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Excessive toilet vent stack smell

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yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
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2004-09-21          96973


For the last couple of weeks I've noted what seems to be an excessive amount of smell coming out the toilet vent stack at one of my rentals. Its a 69/70's built small ranch home with a 2 year old septic system with 1200 gallon double tank and about 800 feet of field. System seems to be working OK. If you get down wind of it, whew!! Smells like I'm making my own propane.

Is that normal and I've just never noticed it before, or is something bad brewing? If I put an extension on the stack, the smell might not be as noticeable near the house but will still hang around on the 2 acre site.




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Excessive toilet vent stack smell

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AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin
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2004-09-21          96982


Pete, when was the last time it was pumped out? Ours needs pumping every 2 years (by law in WI). There is a "flapper Valve" in the line at the tank, this may be stuck or broken. The pumper would be able to check this with a long mirror on a stick.

Are the tennants putting something down they shouldn't? Excessive use of a in sink garbage disposer? Or...

The main line may have some, uhm, buildup in it preventing full flow to the tank, enough flow as to not back up, but something staying behind in the line causing the smell. ....


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Excessive toilet vent stack smell

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Billy
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 975 Southeast Oklahoma
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2004-09-21          96983


If you're sure the smell is coming out the toilet vent, there may be an easy cure. They make an air admittance valve that lets air in but not out. It keeps the smell in but still lets the system vent.


Most likely you have an underlying problem though. ....


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Excessive toilet vent stack smell

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AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin
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2004-09-21          96984


I've also known tennants to put "disposable" diapers down the toilet, causing the vlave to stick open. ....


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Excessive toilet vent stack smell

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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2004-09-21          96991


At the very least, it is not quite "healthy". A dose of septic system "bugs" might help and doesn't cost much to try. ....


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Excessive toilet vent stack smell

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TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2004-09-22          97020


Sounds like more crap is going in than is being digested. Could be somebody using too much bleach, drain cleaner of cooking fat etc. Some agency in your area probably publishes a 'Care of Septic Systems' pamphlet. It might be good to find something and hand them out to your tenants. ....


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Excessive toilet vent stack smell

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yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan
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2004-09-22          97027


The tennants have two boys, one in high school and the other in about 7th grade both very active in football and sports so she washes allot of clothes. Two years ago when I had a new system installed, (about $6,000.00 worth) the old seepage bed was oozing out of the ground but the line going to the tank was also partially filled with tampoons. I didn't say anything not wanting to get too personal. It doesn't have a garbage disposal. Usually septic systems and disposals don't mix well. When my folks lived in the house the tank didn't get pumped out till it was about 25 years old. I can't believe it should be pumped out every couple of years. Thanks for the tips and suggestions. Think I'm going to have a talk with the husband and skirt the issue about dropping tampoons down the toilet. I will get some stuff to get a good culture growing. Will also go to the local health department and get a brochure to hand out to them. Something is definitely not right. ....


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Excessive toilet vent stack smell

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AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin
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2004-09-22          97029


The WI DNR is responsible for the every 2 Years. Never the less, it is a good idea to have it pumped every few years to prevent the "personal" items from getting into the drain field. Pumping is cheap insurance.

There is plenty enough bacteria in the black water put into the system that renders the "culture" products wasted money. Too much bleach or other products like that will cause problems, though, for any bacteria. ....


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