Mystery sewer smell during the summer... please help!!

[tempe]

A very strong smell eminates throughout the entire house during the summer. We know it is a sewage issue but do not know how to go about fixing. Four plumbers have given different possible ways to try and solve it but it seems like no one would give a reason of how it it might be happening to begin with.
Basically we want to know how the ventilation stack (which is somehow necessary for the toilets to work) may have anything to do with it or if it is something completely different.
Basically if anyone on this forum has heard of a problem similar and how they solved it we would like to know. Or if someone could explain how serious sewage smells somehow happen normally that would be great. Its an older 1950s house in Tempe.

 

[IFIXH20]

The vent stack is connect to the drains throughout the house. Usually a broken wax seal at the toilet is the cause for sewer smell , I would replace the wax seal. If you have a bathroom that is not used daily , you could have a dry trap at one of the fixtures, run water at fixture to refill trap.

 

[tempe]

Is it prudent to check the vent stack piping if the smell is coming from the walls?

 

[phishfood]

Have any of the plumbers performed a smoke test on the drainage/vent system?

 

[tempe]

No smoke test but I'm thinking we may have to do that. Any idea what a good price is for that?

 

[johnjh2o]

Prices very according to location. But the test itself shouldn't take more then 1-1/2 hrs. But it will show the source of your problem.

John