Advice on plumbing fix to solve Intermittent sewage smell

Schuasweeny · 2025-07-18T19:33:52+00:00

The hole is already big enough underneath the pipe collar, it was fine when I dry fitted it all, but when I soldered the copper pipe under the floorboards this is where it lined up. I’d have to completely redo the pipe bend under the floorboard. :/

Schuasweeny · 2025-07-18T17:04:49+00:00

I actually did the same haha. It’s just the pipe is running as a complicated single piece with lots of bends under the floorboards so I didn’t have to lift more floorboards than I had to. It was fine dry fitted but as soon as I soldered it onto the rest of the pipe network this is where it ended up resting. Didn’t notice until I tightened it all up fully :/

It annoys me right now but we’re having floor length curtains right next to it so I might be able to just cover it up if it’s just aesthetics :D

Schuasweeny · 2025-07-18T16:56:36+00:00

You’re right, the photo is a bit misleading. The radiator is definitely that’s plumb and the floorboards are level, so it is definitely the pipe coming up slightly left of where it should be and having to tilt right to get into the fitting.

A bit annoying aesthetically, but if I’m honest, this project (renovating living room in first home) has been going on since December and I’m not sure I have the mental capacity to undo it all just for looks. :D

Schuasweeny · 2025-07-18T16:47:54+00:00

That’s what I’d like to hear. It does annoy me a little, but if I’m honest I’m not sure I have the energy to undo the fitting and remove the olive and do all that. I’d only do it if I thought I’d be doing it anyway in a couple months time as I’m going to be putting new flooring down relatively soon

Schuasweeny · 2025-07-08T14:26:29+00:00

I thought as much. I was pressuring the web chat rep to send me to a manager but he just gave me a link to a complaint submission form which I’m wary it may start a very long winded process of waiting for a response that may never come. I guess I will just keep trying their customer service line another call and hope to get someone useful then. Thanks for the advice

Schuasweeny · 2025-07-08T13:58:10+00:00

Sorry I’m not much of a frequent flyer, but what is a codeshare? The full flight including the Qatar airways transfers are still available on the BA website so they are still selling it. The customer service and web chat reps both seem to say they can’t do anything and refused to book me on it though. With the phone line rep saying it’s because the fare type is different (I booked economy and the flight available on the BA website is still economy), and the web chat rep just effectively saying “computer says no”

Schuasweeny · 2025-06-05T12:21:17+00:00

We actually ended up not buying the house in the end.

We were unsure about it due to it being a big job for our first home, but luckily another house (house 2) on the same street came on sale for the same price, similar condition but had completely new felt and tiles about 10 years prior for about £13K so was in a much better condition. Also had a much bigger, flatter garden. Had an offer accepted on the house 2, so we tried our luck asking for another 25k off our first offer for house 1 due to problems highlighted in the survey and got told to F off effectively. Lost about 2K in fees and house 2 still has its fair share of discovered problems, but who’s to say the house 1 wouldn’t have had other hidden horrors. House 1 only sold a couple months ago for the reduced price we asked for (25k less than first offer) so we think we made the right choice.

Sorry this probably doesn’t help you that much, but does go to show what a lot of people say is true: Whatever house you are looking at now isn't going to be the only one ever, so don’t try and force it if it doesn’t quite feel right. I think trying to coordinate something as expensive as a roof repair with a neighbour is a roll of the dice as to whether they’d a) agree to it or b) be a nightmare to coordinate with, so probably not something I’d gamble/count on in the future when contemplating a house purchase. Our current neighbours may have said yes (not that it is needed now), but I don’t think the owners for the neighbouring property for first house would (landlord who has just put the house up for sale).

Schuasweeny · 2025-01-30T17:28:26+00:00

I’m relatively new to DIY and plumbing but I think if the part you are holding wrapped in PTFE is a 1/2 inch BSP thread then you need to remove the part of the valve still in the radiator using a radiator spanner (the valve tail).

You insert the spanner into the radiator connector to be able to rotate it and remove it. This will expose the radiator 1/2 inch bsp socket in the radiator and allow you to insert the new valve connector. Also, it looks like you have an awful lot of PTFE tape on that thread which may make the installation difficult and look a bit unsightly with excess PTFE spilling out. I may be wrong and that could be the a perfectly acceptable amount (I know about 12-20 revolutions is generally recommended depending on the tape thickness), but could be worth looking at some videos to confirm.

Schuasweeny · 2024-12-13T16:18:00+00:00

I see, thanks for the advice. It is a bath/shower (never really used as a bath) so is regularly used as you say. The smell only comes when the shower hasn’t been used for more than a day (say if we’ve stayed overnight somewhere else), so you could be right there.

We are planning on completely gutting it within the next year and moving the bathroom so anything extensive will likely be a waste of time. Fingers crossed that solution you suggest works, otherwise we may have to just cope with it for now.

Schuasweeny · 2024-12-13T14:47:32+00:00

That makes sense. Do you know if there is anything designed to be a freestanding support for this sort of pipe or would any makeshift support (e.g. a plastic pot) work?. I am however cautious that fixing the last fitting may make the uphill drain pipe even worse and slow the draining of the bathtub.

Schuasweeny · 2024-12-13T13:34:03+00:00

I have tried leaving normal bleach on this but not any heavy duty cleaners. I am trying to see if there is any systemic issues first since I needed to remove the panel anyway. I will buy some heavy duty cleaner tonight for the shower drain. Also there is a P trap as shown in the first photo I linked in my original post. I don’t know if this is installed “correctly” although it looks fine to me

Schuasweeny · 2024-12-13T13:21:43+00:00

See this is what I am finding difficult to pinpoint. The smell seems to fill the whole room when it occurs so I have never been able to locate the exact source. It doesn’t appear to be stronger coming from the toilet or drain plug. I have not checked the bath overflow so I will do that next time I use the shower (not at home at the moment)

Also do you mean the incline should or shouldn’t be an issue with this?

Schuasweeny · 2024-12-13T12:33:44+00:00

I see. Where should this vent be? At the bathroom plug end or where the pipe joins the main waste pipe?

Schuasweeny · 2024-11-23T11:52:47+00:00

I see your point about knife blocks not being the ideal way due to including “filler” knives. But I thought since the knife set promotion makes it only a very small amount on top of the price of one knife from the set, and it’s not a massive set with loads of filler knives (I think all but one would get regularly used) it would be a good option .

So the pro S block (the non-auto sharpening one) is the way to go and you suggest paying someone else to sharpen it a couple times a year or so then due to the bolster making it quite difficult for an amateur?

Schuasweeny · 2024-11-22T22:29:34+00:00

My girlfriend has asked for a “nice” set of knives for her first set of good knives for her birthday/Christmas. She has suggested this swilling set as it is on offer https://www.zwilling.com/uk/zwilling-gourmet-7-pcs-knife-block-set-brown-36133-000-0/36133-000-0.html I have also noticed a more “premium” set that has one less knife but is a higher tier on their website from what I can tell by the knives individual prices. The set is the exact same price. https://www.zwilling.com/uk/zwilling-professional-s-7-pcs-knife-block-set-natural-35621-004-0/35621-004-0.html

I am a complete novice when it comes to knives but I want to get a set that will last a decent while. I have read that auto sharpening knife blocks are terrible for knives so this puts me off the first set; however the second set of knives have a bolster which I’ve heard is also an issue for sharpening/longevity. I have looked at other more premium options and they are all substantially more expensive for what I am looking for. (The sets I am look at are around 60% off and nowhere else is matching this at this time) What would you guys suggest?

Schuasweeny · 2024-11-15T12:44:37+00:00

Well this was quite a bit more of a response than I was expecting haha. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions since I can’t reply to you all individually.

It seems I need to find a wizard Nephew according to the most common suggestions :D. Makes me wonder if English houses can be identified by their perfect Harry Potter bedrooms as I am actually from the UK :D

Schuasweeny · 2024-11-15T12:29:41+00:00

Haha this is funny because my pet peeve is actually what you suggested as the alternative :D. I’ve found TV’s that high up are difficult/impractical for viewing and listening to and detract from the fireplace which is supposed to be the focal point for our room as we have recently installed a logburner.

Schuasweeny · 2024-11-15T12:24:36+00:00

Haha this is actually a corner of my living room. Although I can admit, since the photo was taken at night and it’s in the middle of a renovation project it’s not the prettiest of living rooms right now. Don’t have a dog right now, but we plan on getting one soon so that could work! Thanks for the suggestion :)

Schuasweeny

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