Replies

1. 
   rez | Mar 31, 2005 06:42am | #1

   A smaller size pic...

    

2. 
   SamT | Mar 31, 2005 08:04am | #2

   You've got pipes that were either never glued, coupled, soldered together or one or more has ruptured.

   SamT

1. 
   Isamemon | Mar 31, 2005 08:35am | #3

   Ill agree with Sam, you might have a vent pipe that is venting into a wall or attic instead of outside

1. 
   calvin | Mar 31, 2005 12:45pm | #4

   Debbie, have you had the drain pipe scoped?  I think sam t is suggesting you have a break underground.  If not the drain, does your copper run underground?  You have a health dept in that town?Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

   Quittin' Time

1. 
   DaveRicheson | Mar 31, 2005 01:21pm | #5

   I think you and SamT are right.

   A little work for a plumber would involve pulling toilets and installing test plugs. Same thing for sink, tubs,washer stand pipe and showers. There should also be cleanouts for the main waste line that should be plugged, and then everything  wet tested, by filling the system with water through the vent stack.

   Around here that test is required to hold for 24 hrs with no drop in the water level. For her problem, I would guess she would see a significant drop in the level in a hour or two at the most.

   another test would be to "smoke bomb" the main waste line with all traps and fixtures in place. The smoke bomb is placed in the waste line down stream of the house, set off, and then the pipe sealed off. Smoke should only come out the vent stacks on the roof. Anyplace else, and the souce of the smell is there.

   It is going to cost a little up front  money to  adentify the problem, but that is better than throwing money at an unidentified one.

   There is likely an end point in the arbitration thing, and sometimes it is reached before everyone is satisfied.

    

   Dave

3. 
   DANL | Mar 31, 2005 02:16pm | #6

   I don't mean to be discouraging, but my first response about the contractor taking samples and saying it's "stale air" is "What the blank is "stale air"?" Talk about a no answer answer! I agree with what others proposed to test things. Seems to me it's also a cop-out when the guy tells you that drain tiles can't be put around the slab--put it at the bottom (but alongside, not under) the frost wall and run them level with that and put gravel over it so the gravel almost comes to the ground where slab is high. But I'm no foundation expert. Just seems like you're getting ...not exactly the whole story here.

4. 
   DThompson | Mar 31, 2005 03:34pm | #7

   In my opinion that is a lot of ground water that you have around your house. Slabs on grade work fine if you have good drainage, in your case you have to establish that you have that,I think you should consult with a professional engineer.

   The contractor sounds out to lunch with the stale air theory, and you can tell him I said so, and the home warranty people are not looking out for your best interests as they are bias by insuring the contractor.

   Get a good engineer then maybe a lawyer.

1. 
   BillHartmann | Mar 31, 2005 05:37pm | #8

   For those that did not see it, here is the orginal thread.http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=56237.1And in it Debbie mentioned that they had their own test run;"Discouraged, my husband and I decided shortly after to hire a company to take air sample. Their findings reported that the bathroom sample contained 87 CFU/m3 (Colony forming units per cubic meter of air). The composite sample from the hallway and under the kitchen sink contained 22 CFU/m. The outdoor sample which was collected for comparison to the indoor samples contained 5 CFU/m3. "If I followed it correctly that was just done this last month.You have specific sceintific measures of specific mold problems.You also have an engineering report;"We then hired an engineer in October to help us. His conclusions were as follow:1. Lack of perimeter Drainage of structure2. The perimeter of the building is not transporting the water away from the structure as per the NBCC 19953. Not proper lot drainage ditches new the road(s) "That is what you need to be presenting.But your really need a representitive to help you organize and present it. By the name of the last company doing the testing I am assuming that you are in Canada.And I am not as familar with the resources.But I think that you need an attorney that has experience in construciton law.And/or a building science expert. You might check and see if any of the local universities have construction related programs. And there is Canadian Mortage (???) that publishes a lot of research in this area.

1. 
   smellyhouse | Mar 31, 2005 10:33pm | #9

   Bill your correct I live outside Halifax Nova Scotia. 

   My first concern is to rid this house of the smell.  There are times the smell is so strong that it feels as though you have a very tight color on. 

   Now for the latest update.  We hired competant plumbers (not the builders)  The first thing so far that has been done is a scope into the drainage pipe.  Everything appears to be connected.  However they are starting to guess there could be a leak or may a joint not sealed.  They removed the toilet and discovered that the vent? in side the toilet may have been repaired. 

   The toilet was left off and the hole sealed with a plug.  That musty earthy smell from the hole, is the smell in the bathroom.  They will be returning tomorrow to do other investigative work. 

   They had instructed me to remove  anthing that had a smell like candles, soaps etc.  When I walked into the bathroom the smell was so bad.  I called them right away and so far I have placed and heavy plactic and tape around the hold where the toilet was.

   Anyways I wait till their return tomorrow.

   Any guesses as to what the problems is and where

   Thanks

   Debbie

   Edited 3/31/2005 3:53 pm ET by debbie