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Help wanted: Plumber or????

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2020 11:09am
9 replies282 views8 members subscribed
wendydec

Posts: 2

1 helpful points

Joined: 18 Sep 2019

hi

Bought house but there is a sewage smell in bathroom. 

Loz61

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2020 11:12am

Posts: 57

15 helpful points

Location: Orihuela Costa

Joined: 6 Feb 2020

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2020 11:12am

Hi have you filled all the waste traps with water, as this weather they wil evaporatel and the smell from the drains will come from there

warty99

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2020 1:48pm

warty99

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Posts: 182

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Location: Torrevieja

Joined: 4 Nov 2019

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2020 1:48pm

I found out when renovating my bathroom that the wc outlet was smaller thsn the hole in the floor and no rubber seal so the smell was able to come into the bathroom

Cheryl

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2020 3:27pm

Cheryl

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Joined: 8 Jun 2017

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2020 3:27pm

We found all kind of problems when we dug up the floor of our bathroom but this is likely to be where the traps have dried out, assuming there are any traps! We have also installed vent/stench pipes which are not often used here in Spain.
Try flushing through and running taps and the smell should go away but you will probably have it come back every time the property is left for any length of time.

Classic man

Posted: Sun Aug 2, 2020 10:39am

Classic man

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Posted: Sun Aug 2, 2020 10:39am

Cheryl, above, touched on the possible problem.  Spanish plumbing leaves a lot to be desired when compared to the UK as I found out to my cost a few years ago.

It is by no means unusual to find that there are NO traps, U-bends or whatever. So first ensure that all your plug holes have one fitted. The one that get missed (omitted) most is the one under the shower tray as it is more difficult to fit due to the restricted space.

If you have a flush drain in the floor that is another likely source. If you have one, tape it over with some duct tape for a few days and see if the smell goes. Many of them have an air lock built in like a water trough so take off the lid, give it a clean and fill it up and keep it filled if you don't flood the floor regularly.

Unfortunately it this proves to be the source the floor will have to come up to fix it.  Don't forget to check all the fittings for leaks

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Richard080943

Posted: Sun Aug 2, 2020 1:47pm

Richard080943

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Location: La Marina

Joined: 21 Jul 2018

Posted: Sun Aug 2, 2020 1:47pm

You need to use sealant around the base of the toilet and bidet otherwise you get the smell.   Only takes a minute or two and makes all the difference.  Also take the other advice and keep the bath, bidet, sink and basin U bends topped up - they dry out very quickly in this heat.

Best of luck!

Richard

swcoulthurst

Posted: Mon Aug 3, 2020 1:35pm

swcoulthurst

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Joined: 11 Nov 2015

Posted: Mon Aug 3, 2020 1:35pm

I was a plumber in the UK. My house in Spain was built 16 years ago. It is very unlikely you will have any traps on your wastes. We also had a problem where the builders managed to fit the main waste pipe with a length of 3x2 in the pipe. I managed to get access under the building and fitted my own u bends on the pipework.

Basil brush

Posted: Tue Aug 4, 2020 7:38am

Basil brush

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Posts: 275

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Location: Almoradí

Joined: 9 Apr 2018

Posted: Tue Aug 4, 2020 7:38am

Unfortunately the Spainish hardly use traps on any waste pipes...they are not alone as I have experienced this is France and Italy as well....crazy when you think a standard trap is a few euros each! That coupled together with their obsession with putting “ Rodding eyes” in bathroom floors which again are generally not trapped and that leads to many pongy smells.

As previous people have said it may just be lack of use and if you have traps they may have dried up or it could be a badly fitted loo etc? Our friends have a brand new house and regardless of being used or not it always has a stale bathroom smell....very annoying as you know when in construction it costs pennies to correct!

Good luck with solving your problem👍🏻

ajbiggs20

Posted: Wed Aug 5, 2020 11:48am

Posts: 103

30 helpful points

Location: Villamartin

Joined: 13 Jun 2019

Posted: Wed Aug 5, 2020 11:48am

I have a house in Villamartin and I can recommend John Bryant.

Tel no 655 660 832

Classic man

Posted: Wed Aug 5, 2020 2:43pm

Classic man

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Location: Villena

Joined: 9 Aug 2018

Posted: Wed Aug 5, 2020 2:43pm

Basil brush wrote on Tue Aug 4, 2020 7:38am:

Unfortunately the Spainish hardly use traps on any waste pipes...they are not alone as I have experienced this is France and Italy as well....crazy when you think a standard trap is a few euros each! That coupled together with their obsession with putting “ Rodding eyes” in bathroom floors wh...

...ich again are generally not trapped and that leads to many pongy smells.

As previous people have said it may just be lack of use and if you have traps they may have dried up or it could be a badly fitted loo etc? Our friends have a brand new house and regardless of being used or not it always has a stale bathroom smell....very annoying as you know when in construction it costs pennies to correct!

Good luck with solving your problem👍🏻

Re Basil Brush's post.

We had a 'rodding eye' in our bathroom floor when we bought a new flat.  It just had a plain metal lid with three screws and no perforations.

We don't use these things in the UK and it's not a rodding eye as we would know it.  It is basically a 'junction box' for all the drains in your bathroom to meet up then flow out to the main drain. I am not aware whether they have a trap on the outlet pipe, don't bank on it.

If you take the lid off, make sure you seal it when putting it back.

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