Sewage smell coming from all toilets

[NikArg]

Hi guys - just signed up to the forum to ask a question before deciding my next step.

About a month ago, the toilet in our first floor main bathroom started to smell a bit like sewage / rotten eggs. This was not every day - the smell would come and go - but it was very unpleasant. Flushing a few times / opening a window would get rid, but it would return soon enough. A couple of weeks later the same smell started in our ground floor toilet and again it would come and go. As of this morning it's now spread to the en-suite toilet off our bedroom. Again, not all the time, but a few times per week. So it is now a sporadic issue in all three bathrooms in the house.

I had initially thought it seemed to be worse on days of heavy rain, but this doesn't now seem to be the case. Any ideas what could cause something like this? Could it be linked to a blockage? Drainage? Should I just call a plumber out or is there something I could do to check myself?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Cheers
Nick

 

[Millsy 82]

Where does your soil pipe run to? Does it go up and vent to atmosphere? Or does it terminate into an air admittance valve?

 

[NikArg]

Thanks for your reply Millsy.

It's pathetic that I don't know the answer to that! Only moved in a few months ago. From memory there is a tiny pipe sticking out of the side of the house right near the roof which I assume could be the vent pipe, but I'll confirm when home from work tonight.

 

[kris]

Hi there nikArg and welcome to the forum,,,,
In my experience sewage smell appears when either of these scenarios occur,
Firstly your existing drains have started to block up , not noticeably but human waste slowly gathers in your drains creating a gastly smell which can escape up some shower traps if the chrome cover is knocked off,
Secondly , if a problem has occured with your ventilation pipe or air admittance valve which ever you possess, and instead of venting the smell it builds up in your pipe work throughout your home,
there is another possibility if you had a collapsed drain under the house,
one of my jobs 2 weeks ago my customers house was horrendously stinking and it was the first scenario , I ended up digging drains up outside and clearing blockage and smell disappeared,,,

 

[NikArg]

Hi there nikArg and welcome to the forum,,,,
In my experience sewage smell appears when either of these scenarios occur,
Firstly your existing drains have started to block up , not noticeably but human waste slowly gathers in your drains creating a gastly smell which can escape up some shower traps if the chrome cover is knocked off,
Secondly , if a problem has occured with your ventilation pipe or air admittance valve which ever you possess, and instead of venting the smell it builds up in your pipe work throughout your home,
there is another possibility if you had a collapsed drain under the house,
one of my jobs 2 weeks ago my customers house was horrendously stinking and it was the first scenario , I ended up digging drains up outside and clearing blockage and smell disappeared,,,

Thanks for your extensive reply Kris - seems like it could be any one of a number of issues, so we're going to get a plumber round who specialises in drainage issues, finger crossed we can get it sorted this weeks. Thanks again.