It is good to be back! I know you missed this grumpy plumber. I've been getting this question a lot recently so I hope this helps fix the sewer smell in your bathroom. Move videos are coming out so click subscribe for more professional plumbing advice from The Grumpy Plumber.
****This was extremely helpful! Sewer gas smell in my home had become so bad I had to send my wife and kids away for a night. Kept pouring bleach down the drain because that's what a plumber told me. Three bathrooms, sewer gass smell only coming from the 2 I remodeld and put new floor down a few years back. I went to the plumbing supply store to pick up the new toliet flange extender. Not only did they not have what I needed but all the staff tried to tell me I had multiple different issues with the stack or trap or busted line somewhere and that a new flange and better seal was not going to fix my problem. I left extremely frustrated, but then I remembered the Grumpy Plumber's voice in my head being very persistant. I went to Home Depot got the flange and a new wax ring. I fixed toliets in my home in about 90 minutes. Smell completely gone after just one day. So glad I stuck to my guns and listened to the Grumpy plumber. I've suffered with this ordor on and off for years! So thankful for you and this channel -Old histrocial homeowner in Detroit.
Michael D Matthis, thanks so much for this response to our video! You made my day. This is why I’m doing these videos. Appreciate you for sharing your experience.
I’ve been smelling rotten eggs for a few days in my downstairs bathroom. After seeing your video I turned the water on in the shower and the rotten smell stopped. Your video saved me money. I was thinking that I needed to hire a plumber. Thank you for the video.
I don't have a sewer smell in my bathroom, I just like to watch your videos, I am in awe of a plumber and an electrician, second only to a carpenter. I have learned out of necessity to be a "learn how to do it yourself" kind of person. Not too many disasters fortunately. Keep up the good work, the information you give is so helpful and useful. Sending happy thoughts to you and your family from Southern California.
Thank you Grumpy Plumber - your advise solved my problem! I poured water in the sink and the bathtub and the smell went away!! Thanks again! You/re the best!
I had a bad seal. A wax ring never worked. Replaced it twice. Height was good. So I used a Sani Seal foam wax ring on try number three. Foam is also common in trailers. It worked great.
Just had sewage smells like you described and I was guessing that the smell was coming from this area and you’ve made me certain that this is exactly the problems I’m having here in Japan,. Thank you so much.
I was recently at a friends house and using their toilet I notice a watermark on the floor at the edge of the toilet. A penny for your thoughts of why?
Thank you. I'm a grumpy electrician.😠 Your video not only made me look smarter than I am: I completed one of the many "honey-do" tasks in record time. All the best to you and yours. Be well
Dad is a flippin genius. I always wondered what an easy fix would be for a low flange. I don’t trust the extension kits. I feel like they’ll eventually leak if you get an overflow.
Here's one for you. I'm sitting in a nursing home with my mother. I've noticed ever since she's been here there's sewer gas fumes in the bathroom. I spoke with an employee here. Was told they had flushed the lines lately. I'm not the only one who's noticed. My Dad was a plumber for many years. He opened up a sewer line, the fumes came out, he went running for the outdoors. Passed out, fell off the porch landed in the yard. He spent two days in bed. 🤦🤔
Lynn Clark, sorry to hear about that! Those fumes are potent. I bet the problem with your mother’s bathroom is with the toilet. The repair man is probably caulking the base of the toilet instead of resetting the toilet with new wax rings. You should never smell sewer gas in a building period.
caulking does make a huge difference in reinforcing the stability of the toilet. use clear caulking and go from bolt to bolt, which still allows for seeing a leak at the back. if you make aas small of bead as possible while still contacting the floor and the toilet, most of the time you cant notice the caulking unless youre looking for it , and does wonders if the bolts ever start to loosen off, toilet won’t rock, so it wont come of the seal. also is a big help for cleaning around the toilet, making sure dribbles dont make it underneath the toilet that will start to smell after a while.
Thanks for the in depth info! I hope you still check this link. I had my plumber out last winter, before he moved. He removed the toilet, replaced the wax ring, etc. He came right before he moved. Days later the smell was back. I put up w/ it, not knowing what to do. Summer came and smell diminished and then disappeared. Weather now cooling to the 50’s at night-it’s back w/ vengeance. I think it’s worse at night. The toilet area is separate, and the door closes. I run water all the time in toilets,tubs, showers, and the sinks. There is a small one inch area the original plumbers did not bead w/ caulk, and yes, I can smell it coming from there. I bought some caulk, but now I’m not sure I should seal that tiny area because you mentioned thumbs down on caulking. Help!? I think I need a master plumber, like you.
N, it’s probably the toilet flange that is sitting below the finished floor level that is probably causing the smell. It will possibly seal with two wax rings. If not, you need to raise the flange. Do not ever use three wax rings. One more thing, the caulk does not stop the smell so it is not a solution.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber Hi! You’re so kind to reply!! I’m not too tech savvy, and forgot to check replies. Darn! I called a master plumber, and three days later still hadn’t heard back. I took a sharp edged envelope and went around the toilet. It slid in lots of gaps where there was no caulk. (My guy didn’t re-caulk last year.) Yesterday afternoon, I bought caulk and applied as I saw on youtube. Last night the smell went from 100% nasty to 1 1/2 % barely detectable. So, you’re saying this solution may not hold up. Rats! I’ll keep an eye on it. Again, thanks so very much for replying. Now i know what will help my problem.
Hi, it’s N again. I went back and did my nightly sniff, and I want to report to you that you are so right. The smell is definitely worse than last night. I hope I didn’t screw things up by caulking. I’m amazed, like the gas is wearing a watch. Decides to visit at exactly 7pm (Midwest). Packs it’s bags and is gone in the morning, only to repeat same scenario. My best, kind sir-
Fully agree about caulk around the toilet base. I've seen a lot of toilets with rotten subfloor beneath due to a failed wax seal that went unnoticed for years because the toilet was sealed all around. Occasionally a toilet will have such a wide radius at the bottom edge that causes it to look like a gap or depending on the type of floor its on such as the grout lines of tile. Ill caulk those but I always leave an opening of about 3" to 4" at the back and a 3/4" opening at the front or on one side or another for water and potentially sewer gas to get out and get noticed in the event that the wax seal fails. Each application is different so I just do whatever looks the best while maintaining the ability to detect a potential problem. Also of note, while those spigot type toilet flanges can make a tough job much easier you gotta always realize they also decrease the inside dimension of the waste stack which can cause even bigger problems with blockages. The type of toilet and actual geometry of the toilet trap and waste outlet of the various toilets can compound that potential problem. Thats why it's often necessary to have a pro do the work. Many problems can be fixed by the DIY weekend warriors but they sometimes cause bigger problems than they solve.
HELP !! Whenever WIND BLOWS HARD, (which is becoming more common here in Mn) our home STINKS with sewer gas smell! No RUclips has addressed this! I’m GOING TO TRUST this seasoned Veteran plumber will know answer IMMEDIATELY! Much thanks!!
Sheila Smith, first question…are you on a septic tank? If you are, you need to open one of the lids on the tank closest to the house. You’ll see the pipe coming from the house. You need to add a 90 degree elbow on the end of the pipe. You’ll want the elbow to go a couple of inches below the water line. That will stop the sewer smell. I’ve only encountered this problem on septic systems. I hope you understand what needs to be done. Thanks for trusting me to help.
Dang… I was really wanting to shortcut and just caulk or silicone so I didn’t have to pull my toilet. Thank you for adding that in there. And the thought to lube the thing, 100% going to save me headache. Epic video! Thank you! Stoked to be a new subscriber 🙏🏻 Any chance someone has a link to the repair flange he used?
Not sewer gas, but I have a son who hasn’t mastered peeing. Bad urine smell even though toilet is routinely cleaned. Caulked “just” the front of the toilet to make cleaning more efficient and this solved the odor problem. Back of toilet isn’t caulked so I can identify water just in case wax ring or flange fails
@@Gr8ful7 if the toilet rocks, you would want to replace the bolts and the wax ring. If you smell an odor, replace the wax rings. If you’re seeing water at the base of the toilet when you flush, replace the rings. Otherwise, don’t worry about it.
Did you know that Mr. Crapper invented the toilet bowl and you was a die-hard fixer of Mr.Crappers products all your life....lol ! Mr.Crapper thanks you very much. ;-))
Thanks for the information. I see you are keeping warm out in the West. It is currently 54F in central Michigan and I bet you don't miss that steady cooling down much which is underway now. 😉
If the flange sits on the finished floor, you only need to use one wax ring. If the top of the flange is even with the finished floor, I recommend two wax rings. To answer your question, it doesn’t hurt if you want to use two wax rings if the flange is sitting on the finished floor.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber I wasn’t sure because I read that you should not use to wax rings, so I ordered that piece that you were talking about is one way just as good as the other
We don’t sell these repair flanges. You can find them at Fergusons, Home Depot, Lowes, and probably a good neighborhood hardware store. The brands I like are Sioux Chief and Oatey.
Okay so- I have a small bathroom, shower, toilet, sink. No bathtub. I only smell the sewer smell when the shower is running. Could that be from the toilet??
I was trying to find the link to where I would be able to purchase the Sioux Chief repair flange but I don’t see it in your description. Is the Sioux Chief flange the push tite that I would want? Thank you
Usually you can find the Sioux Chief or Oatey products at Lowe’s or Home Depot. Either one will work and they have different types depending on the size drain pipe you have on your toilet.
This is extremely helpful, thank you. (Also I accidentally hit the dislike button, but cleared that and hit like, and don't know if it still sent that feedback to you. I definitely like this video and your content.)
OK, I've got a bit of a different sewer smell problem. I just remodeled our upstairs bathroom an installed a new power source toilet from Lowes. Ours doesn't smell around the base, but does smell when U lift the lid to do u'r business. An the second U flush & drop the lid the smell stops until its used again. Can U shed some light on why this is happening? Thanks for u'r time.
Maddawg5354, your problem sounds like it could be that the water level in the bowl is below the discharge opening. It’s either that the water is draining out of the bowl by a defect in the pottery or you have a vent problem. When another fixture is being used, it’s siphoning the water out of the bowl.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber, Thanks for the input, I'll check the water level & see if that helps. Our old toilet didn't do this & the one down stairs is fine, so like U say it's either the water level or being this is Lowes cheapest toilet it could be defective. Thanks Again!
I live on the top floor of 16 floor apartment building and my toilet is cloudy along with a sewer gas smell after I come home 12 hours later. This is a flushometer toilet so perhaps the wax ring? The smell dissipates after flushing the toilet so maybe a hole in the pipe in the wall ? Thanks again GP!
if my wax ring is bad I would be able to smell it if I get down and sniff around the base of the toilet right? I dont see any leaks or smell anything down there. I have a nasty smell in my small bathroom and cant figure out where it coming from.
William Bang, I would pull the toilet and see if the floor is rotting under the toilet. If this is a fairly new smell, don’t rule out that something like a mouse might have died in the wall. That smell could be a lot stronger than a sewer smell. You need to do some research on the smell and find the problem before you hire someone to come over. He’ll just stand there and scratch his head and give you a bill.
@@PopcornChristian you can’t test for the smell in the sink or shower. To fix the shower, have the drain really cleaned very well and make sure the trap is holding water. Change the popup drain and p-trap on the sink. While the popup drain is off, clean the overflow drain on the sink. Give that a try. I periodically clean my shower drain with a closet auger, even when there is no smell. Shower drains can build up a lot of soap.
The flange is usually a 1/4” thick and the bottom of the flange should sit on the finished floor. One wax ring and the toilet should fit perfectly. If the flange is sitting way too high, you need to cut it off and get a repair flange that will sit inside of the pipe. The bottom of the flange should be flush with the floor. Very important that flanges be installed correctly because caulking will not stop sewer gas from coming into the room.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber Thank you so much! I will look into the repair flange. If you saw what I'm dealing with you could make an hour long video of what NOT to do. lol When I removed the toilet there was at least 3 melted wax rings and an entire tube of caulking
Need a lil advice..I have a small bathroom so My toilet is in infront of the bathroom sink. I tore down a closet thats was in the other room to make the bathroom bigger, but i want to remove my bathroom sink from the front to the side where i tore down the wall. I saw that the sink was connected to the vent a little bit more than 1ft...how far can i go away from the vent?
It could be if the flange is set lower than the finished floor and two wax rings can’t make a good seal on the bowl. If you can smell it at the base of the toilet, then it didn’t make a good seal.
Flower boy creations, you only use the antifreeze if you are shutting the house down for the winter or if you have a floor drain where the water evaporates or a bathroom you don’t use. Now, if you have a smell in the bathroom, you smell the base of the toilet where it meets the floor. If there is an odor, pull the toilet and replace the w@x rings with a couple of new ones. Pour about a cup and a half of antifreeze in each toilets. Hope this answers your question.
I am a contractor and we’re dealing with this problem on a vacation building at a ski resort in Maine. Plumber has done his investigation, all came clean. Because we have a hole in the floor underneath the vanity sink, I have to add other considerations to this problem. My theory is that perhaps someone damaged a wet vent pipe on units bellow and the smell is coming up that hole. Some times it gets worse. I heard the cabinet installers complaining of a poppy dipper smell as they made their way into the building, but there’s a daycare on the first floor.. so that’s a lot of 💩. Gotta figure that one. Any clues ?
Jose Goncalves, the first thing I would do is remove the toilets and see if the toilet flange is below the finished floor. If it’s more than a half an inch, use a repair flange and not a repair ring. Try to get it flush with the finished floor or above the finished floor about a quarter inch. Check all the drains and make sure there is water in all the traps. Make sure there is not a floor drain like under a water heater or washing machine that needs water in it. If everything is good in these areas, it might be the hole under the vanity sink.
Paul Baran, if the water level in your toilet bowl is too low, that could be the reason you are getting that smell. The fill valve should have a 1/4” tube going into the flush valve. That is where the flapper is attached. You want the water level in the tank one inch from the top of the overflow tube.
I have a different smell in my bathroom it’s not sewer but it smells bad i poured baking soda and white vinegar down shower and sink still smells ???? Do you think a new flange is what I need it is there a smell from under tiles by toilet I get down there and can’t pin point it by smelling toilet.
@@clintonmclimore8370 do you have a bathtub? If so, do you have an access panel located at the faucet end of the tub? Look under the tub and see if there is water damage as that can cause a smell. Does your bathroom sink have an overflow drain ? You might try to clean that out. If there is a chance the smell is coming from the toilet, pull the toilet and change the w@x rings and check to see if the flange is even or above the finish floor. Do not caulk as that does not cover smells.
The flange extension kit(not the repair flange)can’t be placed on the top of the flange even if you silicone them to the existing flange?If not,how are you supposed to raise the height of the flange if flange is below floor level?
Razeen Brooks, you need to use a repair flange but I usually use one or two of the repair flange extension kit you mentioned. You need to put it underneath the repair flange and that will raise the flange a 1/4” above the finished floor. You also need a set of 3” closet flange bolts. Then you use one or two regular wax rings so when you set the bowl on the wax rings, the bowl will squish into the wax. You do not need to use any caulk or silicone. Hope you understand.
I had a vanity installed in my bathroom and they did not put dry wall about a small patch that was removed when replacing the old one. Instead of patching the wall, they just put the vanity back. When I mentioned it to them they told me not to worry since the vanity is covering that area. Should this be a concern or is it done just like that?
@@TeresaAllen-j1r if you have a 4” flange with a 4” pipe connected to it, you can cut the old flange off flush with the floor and install an internal flange that will fit into the 4” pipe. Another name for it is a street flange. That is probably where the sewer smell could come from.
no idea where smell is coming from, just started.... flange looks a little rusted at my place at the 12 o clock position. It's a half bath on first floor so it is used frequently. ran water in sink too, still had the smell, put a reinforced jumbo wax ring and that did not help. I just pulled it and it looks, looks, like it had made full contact. I wonder if it was leaking these last 25-30 years but floor seems solid. IDK.
@@DanTheManIOM add a standard wax ring on top of the ring you just put in and reset the toilet and push it down hard. Make sure the water level in the bowl is a1/2” above the bowl outlet. One thing to check is the overflow hole on the bathroom sink and see if a smell is coming from that. If there is a smell, run some Clorox into the hole and clean out. Don’t worry about the rust on the flange as long as it’s holding the toilet tight.
Gee, I wish I looked up that question before I had a new flange put in. Not that it costed a whole lot of money but the odor is still there. They are telling me that the floor was not level and it has been gutted out in 2003 and tiled but who noticed that the floor wasn't level. Back then, no odor but recently, I painted walls and the toilet moved and that was the start of it. Now, since the new flange was put in, the bowl doesn't move any longer but can still smell that odor. I caulked it like they said and that is when I saw how unlevel the bowl was. I guess my question is what now!? The flange is sitting directly on the floor. I watched them do it. My floor is unlevel. However, I noticed that when I move the top of the tank, the smell gets worst. Is it possible that the smell is coming from the rust in the tank itself? Thanks for your time.
@@lisasclafani5185 even though they raised the flange, did they use one or two wax rings? Caulk will not stop the smell. Can you remove the toilet tank and install a new gasket between the tank and the bowl? Then clean the tank off when you have it removed. Make sure you have all the water out of the tank before removing it. Back to the unlevel floor, did they shim the toilet bowl to level it? If so, they might not have a good seal between the wax ring and the bowl. Good luck and I hope this helps.
burton m, you should pull the toilet and check to see if the flange is even with the floor or a 1/4” above the finish floor. If not, put a repair flange on it and a new wax ring. You might check and see if the overflow on the bathroom sink is draining. Way to check is to fill the sink and let the water drain through the hole. Maybe add Clorox to the water to clean it. Make sure no one is urinating on the floor.
@@SANDIEGOGIRL are there any floor drains in the basement? Are there any old sinks or toilets in the basement? Is there an old washing machine drain? Pour 2 cups of RV antifreeze in each drain. Look for any cracked pipes. Make sure the clean out plug to the sewer line is not loose. Make sure you don’t have a gas leak as that can smell like sewer gas too. I hope this helps as you didn’t give me much information.
The smell coming in my bathroom in the mornings is a acetone/paint thinner smell...I am worried becaue it sometimes builds up in the hallways...such a mystery!
We just paid lots of bucks for plumber to do smoke test for a sewer gas smell in our master bathroom. We use this bathroom everyday, so no dry traps. Smoke test showed no breach in system. So deflated. We had to move to different bedroom as we can't even stay in the master suite.
S Lee, were you there when the plumber did the smoke test? Is there a window in the bathroom? Is there a vent fan? Is there a studor vent in the system? Have you checked the attic? Has the toilet been pulled to see if the flange is below the floor level? If it is, it has to be raised. If the toilet is caulked, you can get a smell through the caulk but you won’t get smoke. First thing I would have done was get on the floor and smell around the base of the toilet. These are some things you should look for. If you discover the problem, then call someone who can fix it. I never found a smoke test that worked to find the problem.I hope these ideas help you out. Please let me know how it worked out.
Hi my plumber used the methane gas detector and found no leak in the toilet , sink or the shower drain , after watching your video should I just get him to open up and change the wax ring anyway ? The smell persist despite my bleach/ vinegar/baking soda flush
I guess it depends on what location you live in different States have different manufacturers . If it helps we have proflo products in this area we use. They make a pretty good remodel If flanch especially if you're connecting to cast iron stacks
I have a cabin that is not in use at this time, no water running to it, but recently there is a bad sewer smell from the toilet. Ex says to add antifreeze to stop the back flow from the main septic line on the property (my home) He said its dry and needs to be filled to keep back flow smell from the toilet... Help!
Your ex is correct. Antifreeze works well because it does not evaporate. You should also use about a cup full in the bathroom sink drain, bathtub or shower drain, and the kitchen sink drain.
Having the same problem in master bathroom. 1. Have a nasty smell coming from toilet. 2. When I flush the water level is very low have to flush a second time to get the water to normal level in toilet. 3. Have to hold handle to complete flush. What would you say is issue with toilet ?
David Gold, the toilet tank water level should be 3/4” below the overflow tube. The flapper on the flush valve could be worn out and closing too quickly. There is a tube on the fill valve that goes into the overflow tube. You want to make sure it is connected. If you are getting a gurgling sound when you flush the toilet, you might have a plugged vent. The water level in the toilet bowl should be about a half an inch above the outlet. That might be one reason for the smell. If none of these seem to be a problem, you need to reset the toilet and make sure you use two wax rings.
Hey I like your videos, thanks for all your helpful knowledge & I just subbed after trying to find an answer to the following question. Basic details, I live in Alaska where the ground water temperature is nice & cold, community treated & pumped water system. My regular tank water heater percolates quite a bit after the wife's long showers if hot water is ran - however It also peculates when purely cold water is ran? I suspect something's not quite right with pressure?
Calvin Campbell, when you take out hot water from a water heater, cold water enters to the lower third of the tank. It percolates when the water is heating because it brings the burner on after you use around five gallons of water. The percolating does not cause any damage to the heater. Thanks for subscribing.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber and thanks for your reply! Was simply puzzled why peculation is triggered again when only cold water is ran (after the tank calmed down). I assumed trapped air or backflow.
@radsharif92, first thing I would check is to make sure the toilet has a proper seal. Don’t use caulk to seal it. Then I would check out the smell under the sink. If it’s a vanity, hopefully nothing died in the base of the vanity. That smell would go away in about ten days. Check to make sure the trap is not leaking. I really think it’s the toilet.
I have a strong sewer smell in the toilet room that comes and goes. It is not constant. To get rid of the odor, I flush the toilet a few times and the smell goes away for a few weeks. Then the smell returns and I go through the process of flushing the toilet and venting the room. Do you have any suggestions for what may be causing the issue? Thank you.
Sherri Khan, does this room have a sink and tub/shower? If it does and you don’t use this room everyday, add RV antifreeze to the toilet bowl and the sink drain and shower drain. Antifreeze does not evaporate. If that’s not the problem, the next thing to try is reset the toilet but make sure the toilet flange is flush to the floor or a quarter inch above it. Use one to two wax rings, no more. Caulk around the toilet base does not stop the odor. Hopefully this helps.
I took your advice and started installing repair flanges but there always too high and then the toilet is almost impossible to caulk.Any advice?Toilet is usually 1/2 inch above the ground.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber the problem is the flange breaks on one side where the bolts are supposed to go,so,I figured I use a repair flange.The original flange is usually flush to the floor or quarter inch above.What do I do when the flange breaks and and I can’t put one bolt in?
RB, there is a repair kit called a Spanner Flange. It will slide underneath the broken flange but put the closet bolt on the Spanner Flange first. It’s a half inch wide and 8” long piece of metal about 1/16” thick and has the same curve as the flange does.
RB, P. S., another thing you can do, if it’s a plastic flange, is cut the flange part off flush with the floor and use the repair flange that will go inside the pipe. This is probably the better way to do it.
I did this exactly to a T and I still have a problem. The smell is only when we use the shower in this bathroom. This bathroom is closest to the septic tank. The tank has been serviced last year. I have 2 sinks in this bathroom, should I try to clean the traps in those? Toilet: flange replaced due to having a crack, wax ring was blown out. New bolts, new wax ring just put on, new flange, toilet is a year old. Shower: p trap, water is clean, tried baking soda and white vinegar with no luck. When the shower is in use, it smells like shampoo that has a very foul odor. Any help would be greatly appreciated
Open the septic tank up, put an elbow on the inlet pipe so it breaks just below the water line and that will stop sewer gas from coming back into the house. P.S. Use an elbow and not a T on the inlet pipe in the septic tank. Give that a try and let me know if that worked.
It is good to be back! I know you missed this grumpy plumber. I've been getting this question a lot recently so I hope this helps fix the sewer smell in your bathroom.
Move videos are coming out so click subscribe for more professional plumbing advice from The Grumpy Plumber.
Direct and too the point. This is how youtube university should be. Thank you!
Amen to that!
****This was extremely helpful! Sewer gas smell in my home had become so bad I had to send my wife and kids away for a night. Kept pouring bleach down the drain because that's what a plumber told me. Three bathrooms, sewer gass smell only coming from the 2 I remodeld and put new floor down a few years back. I went to the plumbing supply store to pick up the new toliet flange extender. Not only did they not have what I needed but all the staff tried to tell me I had multiple different issues with the stack or trap or busted line somewhere and that a new flange and better seal was not going to fix my problem. I left extremely frustrated, but then I remembered the Grumpy Plumber's voice in my head being very persistant. I went to Home Depot got the flange and a new wax ring. I fixed toliets in my home in about 90 minutes. Smell completely gone after just one day. So glad I stuck to my guns and listened to the Grumpy plumber. I've suffered with this ordor on and off for years! So thankful for you and this channel
-Old histrocial homeowner in Detroit.
Michael D Matthis, thanks so much for this response to our video! You made my day. This is why I’m doing these videos. Appreciate you for sharing your experience.
"I got down on the floor and I smelled around the base of the shh..the toilet" good save 👌 😅
The shitter 😂
It was great delivery
I’ve been smelling rotten eggs for a few days in my downstairs bathroom. After seeing your video I turned the water on in the shower and the rotten smell stopped. Your video saved me money. I was thinking that I needed to hire a plumber. Thank you for the video.
He is not grumpy. I really like him.
I don't have a sewer smell in my bathroom, I just like to watch your videos, I am in awe of a plumber and an electrician, second only to a carpenter. I have learned out of necessity to be a "learn how to do it yourself" kind of person. Not too many disasters fortunately. Keep up the good work, the information you give is so helpful and useful. Sending happy thoughts to you and your family from Southern California.
Did not know the sink drains could also have evaporated trap issues, so I was only focusing on the toilet drains. Thankful for your Dad!
Experience is your best teacher. POP’s is the real Deal💪
Sounded as if I was hearing my pops. My pops was a Master Plumber for 45 years. Guy knows his stuff, reasonable and competitive. I like it.
Thank you Grumpy Plumber - your advise solved my problem! I poured water in the sink and the bathtub and the smell went away!! Thanks again! You/re the best!
"smell around the base of the sh-..toilet"😂😂
This guy is God sent 🙏🏾
Here's to many more years of grumpiness. Thank you for advice on repairs
I had a bad seal. A wax ring never worked. Replaced it twice. Height was good. So I used a Sani Seal foam wax ring on try number three. Foam is also common in trailers. It worked great.
Just had sewage smells like you described and I was guessing that the smell was coming from this area and you’ve made me certain that this is exactly the problems I’m having here in Japan,. Thank you so much.
I was recently at a friends house and using their toilet I notice a watermark on the floor at the edge of the toilet. A penny for your thoughts of why?
Used this info today for my daughter's problem in her bathroom.
Great channel.
We have the same issue in our bathroom and going to try this out!
Hey, glad to see some new content. I love hearing the great advice Jim shares with us.
Thank you. I'm a grumpy electrician.😠 Your video not only made me look smarter than I am: I completed one of the many "honey-do" tasks in record time. All the best to you and yours. Be well
I love the name of this channel.
Dad is a flippin genius. I always wondered what an easy fix would be for a low flange. I don’t trust the extension kits. I feel like they’ll eventually leak if you get an overflow.
This is how I like instructions, very thorough. Thank you for this video
Here's one for you. I'm sitting in a nursing home with my mother. I've noticed ever since she's been here there's sewer gas fumes in the bathroom. I spoke with an employee here. Was told they had flushed the lines lately. I'm not the only one who's noticed. My Dad was a plumber for many years. He opened up a sewer line, the fumes came out, he went running for the outdoors. Passed out, fell off the porch landed in the yard. He spent two days in bed. 🤦🤔
Lynn Clark, sorry to hear about that! Those fumes are potent. I bet the problem with your mother’s bathroom is with the toilet. The repair man is probably caulking the base of the toilet instead of resetting the toilet with new wax rings. You should never smell sewer gas in a building period.
THANK YOU GRUMPY PLUMBER! Shower trap got me. Easiest fix ever
where have you been all my life? so happy I finally found you! Subscribed.
caulking does make a huge difference in reinforcing the stability of the toilet. use clear caulking and go from bolt to bolt, which still allows for seeing a leak at the back. if you make aas small of bead as possible while still contacting the floor and the toilet, most of the time you cant notice the caulking unless youre looking for it , and does wonders if the bolts ever start to loosen off, toilet won’t rock, so it wont come of the seal. also is a big help for cleaning around the toilet, making sure dribbles dont make it underneath the toilet that will start to smell after a while.
love the videos, always helps you get better seeing how other plumbers do things differently
The shhh....Toilet🤣🤣🤣 thank you such a simple answer and now time to get to work! Thank you sir.
Happy to see you back, it's been a while!
Thanks for the in depth info! I hope you still check this link. I had my plumber out last winter, before he moved. He removed the toilet, replaced the wax ring, etc. He came right before he moved. Days later the smell was back. I put up w/ it, not knowing what to do. Summer came and smell diminished and then disappeared. Weather now cooling to the 50’s at night-it’s back w/ vengeance. I think it’s worse at night. The toilet area is separate, and the door closes. I run water all the time in toilets,tubs, showers, and the sinks. There is a small one inch area the original plumbers did not bead w/ caulk, and yes, I can smell it coming from there. I bought some caulk, but now I’m not sure I should seal that tiny area because you mentioned thumbs down on caulking. Help!? I think I need a master plumber, like you.
N, it’s probably the toilet flange that is sitting below the finished floor level that is probably causing the smell. It will possibly seal with two wax rings. If not, you need to raise the flange. Do not ever use three wax rings. One more thing, the caulk does not stop the smell so it is not a solution.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber Hi! You’re so kind to reply!! I’m not too tech savvy, and forgot to check replies. Darn! I called a master plumber, and three days later still hadn’t heard back. I took a sharp edged envelope and went around the toilet. It slid in lots of gaps where there was no caulk. (My guy didn’t re-caulk last year.) Yesterday afternoon, I bought caulk and applied as I saw on youtube. Last night the smell went from 100% nasty to 1 1/2 % barely detectable. So, you’re saying this solution may not hold up. Rats! I’ll keep an eye on it. Again, thanks so very much for replying. Now i know what will help my problem.
Hi, it’s N again. I went back and did my nightly sniff, and I want to report to you that you are so right. The smell is definitely worse than last night. I hope I didn’t screw things up by caulking. I’m amazed, like the gas is wearing a watch. Decides to visit at exactly 7pm (Midwest). Packs it’s bags and is gone in the morning, only to repeat same scenario. My best, kind sir-
I love how almost called the toilet a shitter!!
Nice to see you back. Great demonstration. Thank you.
Didn’t see the link to purchase it from.
Finally a plumber that does’t use caulk on the floor, I never have used caulk either
Thanks. I tried running the shower and gave the toilet a sniff. I hope it fixed it. If not I’ll try removing the toilet and changing
Fully agree about caulk around the toilet base. I've seen a lot of toilets with rotten subfloor beneath due to a failed wax seal that went unnoticed for years because the toilet was sealed all around.
Occasionally a toilet will have such a wide radius at the bottom edge that causes it to look like a gap or depending on the type of floor its on such as the grout lines of tile. Ill caulk those but I always leave an opening of about 3" to 4" at the back and a 3/4" opening at the front or on one side or another for water and potentially sewer gas to get out and get noticed in the event that the wax seal fails.
Each application is different so I just do whatever looks the best while maintaining the ability to detect a potential problem.
Also of note, while those spigot type toilet flanges can make a tough job much easier you gotta always realize they also decrease the inside dimension of the waste stack which can cause even bigger problems with blockages. The type of toilet and actual geometry of the toilet trap and waste outlet of the various toilets can compound that potential problem.
Thats why it's often necessary to have a pro do the work. Many problems can be fixed by the DIY weekend warriors but they sometimes cause bigger problems than they solve.
HELP !! Whenever WIND BLOWS HARD, (which is becoming more common here in Mn) our home STINKS with sewer gas smell! No RUclips has addressed this! I’m GOING TO TRUST this seasoned Veteran plumber will know answer IMMEDIATELY! Much thanks!!
Sheila Smith, first question…are you on a septic tank? If you are, you need to open one of the lids on the tank closest to the house. You’ll see the pipe coming from the house. You need to add a 90 degree elbow on the end of the pipe. You’ll want the elbow to go a couple of inches below the water line. That will stop the sewer smell. I’ve only encountered this problem on septic systems. I hope you understand what needs to be done. Thanks for trusting me to help.
Might be that your main stack isn't located on the roof ... Maybe you need a extender to get it past windows and vents
Dang… I was really wanting to shortcut and just caulk or silicone so I didn’t have to pull my toilet. Thank you for adding that in there. And the thought to lube the thing, 100% going to save me headache.
Epic video! Thank you! Stoked to be a new subscriber 🙏🏻
Any chance someone has a link to the repair flange he used?
@@brycemiller4654 they have a variety of repair flanges at Home Depot. Thanks for sharing your testimony and subscribing.
Great to see your videos again. 😉
I don’t see the link for the repair flange. Can you update the description to include it?
Both Home Depot and Lowes carry repair flanges as shown in the video.
Thank you Jim!! 🙏🙏
Thank you so so much! Fixed!!!
I think this will fix my issue. Thank you.
You solved my problem! thank you!
He knows his 💩💩! Great info…. 👍🏼
Not sewer gas, but I have a son who hasn’t mastered peeing. Bad urine smell even though toilet is routinely cleaned. Caulked “just” the front of the toilet to make cleaning more efficient and this solved the odor problem. Back of toilet isn’t caulked so I can identify water just in case wax ring or flange fails
Glass Half Full, also try to clean between the tank and the bowl as sometimes that will cause an odor.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber Thanks! We’ve got it under control, I hope 😬
Jim You Definitely A Pro
How often do you need to change the wax ring?
@@Gr8ful7 if the toilet rocks, you would want to replace the bolts and the wax ring. If you smell an odor, replace the wax rings. If you’re seeing water at the base of the toilet when you flush, replace the rings. Otherwise, don’t worry about it.
Thank you so much. It was indeed the toilet 🚽. The wax ring was worn out.
Did you know that Mr. Crapper invented the toilet bowl and you was a die-hard fixer of Mr.Crappers products all your life....lol ! Mr.Crapper thanks you very much. ;-))
Thanks for the information. I see you are keeping warm out in the West. It is currently 54F in central Michigan and I bet you don't miss that steady cooling down much which is underway now. 😉
Thank you Sir. ❤
nice nice
exactly what i was hoping to find
Can we just use two wax gaskets initially if the original flange is it in High enough?
If the flange sits on the finished floor, you only need to use one wax ring. If the top of the flange is even with the finished floor, I recommend two wax rings. To answer your question, it doesn’t hurt if you want to use two wax rings if the flange is sitting on the finished floor.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber thank you
@@TheGrumpyPlumber I wasn’t sure because I read that you should not use to wax rings, so I ordered that piece that you were talking about is one way just as good as the other
If you ordered the flange, then use it as it’s better than using two wax rings.
Where is the link for the repair flange?
We don’t sell these repair flanges. You can find them at Fergusons, Home Depot, Lowes, and probably a good neighborhood hardware store. The brands I like are Sioux Chief and Oatey.
So right about caulk.
Awsome video thanks!
For a second I thought I was watching a Hawaii vacation guide video and had to do a double check, lol.
Where is the link to buy the extender?
Chris, they are called repair toilet flanges and can be found at Home Depot and Lowes.
Okay so- I have a small bathroom, shower, toilet, sink. No bathtub. I only smell the sewer smell when the shower is running. Could that be from the toilet??
More usefult and unique info. Love it
I was trying to find the link to where I would be able to purchase the Sioux Chief repair flange but I don’t see it in your description. Is the Sioux Chief flange the push tite that I would want?
Thank you
Usually you can find the Sioux Chief or Oatey products at Lowe’s or Home Depot. Either one will work and they have different types depending on the size drain pipe you have on your toilet.
This is extremely helpful, thank you. (Also I accidentally hit the dislike button, but cleared that and hit like, and don't know if it still sent that feedback to you. I definitely like this video and your content.)
OK, I've got a bit of a different sewer smell problem. I just remodeled our upstairs bathroom an installed a new power source toilet from Lowes. Ours doesn't smell around the base, but does smell when U lift the lid to do u'r business. An the second U flush & drop the lid the smell stops until its used again. Can U shed some light on why this is happening? Thanks for u'r time.
Maddawg5354, your problem sounds like it could be that the water level in the bowl is below the discharge opening. It’s either that the water is draining out of the bowl by a defect in the pottery or you have a vent problem. When another fixture is being used, it’s siphoning the water out of the bowl.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber, Thanks for the input, I'll check the water level & see if that helps. Our old toilet didn't do this & the one down stairs is fine, so like U say it's either the water level or being this is Lowes cheapest toilet it could be defective. Thanks Again!
I live on the top floor of 16 floor apartment building and my toilet is cloudy along with a sewer gas smell after I come home 12 hours later. This is a flushometer toilet so perhaps the wax ring? The smell dissipates after flushing the toilet so maybe a hole in the pipe in the wall ? Thanks again GP!
Thank you!
if my wax ring is bad I would be able to smell it if I get down and sniff around the base of the toilet right? I dont see any leaks or smell anything down there. I have a nasty smell in my small bathroom and cant figure out where it coming from.
William Bang, I would pull the toilet and see if the floor is rotting under the toilet. If this is a fairly new smell, don’t rule out that something like a mouse might have died in the wall. That smell could be a lot stronger than a sewer smell. You need to do some research on the smell and find the problem before you hire someone to come over. He’ll just stand there and scratch his head and give you a bill.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber thank you turned it it was a raccoon in the attic
if its the sink or shower, how do you fix? And how do you test for this? Its insane
@@PopcornChristian you can’t test for the smell in the sink or shower. To fix the shower, have the drain really cleaned very well and make sure the trap is holding water. Change the popup drain and p-trap on the sink. While the popup drain is off, clean the overflow drain on the sink. Give that a try. I periodically clean my shower drain with a closet auger, even when there is no smell. Shower drains can build up a lot of soap.
What do I do if the flange is already too high?
The flange is usually a 1/4” thick and the bottom of the flange should sit on the finished floor. One wax ring and the toilet should fit perfectly. If the flange is sitting way too high, you need to cut it off and get a repair flange that will sit inside of the pipe. The bottom of the flange should be flush with the floor. Very important that flanges be installed correctly because caulking will not stop sewer gas from coming into the room.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber Thank you so much! I will look into the repair flange. If you saw what I'm dealing with you could make an hour long video of what NOT to do. lol
When I removed the toilet there was at least 3 melted wax rings and an entire tube of caulking
Need a lil advice..I have a small bathroom so My toilet is in infront of the bathroom sink. I tore down a closet thats was in the other room to make the bathroom bigger, but i want to remove my bathroom sink from the front to the side where i tore down the wall. I saw that the sink was connected to the vent a little bit more than 1ft...how far can i go away from the vent?
The sewer gas smell in our bathroom seems to be coming from the sink drain. Any suggestions for how to address that?
Is this usually from a toilet & flange change out?
It could be if the flange is set lower than the finished floor and two wax rings can’t make a good seal on the bowl. If you can smell it at the base of the toilet, then it didn’t make a good seal.
hey a quick question if you have 2 bathrooms how many cups of the antifreeze you use because we have two bathrooms
Flower boy creations, you only use the antifreeze if you are shutting the house down for the winter or if you have a floor drain where the water evaporates or a bathroom you don’t use. Now, if you have a smell in the bathroom, you smell the base of the toilet where it meets the floor. If there is an odor, pull the toilet and replace the w@x rings with a couple of new ones. Pour about a cup and a half of antifreeze in each toilets. Hope this answers your question.
I am a contractor and we’re dealing with this problem on a vacation building at a ski resort in Maine. Plumber has done his investigation, all came clean. Because we have a hole in the floor underneath the vanity sink, I have to add other considerations to this problem. My theory is that perhaps someone damaged a wet vent pipe on units bellow and the smell is coming up that hole. Some times it gets worse. I heard the cabinet installers complaining of a poppy dipper smell as they made their way into the building, but there’s a daycare on the first floor.. so that’s a lot of 💩. Gotta figure that one. Any clues ?
Jose Goncalves, the first thing I would do is remove the toilets and see if the toilet flange is below the finished floor. If it’s more than a half an inch, use a repair flange and not a repair ring. Try to get it flush with the finished floor or above the finished floor about a quarter inch. Check all the drains and make sure there is water in all the traps. Make sure there is not a floor drain like under a water heater or washing machine that needs water in it. If everything is good in these areas, it might be the hole under the vanity sink.
Quick question- does toilet paper and poo get caught on those Allen head bolts?
Are you in the Knoxville TN area? I need to hire you!
Sorry, but I live a long way from TN.
I only get a dead rat odor when I raise the toilet lid. The odor isn’t consistent, but when it happens, it’s very intense.
Paul Baran, if the water level in your toilet bowl is too low, that could be the reason you are getting that smell. The fill valve should have a 1/4” tube going into the flush valve. That is where the flapper is attached. You want the water level in the tank one inch from the top of the overflow tube.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber I’ll definitely take a look. Thank you!
I have a different smell in my bathroom it’s not sewer but it smells bad i poured baking soda and white vinegar down shower and sink still smells ???? Do you think a new flange is what I need it is there a smell from under tiles by toilet I get down there and can’t pin point it by smelling toilet.
@@clintonmclimore8370 do you have a bathtub? If so, do you have an access panel located at the faucet end of the tub? Look under the tub and see if there is water damage as that can cause a smell. Does your bathroom sink have an overflow drain ? You might try to clean that out.
If there is a chance the smell is coming from the toilet, pull the toilet and change the w@x rings and check to see if the flange is even or above the finish floor. Do not caulk as that does not cover smells.
We all know he wanted to say shitter! 😅 Nice video and straight to the point. Thanks
The flange extension kit(not the repair flange)can’t be placed on the top of the flange even if you silicone them to the existing flange?If not,how are you supposed to raise the height of the flange if flange is below floor level?
Razeen Brooks, you need to use a repair flange but I usually use one or two of the repair flange extension kit you mentioned. You need to put it underneath the repair flange and that will raise the flange a 1/4” above the finished floor. You also need a set of 3” closet flange bolts. Then you use one or two regular wax rings so when you set the bowl on the wax rings, the bowl will squish into the wax. You do not need to use any caulk or silicone. Hope you understand.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber Got it!!! You’re the best👍🏿
I had a vanity installed in my bathroom and they did not put dry wall about a small patch that was removed when replacing the old one. Instead of patching the wall, they just put the vanity back. When I mentioned it to them they told me not to worry since the vanity is covering that area. Should this be a concern or is it done just like that?
@@Gr8ful7 if the vanity has a back on it, I wouldn’t be concerned.
My kinda guy! Tell it like it is & take it or leave it! Thank you! Enjoyed your video! Exactly the information I was looking for! New subscriber!
What happens if the flange sits higher because we had to pull up some flooring but rebuild but not tile the door.
@@TeresaAllen-j1r if you have a 4” flange with a 4” pipe connected to it, you can cut the old flange off flush with the floor and install an internal flange that will fit into the 4” pipe. Another name for it is a street flange. That is probably where the sewer smell could come from.
no idea where smell is coming from, just started.... flange looks a little rusted at my place at the 12 o clock position. It's a half bath on first floor so it is used frequently. ran water in sink too, still had the smell, put a reinforced jumbo wax ring and that did not help. I just pulled it and it looks, looks, like it had made full contact. I wonder if it was leaking these last 25-30 years but floor seems solid. IDK.
@@DanTheManIOM add a standard wax ring on top of the ring you just put in and reset the toilet and push it down hard. Make sure the water level in the bowl is a1/2” above the bowl outlet. One thing to check is the overflow hole on the bathroom sink and see if a smell is coming from that. If there is a smell, run some Clorox into the hole and clean out. Don’t worry about the rust on the flange as long as it’s holding the toilet tight.
Gee, I wish I looked up that question before I had a new flange put in. Not that it costed a whole lot of money but the odor is still there. They are telling me that the floor was not level and it has been gutted out in 2003 and tiled but who noticed that the floor wasn't level. Back then, no odor but recently, I painted walls and the toilet moved and that was the start of it. Now, since the new flange was put in, the bowl doesn't move any longer but can still smell that odor. I caulked it like they said and that is when I saw how unlevel the bowl was. I guess my question is what now!? The flange is sitting directly on the floor. I watched them do it. My floor is unlevel. However, I noticed that when I move the top of the tank, the smell gets worst. Is it possible that the smell is coming from the rust in the tank itself? Thanks for your time.
@@lisasclafani5185 even though they raised the flange, did they use one or two wax rings? Caulk will not stop the smell. Can you remove the toilet tank and install a new gasket between the tank and the bowl? Then clean the tank off when you have it removed. Make sure you have all the water out of the tank before removing it. Back to the unlevel floor, did they shim the toilet bowl to level it? If so, they might not have a good seal between the wax ring and the bowl. Good luck and I hope this helps.
thanks for the great video. one of my washrooms alway smells funky now.
"I don't like caulk" at about 5:10 lol (i'm a chjild I know)
burton m, you should pull the toilet and check to see if the flange is even with the floor or a 1/4” above the finish floor. If not, put a repair flange on it and a new wax ring. You might check and see if the overflow on the bathroom sink is draining. Way to check is to fill the sink and let the water drain through the hole. Maybe add Clorox to the water to clean it. Make sure no one is urinating on the floor.
So,is it code to caulk the toilets?
It was a commercial code for toilets but I didn’t caulk for residential. Every state is different.
I have not been able to find the type of repair flange shown in the video. Does anyone know what the make/model is?
There are two different companies that make repair flanges, Sioux Chief or Oatey. I’ve see them as Home Depot and Lowes.
More more!!!Give is more!!!!🙂
Having a huge problem in this basement help
@@SANDIEGOGIRL are there any floor drains in the basement? Are there any old sinks or toilets in the basement? Is there an old washing machine drain? Pour 2 cups of RV antifreeze in each drain. Look for any cracked pipes. Make sure the clean out plug to the sewer line is not loose. Make sure you don’t have a gas leak as that can smell like sewer gas too. I hope this helps as you didn’t give me much information.
The smell coming in my bathroom in the mornings is a acetone/paint thinner smell...I am worried becaue it sometimes builds up in the hallways...such a mystery!
Have you checked out the toilet flange?
We just paid lots of bucks for plumber to do smoke test for a sewer gas smell in our master bathroom. We use this bathroom everyday, so no dry traps. Smoke test showed no breach in system. So deflated. We had to move to different bedroom as we can't even stay in the master suite.
S Lee, were you there when the plumber did the smoke test? Is there a window in the bathroom? Is there a vent fan? Is there a studor vent in the system? Have you checked the attic? Has the toilet been pulled to see if the flange is below the floor level? If it is, it has to be raised. If the toilet is caulked, you can get a smell through the caulk but you won’t get smoke. First thing I would have done was get on the floor and smell around the base of the toilet. These are some things you should look for. If you discover the problem, then call someone who can fix it. I never found a smoke test that worked to find the problem.I hope these ideas help you out. Please let me know how it worked out.
Hi my plumber used the methane gas detector and found no leak in the toilet , sink or the shower drain , after watching your video should I just get him to open up and change the wax ring anyway ? The smell persist despite my bleach/ vinegar/baking soda flush
@@bettychen802
I guess it depends on what location you live in different States have different manufacturers . If it helps we have proflo products in this area we use. They make a pretty good remodel If flanch especially if you're connecting to cast iron stacks
I have a cabin that is not in use at this time, no water running to it, but recently there is a bad sewer smell from the toilet. Ex says to add antifreeze to stop the back flow from the main septic line on the property (my home) He said its dry and needs to be filled to keep back flow smell from the toilet... Help!
Your ex is correct. Antifreeze works well because it does not evaporate. You should also use about a cup full in the bathroom sink drain, bathtub or shower drain, and the kitchen sink drain.
Having the same problem in master bathroom.
1. Have a nasty smell coming from toilet.
2. When I flush the water level is very low have to flush a second time to get the water to normal level in toilet.
3. Have to hold handle to complete flush.
What would you say is issue with toilet ?
David Gold, the toilet tank water level should be 3/4” below the overflow tube. The flapper on the flush valve could be worn out and closing too quickly. There is a tube on the fill valve that goes into the overflow tube. You want to make sure it is connected. If you are getting a gurgling sound when you flush the toilet, you might have a plugged vent. The water level in the toilet bowl should be about a half an inch above the outlet. That might be one reason for the smell. If none of these seem to be a problem, you need to reset the toilet and make sure you use two wax rings.
Hey I like your videos, thanks for all your helpful knowledge & I just subbed after trying to find an answer to the following question.
Basic details, I live in Alaska where the ground water temperature is nice & cold, community treated & pumped water system. My regular tank water heater percolates quite a bit after the wife's long showers if hot water is ran - however It also peculates when purely cold water is ran? I suspect something's not quite right with pressure?
Calvin Campbell, when you take out hot water from a water heater, cold water enters to the lower third of the tank. It percolates when the water is heating because it brings the burner on after you use around five gallons of water. The percolating does not cause any damage to the heater. Thanks for subscribing.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber and thanks for your reply! Was simply puzzled why peculation is triggered again when only cold water is ran (after the tank calmed down). I assumed trapped air or backflow.
What if the smell is coming from under the bathroom sink?
@radsharif92, first thing I would check is to make sure the toilet has a proper seal. Don’t use caulk to seal it. Then I would check out the smell under the sink. If it’s a vanity, hopefully nothing died in the base of the vanity. That smell would go away in about ten days. Check to make sure the trap is not leaking. I really think it’s the toilet.
I have a strong sewer smell in the toilet room that comes and goes. It is not constant. To get rid of the odor, I flush the toilet a few times and the smell goes away for a few weeks. Then the smell returns and I go through the process of flushing the toilet and venting the room. Do you have any suggestions for what may be causing the issue? Thank you.
Sherri Khan, does this room have a sink and tub/shower? If it does and you don’t use this room everyday, add RV antifreeze to the toilet bowl and the sink drain and shower drain. Antifreeze does not evaporate. If that’s not the problem, the next thing to try is reset the toilet but make sure the toilet flange is flush to the floor or a quarter inch above it. Use one to two wax rings, no more. Caulk around the toilet base does not stop the odor. Hopefully this helps.
I took your advice and started installing repair flanges but there always too high and then the toilet is almost impossible to caulk.Any advice?Toilet is usually 1/2 inch above the ground.
RB, can you make a good seal with two wax rings and not use the repair flange? Caulk does nothing but get gross. I don’t recommend it at all.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber the problem is the flange breaks on one side where the bolts are supposed to go,so,I figured I use a repair flange.The original flange is usually flush to the floor or quarter inch above.What do I do when the flange breaks and and I can’t put one bolt in?
@@TheGrumpyPlumber Also,thanks for your response.
RB, there is a repair kit called a Spanner Flange. It will slide underneath the broken flange but put the closet bolt on the Spanner Flange first. It’s a half inch wide and 8” long piece of metal about 1/16” thick and has the same curve as the flange does.
RB, P. S., another thing you can do, if it’s a plastic flange, is cut the flange part off flush with the floor and use the repair flange that will go inside the pipe. This is probably the better way to do it.
I did this exactly to a T and I still have a problem. The smell is only when we use the shower in this bathroom. This bathroom is closest to the septic tank. The tank has been serviced last year.
I have 2 sinks in this bathroom, should I try to clean the traps in those?
Toilet: flange replaced due to having a crack, wax ring was blown out. New bolts, new wax ring just put on, new flange, toilet is a year old.
Shower: p trap, water is clean, tried baking soda and white vinegar with no luck.
When the shower is in use, it smells like shampoo that has a very foul odor.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Open the septic tank up, put an elbow on the inlet pipe so it breaks just below the water line and that will stop sewer gas from coming back into the house. P.S. Use an elbow and not a T on the inlet pipe in the septic tank. Give that a try and let me know if that worked.