Basement Bathroom Help!
dunlap_emily
4 years ago
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Sammie J
4 years agodunlap_emily
4 years agoRelated Discussions
HELP!! I have sewer gas in my 3 yr old basement bathroom!
Comments (5)Do not be too quick to dismiss your previous plumber for suggesting a AAV (Air Admittance Valve, "studor vent") for your kitchen island. Although the Uniform Plumbing code(UPC) & International Residential Code(IRC)have radically differing views on how a kitchen island vent is to be constructed, nonetheless, both the IRC & UPC do allow an AAV for kitchen island venting. Under the IRC all structures are required to have one "Main Vent",which must run undiminished in size from the structure "Main Drain" through the roof. After that we are permitted to install an unlimited number of AAV's. Under the UPC they do not require a "Main Vent" but all fixture vents are required to be sized by the total DFU (Drainage fixture unit) load of all fixtures served by that vent. Under the UPC a structure is only permitted a maximum of one AAV, with the expressed written consent of the local inspecting authority, and in most cases a kitchen island is the only location where they will grant the exception. Now what is the difference between the kitchen drain and your bathroom drain you ask? When we have a sink on an island it is generally the only fixture attached to that line. As the water drains from the sink it pushes the air ahead of the water in the pipe. Under some circumstances this can result in a slight vacuum in the pipe behind the moving water. This partial vacuum would then result in the standing water in the trap being sucked into the pipe by siphon action and once the water has passed on down the trap is left dry, allowing sewer gas to enter the structure. In this case we install an AAV, which would permit air to enter the pipe behind the liquid flow, thus negating the suction effect. There is a slim chance that you might resolve your problem by installing an AAV on the lavatory drain line, an when you consider the cost of installing an AAV as opposed to opening walls it might be well worth your time to try it, however I suspect you have a different problem in your bathroom. You state that you hear a gurgling sound in the tub or lavatory when another drain is used. It is possible that the water in the gurgling trap is being sucked out, and in that case an AAV might resolve the problem, but I suspect you problem is not a result of negative pressure (the partial vacuum) but rather it result from positive pressure. As the water from one fixture flows through the pipe it pushes the air ahead, causing a slight positive air pressure. Normally that positive pressure would be pushed up and out a roof vent however if your system does not have the required roof vent as one fixture is draining it will push that air up through one of the adjacent fixture drains and out through the trap. Keep in mind that the air in the line contains sewer gas so as that air & sewer gas mix is pushed out you get the odor. The odor may seem greater at some times than others. That does not mean the sewer gas is not leaking because not all the component of sewer gas are odorous. In fact, one of the main gases that comprise sewer gas is totally odorless....See MoreHelp with Basement Bathroom
Comments (1)Run a dedicated new vent for the new rough in. I know this drawing isn't to scale but code where I am is no fixture greater than 10' from vent. I don't think an air admittance valve will do anything for a toilet and 2 more fixtures, in fact I'll take that bet. More qualified pipe biters may concur....See MoreBasement brown bathroom needs help
Comments (16)Thanks all. I’ve got a lot of good ideas here. I’m going to get some light greige and greenish-blue paint chips and probably come back here for opinions :) PS Re: lighting - I’ll look for a vanity light that doesn’t point downwards. I also have a ceiling light+fan by the shower, but the light it gives is not super bright or nice. Wonder if I can change the bulb. Thanks again!...See MoreHELP! Finishing basement bathroom rough-in
Comments (6)If you are willing to move the entry door for the bathroom, I think you could easily fix the layout. You would enter from the living room, looking directly into the bathroom at the shower stall. To your left would be the commode, backed up against the wall as you have shown. To the right of the commode you would close off that door and install a narrow sink cabinet, which would then drain to the pipe in the wall behind the toilet. If you have a 6 foot long wall (as you show), there is plenty of space for a commode and sink side by side. The other option is to move the shower drain over into the wall behind a new sink cabinet, and just have a half bath. Cutting into the concrete slab is relatively easy, and it appears you will only have to go a short distance. Even if you have to demo a larger area in the slab to run drains, its common work for plumbing companies and general contractors. However, I would first remove the caps on the rough-in pipes and determine which way the drains run under the slab. Sometimes you get lucky and the pipes run in the right direction to make the job easier. Bruce...See Moredunlap_emily
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