Sewers

Just bought a house and the cellar occasionally smells of sewer gas. Any suggestions on a fix to the problem?

Public Comments

1. look for a drain in the basment, put a rag in it,
2. That could mean so many different things. Too hard to tell with just the information you provided. I had a house that had floor drains in the basement that emptied into the sanitary sewer line in the street out front. Every time it didn't rain for a week or so, the smell would come up from the sewer line and get into my basement, because there was no rain to give it a good flushing out. I lived in an area with a combination sewer that had one pipe for stormwater and sanitary waste.
3. Gotta find the source first. It could be a plumbing vent problem like a cracked pipe or broken connection.It may be you are missing a "pea trap" under a sink or elsewhere. Might pay you to get a reputable plumber to come and check it out and find the source.
4. 1. Check vent pipe on roof, may be blocked with leaves, twigs etc. 2. Call a plumber 3. Cover any open floor drains in cellar 4. Wear a mask 5. Stop pooping 6. Built an outhouse
5. Contact your Gas company and explain the situation to them. There could be a leak.
6. Check for a floor drain in the cellar. The drains usually have a trap which should have water in it. If the water has evaporated, it will allow sewer gases into the house. Pour a little water into the drain so that the trap has enough water in it to stop the sewer gas from entering the basement. I have a relatively new home I don't know if this applies to older plumbing.
7. Check for a drain in the basement. Pour a bucket of water in it occasionally. The water in the trap of unused drains will evaporate. If the water in the trap dries out, this will allow sewer gas to enter the living area. By pouring the water in the drain it will keep the trap full and keep the sewer gas out.
8. MOVE.