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astrobaja
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Posts: 952
Registered: 5-22-2006
Location: near San Pedro Martir Park
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Mexican plumbing
Hi all,
Anyone have any horror stories to tell when it came to their house plumbing being done here in Baja?
We are kinda shaking our heads trying to figure out why our house builders did what they did. Right now we are having a problem in our house with
sewer odors coming up through the shower drains. Number one reason they did'nt use p-traps for the drains! Also they put in each bath a second drain
besides the shower just in case of a line rupture, trouble is now twice as much foul air comes back in!
Also when they built the septic tank they ran a vent line to the outside just above the tank, we feel this might be pushing air back through the
pipes.... kinda odd the vent pipe never heard of that one before!
So I've been reading about solutions (besides jackhammering the concrete away and installing shower p-traps) and saw a reference to a large outside
4" p-trap designed to go in the line just before the septic tank, anyone see this before? Also is there a GOOD knowlegable plumber in Ensenada? I'm
sure we could install the trap ourselves, but it goes to show you that you should insist on a properly trained tradesmen to do the subcontracts in
your house. Our guys were great at building adobe structures but when it came to electrical and plumbing forget it!
\"There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear
and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.There is another theory which states that this has already happened\"
Douglas Adams
our website: http://bajadarkskies.com |
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BajaWarrior
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Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
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I would install that P trap as close to the shower as possible, that may work. Close the second drain up with a plug of some type if possible.
I had the same problem in a shower at my former Baja home in La Bocana de Santo Tomas, we jackhammered the floor, problem fixed!
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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Diver
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Make sure the P-trap is actually missing before you try a fix.
Another source of sewer gas is from unvented or improperly vented traps.
Without a vent line, the flow will often drain below the trap level, allowing sewer gases to pass.
If you decide to add a trap outside the house, make sure it is vented soon after the trap.
This outside trap will stop sewer gases from the septic from reaching into the house. You may still get some odor from the dirty piping up to the
trap.
Best way to fix it ?
Open the floor and put a trap in the shower(s).
Also, the vent pipe at the septic tank may push gases (wind) through the untrapped house drains in some cases. Adding a downwind cap or elbow to the
end of the pipe will cause the wind to create suction rather than blow "in". This should solve that problem.
However, it is more common that the gases that escape upward from the septic vent pipe are blown back towards the house (not through the pipe) so make
sure this is not your problem. If it is; you built the septic tank/vent in the wrong place.
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k-rico
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Location: Playas de Tijuana
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I once stayed in a friend's house in Cantamar and the place stunk. No kitchen sink trap.
I've replaced all the angle stops and feed tubes in my three year old house with parts bought in San Diego. They used cheap stuff, not good on the
pressure side, especially on the second floor. The originals were marked up like they were tightened with a pliers. Shlocky parts and work.
Replacing faucets is next, more junk.
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DENNIS
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Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by astrobaja
Also when they built the septic tank they ran a vent line to the outside just above the tank, we feel this might be pushing air back through the
pipes.... kinda odd the vent pipe never heard of that one before!
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Septic tanks are supposed to vent through the vent pipes in the house, assuming they put those in.
 Mexico.
The land of baseless assumptions.
If you have vents in the house plumbing, you can cap that outside vent.
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fishbuck
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Stayed at Hotel Convento in La Paz once. Nice little budget hostel.
My room was freshly remodeled. Problem was only cold water came out of the shower. They only have hot water at certain times of day anyway. But it was
still cold.
Not much of a problem in La Paz where it is typically 90 degrees plus. Just turn the water on and get a little running start and you in. With in a few
seconds you are numb so it feels good then.
One day I noticed that the water tank on the toilet was very hot. Strange.
Sure enough they had hooked the hot water supply to the toilet. Only two or three more days of cold showers and they had it fixed.
A nice warm shower is really a luxury I tell ya!
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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BigWooo
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| Quote: | Originally posted by morgaine7
Cheap fix: There are drain sets ... the ones that go in the floor of the shower under the grate ... with a small cup that collects and holds water,
thus sealing off the odor. That is, until the water evaporates, which doesn't take long in BCS summer. Solution is to run a bit of water to refill it.
Kate |
We had these in a prior home and they worked good. Our builder didn't put in traps and these prevented any smell from entering the bathroom. Like
Kate said, you do have to use them or they'll dry out.
On our current home we also have vents on the septic tanks, but capped them. So far it appears it's venting just fine up the main septic line and out
through the roof vents.
Another thing you might want to try is putting a "T" on the vent pipe that comes out the roof. Situate the "T" so the solid side faces the normal
afternoon breeze. That should keep the wind from blowing the gasses back down the pipe, while still allowing it to vent properly.
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Bob and Susan
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if the builder used a "j trap" instead of a "p trap"
then a sink in the link will gurrgle when another is draining...
stinky vent pipes are very common with septic tanks
if they stink they are working as designed
we capped the vent like dennis said with small holes in the cap
ot worked but there was still an odor
we finally used this to control the odor
they REALLY work!!!
edit" i forgot the link
http://www.stopsepticodor.com/
now there are several homes here that use them too
[Edited on 10-6-2009 by Bob and Susan]
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DENNIS
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Great website, Bob. Thanks.
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BigWooo
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| Quote: | Originally posted by astrobaja
saw a reference to a large outside 4" p-trap designed to go in the line just before the septic tank, anyone see this before? |
If the slope in your main septic drain line is marginal, I wonder if a P-Trap at the septic tank might become a source of clogging?
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BigWooo
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Wow, someone actually makes a commercial one. Great website!
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BigWooo
If the slope in your main septic drain line is marginal, I wonder if a P-Trap at the septic tank might become a source of clogging?
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Marginal? It's supposed to be one quarter inch to the foot. Anything much more or less and you have serious problems. Less and it wont drain.
More and it drains fluids too quickly leaving solids in the line.
This is one job that won't tolerate liberal interpretation in construction methods, not even in Mexico.
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astrobaja
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Wow thanks for all the great ideas and input! We were present during construction and for sure there are no p-traps for the showers. Its going to be
a bit tricky to install new ones since we have 1/2" PEX tubing running all throughout our house for the hydronic heating system, just have to be very
careful.
Today we are going to properly block off the superfluous drains and block off the outside vent near the septic.
Bob: looks like a great idea for the T-vent/filter, might order a couple for our roof vents! Thanks!!!
The slope for the drain appears to be good, Dennis its in the range you describe.
\"There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear
and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.There is another theory which states that this has already happened\"
Douglas Adams
our website: http://bajadarkskies.com |
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by astrobaja
The slope for the drain appears to be good, Dennis its in the range you describe. |
Glad to hear that, Mike. Since it presents no future problem, you can abandon that diet now and eat to your hearts content.
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Bob and Susan
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this was yesterdays picture of the day...
we have 6 filters installed
smells GOOD!!!
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DanO
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We had an odor issue because the roof vent just outside the bathroom window terminated under the eave instead of going up through the roof. As a
result, the smell came in through the window.
One other problem I've had to fix is where PVC sink drain fittings were improperly connected to ABS drain pipe using PVC glue and silicone caulk. Not
surprisingly, they leaked.
\"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.\" -- Frank Zappa
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BajaWarrior
Super Nomad
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Registered: 9-27-2006
Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DanO
We had an odor issue because the roof vent just outside the bathroom window terminated under the eave instead of going up through the roof. As a
result, the smell came in through the window.
One other problem I've had to fix is where PVC sink drain fittings were improperly connected to ABS drain pipe using PVC glue and silicone caulk. Not
surprisingly, they leaked. |
LOL! DanO, we had the same plumber... I had to cut out the shower floor, fortunatley discovered the error before laying the tile...
I did however punch the vents through the roof, no odor.
BW
[Edited on 10-6-2009 by BajaWarrior]
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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SDRonni
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What does it mean when you have these smells in a new condo building??? Any way to fix it?
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DanO
Super Nomad
Posts: 1923
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: Not far from the Pacific
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaWarrior
| Quote: | Originally posted by DanO
We had an odor issue because the roof vent just outside the bathroom window terminated under the eave instead of going up through the roof. As a
result, the smell came in through the window.
One other problem I've had to fix is where PVC sink drain fittings were improperly connected to ABS drain pipe using PVC glue and silicone caulk. Not
surprisingly, they leaked. |
LOL! DanO, we had the same plumber... I had to cut out the shower floor, fortunatley discovered the error before laying the tile...
I did however punch the vents through the roof, no odor.
BW
[Edited on 10-6-2009 by BajaWarrior] |
Yes indeed, our old friend Abel. My roof vents are now above the roof as well. And don't even get me started about the electrical wiring.
\"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.\" -- Frank Zappa
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BajaNuts
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Location: eastern WA, the DRY side
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| Quote: | | And don't even get me started about the electrical wiring. |
aw, come on now,
spill the beans.... what's wrong with your wire hoses?
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