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Metal cover in bathroom floor - ventilation?

Posted: Sat Jan 8, 2022 8:44pm
20 replies3252 views11 members subscribed
Lukas

Lukas

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Maybe a very stupid question but there is some sort of ventilation shaft under a metal cover in both our bathrooms. At first, I thought it's drainage for water on the floor but then I noticed it's screwed in tight. So I went to unscrew it and investigate :) Inside is a hole and a bit of water around it. It smells a little bit.

What is the purpose of this? Since it's covered and sealed, it's not really doing anything. However, when opened, there seemed to be a draft. There is one in each bathroom and then one in the "technical room" (where boiler, washing machine etc. are). The one in the technical room smells. Is it OK to pour some cleaning chemicals in there? Or at least boiling water?

tebo53

Posted: Sat Jan 8, 2022 8:52pm

tebo53

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Posted: Sat Jan 8, 2022 8:52pm

Lukas wrote on Sat Jan 8, 2022 8:44pm:

Maybe a very stupid question but there is some sort of ventilation shaft under a metal cover in both our bathrooms. At first, I thought it's drainage for water on the floor but then I noticed it's screwed in tight. So I went to unscrew it and investigate :) Inside is a hole and a bit of water aro...

...und it. It smells a little bit.

What is the purpose of this? Since it's covered and sealed, it's not really doing anything. However, when opened, there seemed to be a draft. There is one in each bathroom and then one in the "technical room" (where boiler, washing machine etc. are). The one in the technical room smells. Is it OK to pour some cleaning chemicals in there? Or at least boiling water?

Is there a pipe joint beneath the cover?

Steve 

Lukas

Posted: Sat Jan 8, 2022 9:00pm

Lukas

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Posted: Sat Jan 8, 2022 9:00pm

tebo53 wrote on Sat Jan 8, 2022 8:52pm:

Is there a pipe joint beneath the cover?

Steve 

No, this
Mickymouse

Posted: Sat Jan 8, 2022 9:28pm

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Posted: Sat Jan 8, 2022 9:28pm

Definitely  part of the drain system , easy way to prove is take the cover off  and open the sink or shower tap a LITTLE bit and you should see the water pass through.

 It is supposed to act as a trap for the smells etc

Lukas

Posted: Sat Jan 8, 2022 9:36pm

Lukas

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Posted: Sat Jan 8, 2022 9:36pm

Mickymouse wrote on Sat Jan 8, 2022 9:28pm:

Definitely  part of the drain system , easy way to prove is take the cover off  and open the sink or shower tap a LITTLE bit and you should see the water pass through.

 It is supposed to act as a trap for the smells etc

Ha! Indeed water flows through. Cheers for the help.

So it should be safe to clean it with chemicals designed for plastic pipes, right?

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Mickymouse

Posted: Sat Jan 8, 2022 9:51pm

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Posted: Sat Jan 8, 2022 9:51pm

Lukas wrote on Sat Jan 8, 2022 9:36pm:

Ha! Indeed water flows through. Cheers for the help.

So it should be safe to clean it with chemicals designed for plastic pipes, right?

Yes I would put some bleach or drain cleaner down pipe , when I refurbished our bathrooms i removed the floor trap and fitted ubends etc on sink and shower trap as in one of the properties the seal dried out and leaked through the floor and into the ceiling of the floor below.

Steveyjoanna

Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2022 8:47am

Steveyjoanna

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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2022 8:47am

It is an inspection cover in case the pipes get blocked ,when replacing it ensure you seal it well as otherwise the area will smell due to escaping methane from the pipes 

Barry Young

Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2022 5:41pm

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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2022 5:41pm

I have them in my villa and was told that they are there if you flood the bathroom. You unscrew the screw and let the water drain away.

I hope this is useful.

Stevec2x

Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2022 6:26pm

Stevec2x

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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2022 6:26pm

Barry Young wrote on Mon Jan 10, 2022 5:41pm:

I have them in my villa and was told that they are there if you flood the bathroom. You unscrew the screw and let the water drain away.

I hope this is useful.

Sorry Barry, but I don't believe this for a minute! It's for access to blocked drains. Would you rather disconnect your toilet/basin if your drain was blocked?

Cheers 

Steve 

Barry Young

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 11:11am

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Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 11:11am

Stevec2x wrote on Mon Jan 10, 2022 6:26pm:

Sorry Barry, but I don't believe this for a minute! It's for access to blocked drains. Would you rather disconnect your toilet/basin if your drain was blocked?

Cheers 

Steve 

Steve, I was relaying what I was told by the builder. Is he right or are you? Are you a builder? I don't know the answer but the builder is still a friend of mine and has built many premium houses on the Northern Costa Blanca.

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