Stinking Drains During Heavy Rain.

[Richb2004v2]

I'm not sure there is a solution to this problem. When it rains heavily a stench emanates from one of our toilets. This is normally during the night and is very bad and very strong. Although I doubt anyone would be interested to do anything about it I wonder who is responsible. Would I call the owner of the village or the local council?

[Richard4849]

I'm not sure that there's anything that can be done. Happens even high up in Bangkok high-rise buildings.

If you do find a way to fix it, I'd be interested to know as I sometimes have this problem as well.

[Richb2004v2]

Wow! That seems strange.

[happyrobert]

Flush?

And I think we now all know who is responsible!

[daveh]

It sounds like either your toilet doesn't have a trap, or your sewer pipe doesn't have a vent. Either way, I don't think it a problem outside of your residence

[PattayaParent]

Wow! That seems strange.

Didn't it happen in your old house? It does in mine.

And in the condo building I live in, and also in a mate's different condo building.

The missus just plugs up the floor drain which is where it seems to come from.

[transam]

At my place when it rains hard the road outside floods cos the main road drains are blocked up and so the toilet tank outlet cannot get rid of the water and so it backs up , but l have put air piped air vents to outside.

If you have one of those floor waste water outlets (shower) in the loo it might not have a water trap in it that stops smells coming up. They cost less than 100bht, about 4/5 inches square, made of plastic, have a trap inside that retains a small amount of water and the upper part has a mushroom shaped part that sits in the water.

[thaipod]

Our town house had the same problem where my sons bathroom / toilet would have a raw sewage smell during the night and when it rained ,I kept thinking it was the toilet but found it was from the drain of the shower and sink that was connected to the main line of the sewer pipes with no u traps to eliminate gases backing up.

[Richb2004v2]

Wow! That seems strange.

Didn't it happen in your old house? It does in mine.

And in the condo building I live in, and also in a mate's different condo building.

The missus just plugs up the floor drain which is where it seems to come from.

Only very rarely and it wasn't too bad. In the new place it is unbearable.

[glassdude007]

for sure your system drain system is not vented correctly be careful as methane gas is for sure harmful to your health not just smells bad,,,

the house i'm in now has somewhat same problem...

i actually cut some rubber gasket material in circles and fitted them into the drains and when not in use it keep the drains capped...helps a bit but still get the smell sometimes...the worst is the grease trap drain in the kitchen sink...i weekly use draino to clear it (even though draino is bad for septic systems) and then put bleach to kill the smell and cover the drain when not in use seems to help...TIT i guess

[Crossy]

Let's put this in DIY.

I agree with the above sentiments, either no trap on a floor drain or no vent on the waste system.

[Richb2004v2]

Why does so much of the drainage system, or streets, smell so bad here? Do other counties with similar climates have the same problems? There are some Soi that I use that have been this way for the past 10 years with no improvement.

I will try to check the system for the points mentioned later.

[IMA_FARANG]

Is this only happening when there is a heavy rain?

If that's the case, and it only happens when there is a heavy rain and not at other times, then I suspect there is a vent pipe somewhere that should release the sewer smell outside by venting the gas that is causing the smell. That vent pipe is being blocked by water from the recent storm(s)...and therefore the sewer smell comes up through the drain rather then going out through the vent pipe. Once the water level goes back down, the gas is vented outside, and the sewer smell is gone.

Edited June 7, 2011 by IMA_FARANG

[Thongkorn]

This is a big problem all over Thailand . the drains don't seem to have run away. they are still and stagnant.If you have a cesspit then it may need emptying.

Edited June 7, 2011 by Thongkorn

[Latindancer]

Ah yes ! "The toilet smell" .......which can be found even in good restaurants and shopping centres.

[transam]

Must add that my pal has the old fashioned concrete cylinder system where the water drains out the bottom, BUT when heavy rainfall and the water table rises, so does the waste tank water, eventually pushing bad water up the house drainage pipes. He has a pump out every two weeks .

[NanLaew]

Yes, there's two constants in Thai building construction, crap electricals and rubbish drainage (or vice versa).

Apart from that.... it's good 'ere ennit?

[transam]

Yes, there's two constants in Thai building construction, crap electricals and rubbish drainage (or vice versa).

Apart from that.... it's good 'ere ennit?

My future Thai son in law has a Degree in Thai electrics and drainage. Can't wait for a chat about things.

Edited June 7, 2011 by transam

[Gary A]

The water in your toilet is the gas trap. The only way that it would have odors is if there are bubbles coming up through the water. OR, The seal between the toilet and the floor is defective. It is a relatively cheap repair to lift the toilet and check the seal. A cheap and easy way would be to put a good bead of silicone rubber all the way around the toilet and the floor.

Take a look under your sink. There should be a "U" shaped pipe in the drain. That is the gas trap. If there is not one there, have one put in. That is another inexpensive repair.

Don't forget to seal the bolt holes in the part of the toilet that bolts to the floor. That leaves the bath tub or the shower. If you have a bath tub keep the drain plug in. If you have a shower, the drain cover should have a cup shaped piece that fits in the lower drain cup. That lower drain cup holds water and the cup shaped piece in the cover will always be under water. Quite often people will remove the cup on the bottom of the lid because they are too lazy to take it out to clean it.

[Pacificperson]

Floor drains with proper gas traps in rooms that are mostly dry, can dry out. A simple test is to pour a few cups of water into the floor drain and see if this stops the odor.

I have seen this happen more than once. Rooms have a properly plumbed floor drain, but since there is never any water on the floor, the drain dries out and it stinks.

Edited June 7, 2011 by Pacificperson

[GreenSnapper]

Yes, there's two constants in Thai building construction, crap electricals and rubbish drainage (or vice versa).

First world prices, third world standards.

That's why condos are such poor value here.

[transam]

Floor drains with proper gas traps in rooms that are mostly dry, can dry out. A simple test is to pour a few cups of water into the floor drain and see if this stops the odor.

I have seen this happen more than once. Rooms have a properly plumbed floor drain, but since there is never any water on the floor, the drain dries out and it stinks.

Yeh, my downstairs loo never has a wet floor except for washing it so l pour a little bleach in the trap every few days which doesn't seem to evaporate as quick.

[WarpSpeed]

At my place when it rains hard the road outside floods cos the main road drains are blocked up and so the toilet tank outlet cannot get rid of the water and so it backs up , but l have put air piped air vents to outside.

If you have one of those floor waste water outlets (shower) in the loo it might not have a water trap in it that stops smells coming up. They cost less than 100bht, about 4/5 inches square, made of plastic, have a trap inside that retains a small amount of water and the upper part has a mushroom shaped part that sits in the water.

Yes, unless you actually see it bubbling up from the toilet as used to happen when we lived in Phuket because of the mindless plumbing there but it is more likely the shower drain and/or floor drain as no traps being the norm.

I place a scrubby over the drain when not using the shower as it lets the water flow through in case any gets let in the shower or over the floor but remove it while showering for obvious reasons.. If you need to you can add some bleach to the scrubby which you should do occasionally anyway to keep it from growing bacteria but that also helps to keep a fresh, clean smell instead of the rancor of the sewer.. It also keeps other critters and pests that often come in like flies from coming thorough into the house..

[WarpSpeed]

The water in your toilet is the gas trap. The only way that it would have odors is if there are bubbles coming up through the water. OR, The seal between the toilet and the floor is defective. It is a relatively cheap repair to lift the toilet and check the seal. A cheap and easy way would be to put a good bead of silicone rubber all the way around the toilet and the floor.

Take a look under your sink. There should be a "U" shaped pipe in the drain. That is the gas trap. If there is not one there, have one put in. That is another inexpensive repair.

Don't forget to seal the bolt holes in the part of the toilet that bolts to the floor. That leaves the bath tub or the shower. If you have a bath tub keep the drain plug in. If you have a shower, the drain cover should have a cup shaped piece that fits in the lower drain cup. That lower drain cup holds water and the cup shaped piece in the cover will always be under water. Quite often people will remove the cup on the bottom of the lid because they are too lazy to take it out to clean it.

No point in lifting the toilet and checking the seal if the water is still in the bowl and it flushes properly no gas is escaping..

[transam]

The water in your toilet is the gas trap. The only way that it would have odors is if there are bubbles coming up through the water. OR, The seal between the toilet and the floor is defective. It is a relatively cheap repair to lift the toilet and check the seal. A cheap and easy way would be to put a good bead of silicone rubber all the way around the toilet and the floor.

Take a look under your sink. There should be a "U" shaped pipe in the drain. That is the gas trap. If there is not one there, have one put in. That is another inexpensive repair.

Don't forget to seal the bolt holes in the part of the toilet that bolts to the floor. That leaves the bath tub or the shower. If you have a bath tub keep the drain plug in. If you have a shower, the drain cover should have a cup shaped piece that fits in the lower drain cup. That lower drain cup holds water and the cup shaped piece in the cover will always be under water. Quite often people will remove the cup on the bottom of the lid because they are too lazy to take it out to clean it.

No point in lifting the toilet and checking the seal if the water is still in the bowl and it flushes properly no gas is escaping..

The water in the loo bowl is in a trap, will stay there even if the bowl has a leak with the connecting down pipe.

I watched with disbelief how they connect with the down pipe in my place, just a ring of putty like stuff that comes with the bowl that is squashed down around the down pipe and the floor tiles and the bowl is ploncked on top and forced down to create a seal .

Edited June 8, 2011 by transam

[Richb2004v2]

It's not coming up through the tiolet. Last night it rained heavy but there was no smell. The shower has one of the cup seal things on it. When it's really bad I run the shower in the hope that a water seal will be created.

When I first came to Thailand several times when I visited Thai houses the bathroon would have an inch or two of water in them. I wonder if this is why?

It is a rented house that we move out of in a month or so. The land lord is away on holiday though, but once back I will get her on to it.

I've noticed the stench in stored too, even big new department stores. It's a little offputting in food departments I find.

[Pacificperson]

The water in your toilet is the gas trap. The only way that it would have odors is if there are bubbles coming up through the water. OR, The seal between the toilet and the floor is defective. It is a relatively cheap repair to lift the toilet and check the seal. A cheap and easy way would be to put a good bead of silicone rubber all the way around the toilet and the floor.

Take a look under your sink. There should be a "U" shaped pipe in the drain. That is the gas trap. If there is not one there, have one put in. That is another inexpensive repair.

Don't forget to seal the bolt holes in the part of the toilet that bolts to the floor. That leaves the bath tub or the shower. If you have a bath tub keep the drain plug in. If you have a shower, the drain cover should have a cup shaped piece that fits in the lower drain cup. That lower drain cup holds water and the cup shaped piece in the cover will always be under water. Quite often people will remove the cup on the bottom of the lid because they are too lazy to take it out to clean it.

No point in lifting the toilet and checking the seal if the water is still in the bowl and it flushes properly no gas is escaping..

The water in the loo bowl is in a trap, will stay there even if the bowl has a leak with the connecting down pipe.

I watched with disbelief how they connect with the down pipe in my place, just a ring of putty like stuff that comes with the bowl that is squashed down around the down pipe and the floor tiles and the bowl is ploncked on top and forced down to create a seal .

Yes, it is a beeswax ring. SOP in the US.

Edited June 8, 2011 by Pacificperson

[WarpSpeed]

The water in your toilet is the gas trap. The only way that it would have odors is if there are bubbles coming up through the water. OR, The seal between the toilet and the floor is defective. It is a relatively cheap repair to lift the toilet and check the seal. A cheap and easy way would be to put a good bead of silicone rubber all the way around the toilet and the floor.

Take a look under your sink. There should be a "U" shaped pipe in the drain. That is the gas trap. If there is not one there, have one put in. That is another inexpensive repair.

Don't forget to seal the bolt holes in the part of the toilet that bolts to the floor. That leaves the bath tub or the shower. If you have a bath tub keep the drain plug in. If you have a shower, the drain cover should have a cup shaped piece that fits in the lower drain cup. That lower drain cup holds water and the cup shaped piece in the cover will always be under water. Quite often people will remove the cup on the bottom of the lid because they are too lazy to take it out to clean it.

No point in lifting the toilet and checking the seal if the water is still in the bowl and it flushes properly no gas is escaping..

The water in the loo bowl is in a trap, will stay there even if the bowl has a leak with the connecting down pipe.

I watched with disbelief how they connect with the down pipe in my place, just a ring of putty like stuff that comes with the bowl that is squashed down around the down pipe and the floor tiles and the bowl is ploncked on top and forced down to create a seal .

No it won't, that's the point the water is trapped because of the seal being intact if the pressure beneath it that traps the water in the bowl by preventing it past is escaping it will drain the bowl, end of...

That's how all bowls are installed except in the real world they're bolted down where as here they just install the tile around the base without additional anchoring..

^Correct, beeswax....

Edited June 8, 2011 by WarpSpeed

[WarpSpeed]

It's not coming up through the tiolet. Last night it rained heavy but there was no smell. The shower has one of the cup seal things on it. When it's really bad I run the shower in the hope that a water seal will be created.

When I first came to Thailand several times when I visited Thai houses the bathroon would have an inch or two of water in them. I wonder if this is why?

It is a rented house that we move out of in a month or so. The land lord is away on holiday though, but once back I will get her on to it.

I've noticed the stench in stored too, even big new department stores. It's a little offputting in food departments I find.

She can't do anything about it as it goes back to original construction practices and shortcomings and it's all above her comprehension so you'll spend hours going in circles about it. As I mentioned, cheap and easy fix is to just put a scrubby over it and saturate it with some bleach or other type of scented soap if you prefer..

[David006]

Yes, there's two constants in Thai building construction, crap electricals and rubbish drainage (or vice versa).

Apart from that.... it's good 'ere ennit?

My future Thai son in law has a Degree in Thai electrics and drainage. Can't wait for a chat about things.

:cheesy: :cheesy:

But we don't use toilet paper in Thailand..!

to the OP ...have the same problem occasionally from the upstairs bathroom floor drains ..not the toilet( not linked to toilet septic tank)...not necessarily in the rain...solution for me is open the very large window next to the toilet (planning ! ) both doors and maybe a cap full of bleach down the floor drains..Think it might be the wind direction as did not install traps and the outlet is about 20 meters down the hill among the rubber trees...guess I could put an s bend trap at the end but ...