the forum!

There are vent caps you can use inside that have a spring loaded flap. When there is a vacuum in the pipe it opens to allow air in. There is no smell from them because they are normally closed.

Did you buy the home new? Is there a warranty on it? Can you check with the manufacturer to see if a mistake was made and the vent pipe was not completed and is is just an open pipe in a wall cavity?

If you get into the attic space is there an open pipe coming up into this area? If there is you can extend it through the roof to vent outside.

Please let us know what you find.

Good luck, Jim

'Just a handyman trying to help'

[djk]

quote:Originally posted by lisa riel

I live in a manufactured home and have two bathrooms. There are no vent pipes coming out of roof, so I am assuming there is a different type of vent. Anyway, there is a really strong odor of sewer gas in one bathroom. On rainy or snowy days it is much stronger and I can smell it from my cold air return ducts near the smelly bathroom. Can someone please advise? Thanks

I have a similar problem, although the stack pipes do go through the roof. Any idea whether the sewer gas can blow back from a downdraft?

[Hube]

DJK; Yes , odor can blow down a stack, but if your TRAPS are FULL of water, then the odor CANNOT be released INSIDE the home. This is what TRAPS are chiefly for. They stop any odors (gas) from getting into the home. Check out any traps,etc to see if they have gone DRY.Hube

[djk]

I should have mentioned that the traps are not dry. This was my first thought...seemed like the obvious answer. However, this shower is used daily, and I have never seen it go dry. Whenever I smell the odor I check the trap with a flashlight...always see water. I'm puzzled and trying to figure out if it's odor from the trap, or blowback down the vent pipe. The other second floor bath, and the 1st floor bath have never had any odor. Maybe I should point out that shower and toilet share a common wall, so the stack pipes probably join on the way out the roof...don't know if this is significant, just thought I'd mention it.

-djk