How to Eliminate Basement Odor and Sewer Smells

October 05, 6:31 PM [GMT -5]

Another possibility I discovered for anyone who has gone through this and still not found the source:
We just bought a house, and during the move in, someone hit one of the black PVC drain pipes coming down from the floor above, I think from the kitchen.

On that pipe, near the floor there was a T, and coming straight out from the T was a 8 to 10 inch length of pipe with an orange cap on it. This pipe was was not glued into place, and when it was bumped, it opened up a bit, and allowed some smell to come up. Additionally, the orange cap was cracked. A little duct tape over the pipe connection, as well as the cracked platic cap, and problem solved.

Hope that helps!

October 31, 9:59 PM [GMT -5]

I cannot thank you enough for this simple and well directed article. I've been struggling with basement order for months in a newly constructed house. I have been trying to explain this to the builders who have insisted the problem stemmed from a pulp mill in the next community over, my cat's litter box, to the cat's peeing in the basement corner or the P-Trap for the washer. It was actually the drain pipe, which has been leaking in the unfinished basement bathroom, but had a plastic bag stuffed in it and so could not drain itself. Far from being resolved, I finally have a lead.

October 31, 9:59 PM [GMT -5]

I cannot thank you enough for this simple and well directed article. I've been struggling with basement order for months in a newly constructed house. I have been trying to explain this to the builders who have insisted the problem stemmed from a pulp mill in the next community over, my cat's litter box, to the cat's peeing in the basement corner or the P-Trap for the washer. It was actually the drain pipe, which has been leaking in the unfinished basement bathroom, but had a plastic bag stuffed in it and so could not drain itself. Far from being resolved, I finally have a lead.

October 21, 3:43 PM [GMT -5]

When the water in the trap portion of your drain evaporates, this removes the natural water seal and opens your home to disease carrying bugs and sewage gas smell. H2GOFlo.com and the theInterceptor-Plus replenishes this water periodically, creating the required barrier, that blocks off the back flow from the sewer system from having direct access into your home.

March 03, 2:17 PM [GMT -5]

I just want to thank you for this article. For months I had a foul sewage smell in the basement. The clean out is in the wall (finished). I thought the smell was leaking out of that cleanout plug, not a good seal. so I fixed that but it didn't fix the problem. I called plumbers for 2 months. Persistently. For some reason I couldn't get either of them to come over, flakes. Then I came across your post. I wondered if it might be something under the carpet, I removed the carpet in the corner of the room and there was a floor drain under the carpet there. It was all dried out and rusty shaving filled it. I noticed when I flushed the toilet in the other room, there was a gust of sewage coming out of this floor drain. Vwaaala! I cleaned out the trap with vacuums and filled it with water and cooking oil as you suggested. Still not sure if this fixed the problem, but it would make sense. I know nothing about plumbing, this article was very helpful, the picture in particular. Thanks, S