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NCRobino · Oct 3, 2012, 05:41 PM

Hello!
We've recently had a bad smell in the basement, like sewage. We live in Chicago and have an overhead sewer system. The pump basin doesn't stink much, but it has an opening... Is that normal? Meaning the lid on the pit has a 2" diameter opening. I've poured bleach inside to freshen, but after a week , the basement smells again. My question is, does toilet waste (poop and pee) from the basement enter this basin? If so, why! Seems like it would be bad design to have an opening on the lid to the basin! Please let m know how the poop water plays into this system. Also, the drain next to the basin that the AC uses, does that drain into the basin? Thanks

mygirlsdad77 · Oct 3, 2012, 06:40 PM

I can't tell you if this is a sewer ejector pit or merely a sump pump without seeing it, or a better description of it. How many pipe exit the top of the pit? Can you post a pic? I can tell you that if it is indeed a sewer pit, it needs to be one hundred percent sealed or you will get a sewer smell 24/7 365. Either way, seal that two inch hole and see if things improve.

If your sewer service exits the home above the basement floor, than this is a sewer ejector pit. Any and all plumbing drains in the basement will enter the pit and be pumped up to the house sewer. Poop doesn't flow uphill, but can be pumped uphill, hence the need for a sewer ejector.

ma0641 · Oct 3, 2012, 08:20 PM

That 2" hole sounds like a vent line. How long has the hole been open. ""Recently " not before? Anything changed?

puffmugs · Oct 3, 2012, 08:39 PM

If it is a sump pump it would have one outlet pipe that accepts water from the footer drains and if code allows condensate from furnace and a/c with cover that is not necessarly sealed tight. If it is a ejector pump it would have a sealed cover and accept sanitary waste from a bathroom or other basement fixtures and have a waste pipe outlet and a vent that goes through the roof.

speedball1 · Oct 4, 2012, 06:22 AM

Sump pumps don't store and pump human waste. Ejector systems do that. Hold your hand over the opening on the lid, Now have somebody flush a basement toilet, Is there any air movement out of the hole? Let me know, Tom

NCRobino · Oct 4, 2012, 08:16 PM

Thanks so much for the reply! I'm not home till Saturday and we are having some work done on the pump, more to follow on that, so I can't post a pic yet. But, if it helps, we have a brand new overhead sewer system. The pit has two pipes that come out, one labeled "vent" and the other is what pumps out the waste water. I was under the impression that OSS's only pumped below grade water usage out of the basin. But, maybe your right, sometimes ill hear it pump down there when I'm using an upstairs fixture.

The valve that keeps water from going back in the basin is leaking when pumping occurs. That stinks too. So I think we've got a double whammy, the leak and the hole. All that said, the basin doesn't directly smell, only in the vicinity... Which leads me to this next part...

To further complicate matters, we've just discovered that the fancy shower fixture with multiple body sprays etc has been leaking into the wall and just yesterday the connector to it completely broke off during a shower, flowing all of the water into the wall and not out of the jets. I suspect this has been leaking an burst today. Some of the smell may be the musty smell of it drying after each shower or attempting to. We looked inside and don't see mold, thankfully, it only been 2-3 weeks of use as we just moved in and it was a gut rehab. Anyway, so after we solve this issue on Saturday, I am hoping one of the 3 fixes resolves the smell.

Questions that remain:

1. is it normal for that hole in the basin lid? It is deliberate, the basin lid is manufactured with the hole. If so, why? I'm still going to cover it as you suggested.

2. Does the AC drain next to it drain into the basin? OSS shouldn't drain anywhere but into the basin right? I thought other floors used gravity to drain out directly, why is this going into the basin?

3. What kind of Maintenance do you recommend? Enzymes treatments? Bleach? Etc? Do I pour them into the basin directly? AC drain? Toilet? Frequency?

Thank you so very much for helping me understand the system so I can maintain it properly... And solve this stench!

NCRobino · Oct 4, 2012, 08:19 PM

Originally Posted by ma0641

That 2" hole sounds like a vent line. How long has the hole been open. ""Recently " not before? Anything changed?

The 2in hole is there along with 2 lines out, one is the main line that ejects waste and the other is a vent line, I know cause it's labeled vent.

This is an overhead sewer system, so I believe this is an ejector pit..

ma0641 · Oct 4, 2012, 08:40 PM

Go to HD, Lowe's or Ace or plumbing supply and get a 2 " plastic plug.They are near the gage's and Fernco fittings at HD. Get a small tube of silicone and seal the plug in the hole.

mygirlsdad77 · Oct 5, 2012, 04:50 PM

The extra two inch hole would normally be for the wires of the pump and float to come out and they would be sealed with a rubber piece designed specifically for that purpose. Where do the wires come out now? As for the a/c drain, pics should tell the story. Also upstairs drains usually will all go to sewer by gravity, but I have seen where they have piped upstairs drain down and into the concrete, then into the sewer pit when running the upstairs drains by gravity is not feasible. Just all depends on what the installing plumber did.

Milo Dolezal · Oct 5, 2012, 09:15 PM

As said above: there are 3 holes. Each of them has a purpose and should be used. One is for discharge of sewer, the other one is for vent and third one is for cables. They all come with rubber seal that wraps tightly around the pipe or elec. Cord. You are probably missing vent, correct ? If so, you have quite a problem on your hands...

Can you snap a photo of the lid and post it for us ? We will tell you right away what's wrong.

Back to you. Milo

NCRobino · Oct 7, 2012, 09:36 AM

Hey folks, OK here are some pix as promised. As you can see the hole is indeed where the wires go in. The lid is just screwed down, is that sealed enough too? The valve for the ejector leaks as you can see, but only stinks when water is present there...

And don't forget that AC drain... you can see it all in the last pic.
Thanks

Well crap, I can't figure out how to attach photos. All these icons for the reply and none are to attach a photo!

It only has to insert URL's of images, so here goes:

This one is inside the hole

Well that didn't work and I don't know why... put them on Flickr and attached links... so here's the links directly now

image (5) | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
image | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
image (1) | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
image (3) | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
image (2) | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Ok, I think the links will work, click each one to see them all... Sorry, and thanks

massplumber2008 · Oct 7, 2012, 11:16 AM

Yeah, that hole in the cover DEFINITELY needs to be closed off (for now, plug it with a towel). If you are lucky, a local plumbing store will have the correct rubber plug for you. Here, you want the split rubber plug for a cord to pass through, and since you have two cords you will need drill an extra hole in the cover so the 2nd cord can pass through the rubber plug and still remain gas tight (they don't sell two hole rubber plugs). Keep the hole slightly smaller than the cord to keep it gas-tight. Grundfos has a bolt and gasket kit (see image)... you need the rubber plug in the center of the picture, but you may have to buy the whole kit. Other than that, you can purchase some thick CORK and maybe you can make a plug and silicone it in yourself!

In terms of the condensate drain in the floor... check that there is a PTRAP underground by shining a flashlight into the drain in the floor and see if there is standing water... there definitely should be if this condensate drain is connected to the sewage ejector.

Mark

NCRobino · Oct 7, 2012, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by massplumber2008

Yeah, that hole in the cover DEFINITELY needs to be closed off (for now, plug it with a towel). If you are lucky, a local plumbing store will have the correct rubber plug for you. Here, you want the split rubber plug for a cord to pass through, and since you have two cords you will need drill an extra hole in the cover so the 2nd cord can pass through the rubber plug and still remain gas tight (they don't sell two hole rubber plugs). Keep the hole slightly smaller than the cord to keep it gas-tight. Grundfos has a bolt and gasket kit (see image)...you need the rubber plug in the center of the picture, but you may have to buy the whole kit. Other than that, you can purchase some thick CORK and maybe you can make a plug and silicone it in yourself!

In terms of the condensate drain in the floor...check that there is a PTRAP underground by shining a flashlight into the drain in the floor and see if there is standing water...there definitely should be if this condensate drain is connected to the sewage ejector.

Mark

Mark! It does have a P Trap.

Do I need to put anything enzyme wise in the basin before I seal it up or can I just flush some in the toilet? Etc?

I'll go look for a plug. If I put a hole it it, how do I get the plug through the rubber or cork seal? Or should I just put a cut to the hole to slide the cord into the hole and silicone it up?

Thanks

massplumber2008 · Oct 7, 2012, 01:30 PM

If you purchase an ejector rubber plug it will already have a slit to slide the cord into the hole, so if you make one, just slice to the hole(s) you put in it and silicone it up as you mentioned.

No need for any enzyme anything with an ejector pit... usually enzyme additives are for septic tanks (to assist bacterial balance) not sewage ejectors... ;)

Mark

mygirlsdad77 · Oct 7, 2012, 05:19 PM

I notice the ball valve is located below the check valve. It makes me wonder whether the check valve was installed upside down. The leak is at the union joint. All you have to do is tighten the large black nut to stop the leak. Make sure to backup the check valve body when you tighten the nut. There should be an arrow showing direction of flow on the check valve, it should be pointing up. Look for it and let us know what you find.

massplumber2008 · Oct 9, 2012, 06:12 PM

MGD77

Good catch on the check valve... easy to tighten up as you mentioned!

In terms of the check valve being upside down, I guess it could be and may not be getting caught up... possible, I guess! Good idea to check the direction of flow!

Most important is to seal that open hole off! Hopefully, the prior plumber/installer sealed the lid off properly (looks like it from here, but hard to tell).

Mark

NCRobino · Oct 9, 2012, 07:00 PM

Thanks guys. I am on a work trip And I get home tomorrow for them to come and do the work. I have other questions maybe you can help with that too?

So my shower fixture in basement has a rain shower and separate body showers. Turns out it was connected well and was leakin into the wall until the hose broke off during a shower and unloaded water behind the shower in the wall.

The smell of mildew comes out of the shower (has for awhile and we couldn't locate it, but since it broke the answer of the source was revealed).

Now, should I just try and seal up the wall an ignore it or rip the wall and shower apart to see if there's mold or mildew?

Is there anything I can put in the wall (there are two small access panels on the hallway wall behind where the shower is) where I could kind of get in the wall to help? Like a damp rid type product that might absorb the smell? Bleach?

If we do open the wall, what's the best thing to spray in there to stop this and the smell? Bleach?

Thanks for the help. We've owned this place for 3 weeks, obviously installed wrong.

massplumber2008 · Oct 10, 2012, 06:15 AM

Damp rid is a good start to remove the moisture. After that a 10-15% bleach solution can be sprayed in the wall to kill off the mold/mildew... ;)

Anything stronger than a 15% bleach solution only kills your brain cells... won't kill the mold/mildew any better, OK?

Mark

NCRobino · Oct 10, 2012, 06:17 AM

Thanks for that! Damp rid already Doing, guess I'm going to have to rip the wall up to get bleach in there is the only option huh?:-(. Thanks

massplumber2008 · Oct 10, 2012, 06:20 AM

If you have access panels I'd just spray the area real well with the bleach solution... soak the area and then use the damp rid again... see if that helped! If not, yeah, ripping the wall open may be the only option!