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View Full Version : Question for Plumbers .... Studor Vent



John Pollman
03-04-2005, 3:58 PM
I'm currently doing some finish work for a customer in a walk out basement. Her brother in law did about 60% of the work in finishing the basement and making it into a little "apartment" for her brother that lives down there. They've added a kitchen and bathroom down in the basement. The home is on well/septic. She told me she was having trouble with the toilet leaking when it's flushed. I told her that I'd pull the toilet and install a new wax ring. In pulling the toilet I see that the problem is that the flange is too high above the concrete floor. They just had it shimmed up but the toilet still rocked too much. Even after I shimmed it, it pretty much stopped leaking but still rocks too much and there's still an odor of sewer gas. At first I figured it was from the bad seal. But even with the new seal, it still exists. Now because of the flange situation it still may be coming from that area. I'm going to install some denshield and ceramic tile in the room and that should solve the problem. It'll make the flange level with the finished floor and the toilet won't rock anymore. But I noticed sticking up through the top plate of the wall that the sink is on there is a "Studor Vent". I'm thinking that could be where she's getting the sewer gas odor. I just installed a suspended ceiling in the bath area and am going to suggest that she let me install an exhaust fan too. Since I'm already going to have to punch a hole for the exhaust fan, it wouldn't be too big of a deal to punch another smaller one for a PVC pipe that I could run outside instead of venting into the basement. It wouldn't be a big deal to pipe that over to the rim joist and just move the Studor outside and put a 90 elbow on it. Then the sewer gas would vent outside instead of into the basement. Now this is a walkout basement and the area that the Studor would be protruding out the back of the house would be about 5' above grade and out of the way. Would this be acceptable or would it have to go up to roof level ? Just curious. It may be a quick, cheap, and easy way to alleviate the problem.

Thanks for any input !


John

Bill Grumbine
03-04-2005, 4:40 PM
Hi John

Studor vents are designed to be retrofitted to older houses, or any house with existing plumbing for that matter. We have a couple in our stone house so we do not have to drill any holes through 18" stone walls or through a metal roof. They do not vent gas into the room, they only allow air from the room into the system. If she is getting sewer gases in through the vent, then it is not functioning properly.

Bill

John Pollman
03-04-2005, 5:43 PM
Thanks Bill.

I just realized that those Studor Vents are designed to be installed under sinks and in attics. So that means that it shouldn't be a problem. The more I think about it, the problem is more than likely still the toilet seal. I think once I get done raising for floor a bit with the backer and ceramic tile and resetting the toilet CORRECTLY the problem will be eliminated. I hate coming in later and finishing what someone else started. Sometimes it makes it very hard to get the job done RIGHT. :)

Thanks for the input.

John

Jim Dunn
03-07-2005, 10:49 AM
One other place you can get a sewer gas odor is from the pipe draining the bath sink. Just above the trap is a length of 1 1/4 pipe connecting it to the sink. This piece of pipe can and does allow material to accumulate and cause a gas odor. That material is dead skin from shaving, material from brushing your teeth and such other matter. You can use an old tooth brush and scrub that slimy accumulation away with bleach. If the odor persists you can compound the trouble with odor with a vent fan. When it runs it pushes air out of the house. This causes a slight vacuum in the room the fan is installed in. This negative vacuun can allow gases from under the toilet to come into the room from the sewer.

If you vent the system out the side of the house below roof line you may get odors outside. Especially if they have a deck or patio.

Just my .02

Tyler Howell
03-07-2005, 2:01 PM
John,
For rough uneven floors I've used 2 waxed rings to get a good seal. One with the flange attached, down the floor flange and a plain w ring on top. takes a little finess to get it seated but have never had a failure on 3 rental units. Good luck.;)
TJH

John Pollman
03-07-2005, 3:34 PM
Thanks guys.

Unfortunately this job is on indefinite hold. While working yesterday I fell and broke my left shoulder. I'm in the most excruciating pain of my life. I've got an ortho. appt. tomorrow at 11:45. I'm hoping to avoid surgery. wish me luck please.

John

Jim Dunn
03-07-2005, 6:06 PM
Good luck John. I just had back surgery last Thursday. My pain is still there but it has improved some what. I'm limited to lifting no more than 10lbs. And, if this is a plus, I can't do any house work:)

Bob Hovde
03-08-2005, 10:28 AM
Good luck! Hope you can avoid surgery, but a broken shoulder is tough to hold together.

Bob

Tyler Howell
03-08-2005, 12:23 PM
Bummer Dude! Feel better soon.

John Pollman
03-08-2005, 12:58 PM
Just got back from the ortho....

Surgery's at about 1:00 p.m. tomorrow.
Wish me luck please.

John