Source of Septic Odor

[Movick]

Hello,

My home which was built in 2006 has a truly lousy plumbing job - I have a septic system.

I have an ongoing issue with intermittent septic gas odor from either one of my 3 bathrooms or my washing machine. The source(s) tend to change depending on the season and the use of my lower-level portable a/c - heat-pump units.

Currently my 1st floor 1/2 bath smells of septic gas, despite having thoroughly caulked the toilet around the base (I even doubled up using plumber's putty last year to be certain - it's been since removed). What is happening is that I am using a portable heat-pump to augment a gas fireplace to broadcast the heat away from the wall and the heat-pump is creating an airflow - drawing the smell from the bathroom.

My question is: what is the source of the smell, seeing that the toilet is caulked? Can the septic smell be drawn through the standing toilet water? I should add that I've checked the sink and no odor seems to be emanating from the drain.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Mov

 

[johnjh2o]

In most cases it's a bad wax seal. Pull and reset the toilet using a new wax seal.

 

[frodo]

is the st floor 1/2 bath used frequently ? toilet and sink ?
does it have an auto vent under the sink cabinet ?

is there a floor drain in the house ?

peak in the attic, look and see what the fart fan vent is hook to, does it, they, exit the building ?

or are the hooked up to the plumbing pipes ?

 

[Movick]

<<is the st floor 1/2 bath used frequently ? >> It is my main bathroom - used multiple times a day.

<<toilet and sink ?>> Yes

<<does it have an auto vent under the sink cabinet ?>> No - it has a pedestal sink.


<<is there a floor drain in the house ?>>

Only in the 2 upper level showers.


<<peak in the attic, look and see what the fart fan vent is hook to, does it, they, exit the building ?

or are the hooked up to the plumbing pipes ?>> You mean the exhaust fan in the ceiling? If so, to my recollection I don't remember any plenums up there that exit through the soffits.

 

[frodo]

some, real bain dead builders have been know to hook the bathroom exhaust fans into the vents in the attic

i have seen it time and again. sewer smell ill travel thru the duct work then into the bathroom.

if you do not see any duck work either going out the roof or to a soffit, then a further investigation needs to be done

find the fan above the ceiling and verify the route of the duck work

a no no...

good good