Sewerage burst and smells bad: sample complaints, where to call and how to remove the smell

Dampness and the unpleasant musty smell coming from the cellar are familiar to many homeowners firsthand. It is impossible to normalize the situation by maintaining hygiene requirements inside the house. The moisture accumulated there, as well as the specific aroma of moldy fungus, will still be felt.

What causes the smell

Flooding of a structural element with groundwater, the gradual growth of fungus and mold in the basement, the constant formation of condensation, as well as old communications - all this causes an unpleasant odor on the ground floor. Let's consider the main reasons for the manifestation:

Penetration of groundwater into the structure. The lack of a high-quality drainage system leads to the fact that spring floods, as well as autumn rains, will gradually penetrate into the basement.
Violation of the structural integrity of sewer and communication pipes. Often the cause of the stench can be a sewer break. Its elements are also subject to aging and gradual failure without proper maintenance and phased replacement.
Broken water supply pipe.
Rotting and gradual decomposition of certain biological material. As a rule, it is customary to store food in cellars, but when they are left for a long time, as well as exposed to moisture and temperature changes, a natural decomposition reaction gradually occurs.
Rot on structural elements of a building. The stench can be caused by mold and mildew on the walls or ceiling of the basement.
Failure of the ventilation system. Failure of the hood stops air circulation, which leads to the formation of an unpleasant odor.

In this video we will look at the causes of the acrid smell from the basement:

To understand how to remove the smell, you should first clarify the reason for its formation inside the basement. After which you can cope with the unpleasant symptoms yourself or seek help from appropriate specialists.

Causes of flooding

The main causes of floods in the basement are the following:

incorrect design of ebb tides;
seasonal increase in groundwater volume;
sewerage breakthrough;
faulty drains;
unlawful acts of persons living on the first floor;
emergency situations on water supply lines;
heating system breakthrough;
breakdown of communications.

Additional information
It is on the basis of the cause that caused the flood that the specific culprit of the incident is determined.

How to get rid of an unpleasant smell in the basement

You should carry out cleaning activities yourself (remove all existing debris, pump out accumulated water, dry the basement, and also remove all biological elements from there). If the measures taken do not give any positive result, then one of the following methods of eliminating symptoms will have to be used:

If there is fungus or mold inside the room, you should carefully inspect the basement structure. Subsequently, all structural elements are carefully freed from factors that can cause an unpleasant symptom.
If the reason is a violation of the integrity of the water supply system, then all elements should be carefully examined for damage. Restoration plumbing work can be carried out either independently or by calling a specialist.
There is no ventilation in the room.
Sewerage breakdown. Its integrity must be constantly monitored. Any breakdown must be repaired immediately, otherwise it will be impossible to get rid of the symptoms due to the constant presence of open waste.

Rotten pipes or problems with sewerage are the first causes of unpleasant smell from the basement

If the cause of the unpleasant odor is groundwater, then you should immediately find the cause of the penetration and eliminate it. All water and mold formed on the structures are also removed, and the room is subsequently dried).
Presence of biological waste. To eliminate the smell, you need to completely clean the room and also thoroughly ventilate it, removing all elements present inside the room, otherwise the smell may remain and subsequently manifest itself.

It is worth noting that most often you can cope with the stench yourself by determining the true cause of the unpleasant symptom. Regular cleaning and drying of the structure will prevent you from encountering such difficulties.

Methods of disposal

Before you start the fight, you need to inspect the basement, eliminate the garbage there, study the communications running underneath the house, and remove unnecessary things. If these measures do not bring a positive result, then forced drainage must be performed.

Fungal growth on the ceiling and walls of the cellar, smells like mold.	It is necessary to identify all cracks and crevices and dry them from moisture.	Thoroughly clean off all existing plaque and treat surfaces with an antiseptic. Ventilate and cover the foundation with a waterproofing compound.
The integrity of the water pipes is compromised; condensation forms on them, which must be dealt with.	Inspect all structures.	Replace old screw-on valves with modern two-stroke valves. To eliminate the temperature difference inside the room with the surface of the pipes, insulate them. This action will avoid the formation of condensation.
There is no ventilation.	It is impossible to completely get rid of mold and the smell of dampness without drying.	To maintain normal air humidity, constant ventilation is required. If a simple system does not allow creating the necessary conditions for this, then it is necessary to install equipment for forced ventilation, including automatic control devices.
Leaking sewer pipes.	Integrity must be constantly monitored.	If the joints are damaged or the tightness of the joints is compromised, repair work is carried out immediately. There is no need to try to restore damaged parts. Having replaced them, the entire area of the basement must be cleaned and the room deodorized.
Groundwater enters the cellar.	This can only be caused by improper drainage design of the entire site and the area around the building in particular.	If for some reason it is impossible to divert the drainage from the walls of the house, then a pit is made in the cellar where the liquid will be collected by installing a drainage pump there.
Biological waste.	Rodents and stray animals constantly live in basements unless their access there is removed.	Install grilles on ventilation windows. Carry out regular disinfection and etching of rodents, at least 2 times a year. Store winter supplies in boxes on specially equipped racks. After emptying the container, rinse it, disinfect it, and throw away unnecessary food residues.

1. It is necessary to take into account that if it smells like mold, it means the humidity inside the room is about 50% or even higher.

2. The smell penetrates into the house only through cracks in the floor and walls. Most likely, it flows back and forth into them.

3. It is impossible to do without waterproofing work both outside and inside the building.

Delaying the issue leads to the fact that it will not be possible to solve the problem on your own, then you need to contact specialists who use professional equipment.

Some moments

Also, in the process of determining the source of the stench, there are a number of nuances that owners of private houses with a basement structure should pay special attention to:

If there is a musty smell, there is most likely a high level of humidity in the air.
An unpleasant odor can penetrate into a living space only if there are cracks in the floor. It is recommended to eliminate them.
If groundwater penetrates, it is necessary to carry out waterproofing work inside and outside the structure.

Taking these points into account, you can protect your home from the possible penetration of unpleasant symptoms.

Important. If there is a smell from the basement in an apartment building, then it should be eliminated not on your own, but through the work of the management company; for this, a corresponding application must be submitted.

Where to go if there is an unpleasant smell coming from the basement?

The most important thing is that you should know that there are responsible people and organizations responsible for maintaining the house in proper condition, because common property must be serviced on time, because management organizations are responsible for maintaining common property, and this is the Management Company (MC), HOA, Housing Cooperative Society and etc.

Next, I will tell you what common property is, where to look for a list of common property, and what to refer to when presenting demands to your management organization. But know, no matter what your housing office tells you, it is the management organization that is responsible for the maintenance of the apartment building and its engineering systems, and then you will understand why, because I will give you links to the law and regulations.

Traditional methods of fighting odor in the basement

There are folk options that allow you to eliminate the stench, as well as promptly prevent its occurrence:

Treat the surfaces of structures using appropriate material. Manganese or regular vinegar 9% will do.
Activated carbon in appropriate proportions with water helps to absorb the stench present in the room.
Using scattered table salt can reliably remove small amounts of moisture.
Freshly ground coffee also helps eliminate unpleasant symptoms. It is poured into an open container and placed in the basement.
The elimination and subsequent absence of mold is also accompanied by the production of a composition of hydrogen peroxide, boric and acetic acid.

Each method can in its own way breathe a new, comfortable smell into the basement, which will subsequently not cause irritation to the owner of a private home, but will create a pleasant atmosphere. However, we must not forget that without eliminating the source of the smell, it will not be possible to eliminate the unpleasant symptom forever, since sooner or later the stench will return again.

Along with traditional methods, there are other options for preventing nasty smells from the basement, but they are not as effective as the options listed, which is why they are used extremely rarely. It is only worth noting that pleasantly smelling herbs and other plants also help in the fight against stench, but they will need to be placed throughout the basement, otherwise the desired result will not be achieved.

Cleaning the basement must be carried out comprehensively. All possible distributors of unpleasant odor are eliminated, otherwise this discomfort will regularly bother the owner of a private house. Especially in warm weather, when there will not be much moisture in the air.

Owners of older homes may experience an unpleasant odor coming from the basement. To cope with this scourge, you can do all the work yourself or seek help from specialists by identifying the causes. But it is much easier to warn yourself against such symptoms than to subsequently deal with the causes. That is why it is recommended to check the basement in a timely manner, as well as carry out preventive work, which will allow you not to experience discomfort.

Smell in the basement of a multi-story building

Basement arrangement.

Residents of not only old houses, but also new buildings often face this problem. Often the smell from the basement spreads throughout the entire entrance, especially annoying those who live on the first floor. It is necessary to find the cause of this unpleasant phenomenon. Most likely, it is the old pipes that are leaking and leaking, or water from a faulty storm drain somehow gets into the basement.

As a rule, people begin to sound the alarm at the very last moment, when the smell begins to annoy almost the entire house. This is fundamentally wrong, and as soon as you notice that a stench is starting to come from the basement, you must immediately contact the housing and communal services department. No matter how trite it sounds, in this situation everything depends on the conscientiousness of utility workers and the assertiveness of the residents themselves.

It is best to call the emergency service number directly; it works around the clock and is obliged to respond to any alarm call.

Air flow pattern with proper ventilation organization.

If you have been rejected, don't give up. Most likely, telephone calls will not help here; you need to take the application to the management company. You can file a collective complaint with the signatures of the residents of the entire building, but it is much more effective if everyone writes a separate statement and takes it to the housing and communal services department.

Sometimes the situation reaches the point of absurdity: employees of the management company begin to demand that residents provide photos or videos as proof of the problem that has arisen. Such actions are unlawful and may give rise to legal action. Most likely, this is being done in order to once again evade responsibility. Even if you bring them a photo of a leaky pipe, no one will react to it; here you need to use a stronger influence, for example, inviting local television - in most cases this works instantly.

In order to avoid the problem of basement odor in your home, you need to give this room a second life. For example, equip a gym or a hobby club in it, and ultimately, give residents the opportunity to arrange storage rooms there and store old things. When the owners of the basement appear, then the problems will be solved in a timely manner.

Reasons for the appearance of a bad smell in the entrance

The smell of sewerage in the entrance indicates a leak or depressurization of the sewer riser. When a specific odor appears, you must first determine why and where it comes from. Most often it stinks from the basement, but other options are possible:

destruction of the vent pipe in the attic;
a breakthrough of the sewer riser into the ceiling and the entry of waste into the gap between the slabs.

The drain in the basement of an apartment building may become clogged or simply rotten, causing a spill of sewage and waste. In this case, the strongest smell will be felt in the area of the first floor. If the problem occurs in the attic, then sewer gases will first spread throughout its territory, exit through the roof into the street, and will penetrate into all entrances. This option is easy to detect by the increasing smell in the area of the upper floors.

The most difficult thing is to determine the breakthrough of drains into the interfloor ceiling. Most likely, one of the apartments will begin to flood, but this is sometimes difficult to detect, since the water does not flow in a stream, and the wet spot is often covered by a suspended or suspended ceiling.

The question often arises: there is a strong sewer smell in the bathroom, where to go and how to get rid of it. In this situation, there is no need to immediately call somewhere or run; first you need to check the condition of the siphons and water seals - perhaps they have been torn off and biogas from the sewer is leaking into the bathroom. You should also carefully inspect the ceiling - perhaps the neighbor above is drowning.