We've been chasing an intermittent sewage smell in our home for a couple of years. Happens intermittently when one of our HVAC (heating or cooling) units runs, and the odor is of varying intensity; can't tell if it's just circulating bad area, or creating a suction issue and pulling air from the basement ejector or a sewer line. I've made sure all the p-traps are full and I had a p-trap installed on the condensate line that is plumbed into the sub-terranean basement ejector pump, which handles waste from our kitchen and several bathrooms.
I'm suspicious of an issue with how the ejector pump is plumbed into the sewer line - I think it might be creating a vacuum that is sucking traps dry in one of the upstairs bathrooms, this might explain the intermittent nature. The reason I say this is that when we first moved in, when the ejector was running I would hear a distinct suction sound in the bathroom sink drain immediately above the ejector room. Installing an in-line air admittance valve on that sink drain line solved that specific problem, but I can still see water in the upstairs bathroom toilet bowl move when the ejector cycles.
Very challenging to find a knowledgeable plumber to troubleshoot this issue, most of the local companies have younger guys on staff who have limited experience and are still learning; they just haven't seen enough of these to figure it out. I almost feel like I need a mechanical contractor to evaluate the system.
I'd appreciate recommendations for the type of professional to help me troubleshoot this, even if they can't do the actual repair. I'd like to pay someone to consult on identifying the problem and recommending a fix. Perhaps a local retired master plumber? A residential plumbing/mechanical contractor? Any specific recommendations in the SF Bay Area (peninsula) especially welcome.
I'm suspicious of an issue with how the ejector pump is plumbed into the sewer line - I think it might be creating a vacuum that is sucking traps dry in one of the upstairs bathrooms, this might explain the intermittent nature. The reason I say this is that when we first moved in, when the ejector was running I would hear a distinct suction sound in the bathroom sink drain immediately above the ejector room. Installing an in-line air admittance valve on that sink drain line solved that specific problem, but I can still see water in the upstairs bathroom toilet bowl move when the ejector cycles.
Very challenging to find a knowledgeable plumber to troubleshoot this issue, most of the local companies have younger guys on staff who have limited experience and are still learning; they just haven't seen enough of these to figure it out. I almost feel like I need a mechanical contractor to evaluate the system.
I'd appreciate recommendations for the type of professional to help me troubleshoot this, even if they can't do the actual repair. I'd like to pay someone to consult on identifying the problem and recommending a fix. Perhaps a local retired master plumber? A residential plumbing/mechanical contractor? Any specific recommendations in the SF Bay Area (peninsula) especially welcome.
