# Sewer Gas Problem



## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

I had a call from a new customer. He purchased a strip mall. One of the stores was complaining about sewer gas being a bad problem in a restaurant. 

I've been in restaurants before where the sewer gas was so bad, that a few minutes after people sat down, they would get up and leave. This one wasn't that bad, but it was still bad.

I'm not sure if my video upload was successful.


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## Venomthirst (Jun 20, 2018)

Video is great... A little h2S for dinner 🙂


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

Oh I need that device! I receive calls for odors,(Ok only 3 last year) that would come in handy. How much?

Would that work for sewer smell like those coming from a lav sink or shower drain for example?


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

you wouldnt want to turn that on after a few hours from me eating a bunch of white castles.....:vs_laugh::vs_laugh:


id melt that thing into a puddle....:vs_laugh::vs_laugh:


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## gap1927 (Feb 25, 2014)

Tango said:


> Oh I need that device! I receive calls for odors,(Ok only 3 last year) that would come in handy. How much?
> 
> Would that work for sewer smell like those coming from a lav sink or shower drain for example?


It's actually used for finding very small natural gas or propane leaks. I picked one up on eBay for $60. Have used it for this purpose also. Sewer gas has methane which will trigger it.

Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk


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## The Dane (Feb 19, 2015)

Combustible gas detectors can go from $30 to $300 I don't know how well the cheaper ones work. I would not need to buy one myself. I can just borrow the professional grade one we have at the firehall where I volunteer.

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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Typically a smoke test is used to find sewer gas leaks. But I'm not set up with the smoke machine and all that. Also, the smoke machine requires more time to set up and perform the test. With my hand-held gas sniffer, I was able to zero in on the leaks in just a few minutes. No need to get up on the roof to cap vents, no need to find a c.o. {if it can be easily found} and drop the smoke bomb down there, plus with the smoke test I think the HVAC has to be shut off, patrons shouldn't be in the restaurant, etc. I am no expert in smoke tests, but there is definitely more time to set up for that test.

I tried my combustible gas detector for the 1st time in this application and I'm happy with the results.


The owner of the strip mall in not only paying for my 'sewer gas leak detection test', but he of course is paying for me to pull & re-set the offending W/C in the staff bathroom, but he said for me to go ahead and replace all the toilets in the restaurant. So this call turned into a nice little job.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Tango said:


> Oh I need that device! I receive calls for odors,(Ok only 3 last year) that would come in handy. How much?
> 
> Would that work for sewer smell like those coming from a lav sink or shower drain for example?












If I remember correctly, around $275 or so for that tool. Great tool to have if you do any gas line installs and repairs.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

Tommy plumber said:


> If I remember correctly, around $275 or so for that tool. Great tool to have if you do any gas line installs and repairs.


I'll be getting a used one for sure.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

Tommy plumber said:


> Typically a smoke test is used to find sewer gas leaks. But I'm not set up with the smoke machine and all that. Also, the smoke machine requires more time to set up and perform the test. With my hand-held gas sniffer, I was able to zero in on the leaks in just a few minutes. No need to get up on the roof to cap vents, no need to find a c.o. {if it can be easily found} and drop the smoke bomb down there, plus with the smoke test I think the HVAC has to be shut off, patrons shouldn't be in the restaurant, etc. I am no expert in smoke tests, but there is definitely more time to set up for that test.
> 
> I tried my combustible gas detector for the 1st time in this application and I'm happy with the results.
> 
> ...



many times using peppermint oil in very hot water either flushed or poured into the farthest fixture from the main helps locate a crack or broken pipe..cheap , easy and fast..doesnt always work, but gives a distinct pleasant odor to at least track down to a smaller area..


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## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> many times using peppermint oil in very hot water either flushed or poured into the farthest fixture from the main helps locate a crack or broken pipe..cheap , easy and fast..doesnt always work, but gives a distinct pleasant odor to at least track down to a smaller area..


Nice video Tom. 

Not to derail, but my current project specs that we do a smoke or peppermint test after all fixtures are set and traps filled with water. This is a 4 story assisted living facility. Our estimator missed this and is worried about it and is trying to get out of it. Would you recommend oil over smoke?


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

this is the machine we have to smoke test , it works well.


http://hurcotech.com/product/power-smoker-2/


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

89plumbum said:


> Nice video Tom.
> 
> Not to derail, but my current project specs that we do a smoke or peppermint test after all fixtures are set and traps filled with water. This is a 4 story assisted living facility. Our estimator missed this and is worried about it and is trying to get out of it. Would you recommend oil over smoke?



I would go with smoke as you can visually see where a leak is, and once you unleash peppermint, everything smells like peppermint and it becomes a pain..but in a building or store where customers or other people the peppermint is less noticeable to them, but after the first use there isnt a second because that stuff smells peppermint for a while..


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

We have a shop vac we use on blow. We put a metal pan in the bottom and light one to three smoke bombs in it then blow it into the vent pipe. If there is more than one vent we cap the extra. Works really nice. The lil smokeys from diversitech dont last long enough though which is why we use several.



.


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## V.A Hydro-ooter (Oct 14, 2018)

I made my own smoke machine out of a Ridgid toolbox, bathroom fan, 3" pvc tee and some flexible dryer vent hose. Not a bad way to spend $100 considering I usually get around $500 every time I use it. 
It's convenient because I can store everything in the box and take it all up to a roof on one trip. Well, besides my extension cord. I may try to set it up to run off a power tool battery at some point but running a cord is usually not much of a hassle.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

89plumbum said:


> Nice video Tom.
> 
> Not to derail, but my current project specs that we do a smoke or peppermint test after all fixtures are set and traps filled with water. This is a 4 story assisted living facility. Our estimator missed this and is worried about it and is trying to get out of it. Would you recommend oil over smoke?
















Stan, there is a master plumber with over {40} yrs. in the trade. All he does is specialize in smoke tests to locate sewer gas leaks. He tracks down some leaks that no one else can find. PM me if you need his number. He will advise on the topic.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

V.A Hydro-ooter said:


> I made my own smoke machine out of a Ridgid toolbox, bathroom fan, 3" pvc tee and some flexible dryer vent hose. Not a bad way to spend $100 considering I usually get around $500 every time I use it.
> It's convenient because I can store everything in the box and take it all up to a roof on one trip. Well, besides my extension cord. I may try to set it up to run off a power tool battery at some point but running a cord is usually not much of a hassle.





Makita makes an 18v blower you could use. It has like a 1.5" outlet. You could use a shop vac hose and a 2x4 fernco.






.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

Cats, always have to be part of the action! I just bought one of them fancy gadgets and I tried it with some propane, it's not new but it works.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

Tango said:


> Cats, always have to be part of the action! I just bought one of them fancy gadgets and I tried it with some propane, it's not new but it works.



you can use it on the liter box to know when to change it..:vs_laugh:


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> you can use it on the liter box to know when to change it..:vs_laugh:















It's "litter" as in most Americans are illiterate......LOL


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

Tommy plumber said:


> It's "litter" as in most Americans are illiterate......LOL


geez left off 1 "T"...dam spelling police....:vs_laugh:


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> geez left off 1 "T"...dam spelling police....:vs_laugh:


Ahem, ahem. The spelling police says you made another infraction. You should write "one" in sentence not 1.:glasses::biggrin::glasses:


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> geez left off 1 "T"...dam spelling police....:vs_laugh:


You want to get even with Tommy? Next time write an amount like this 100$. He doesn't like the dollar sign at the end. That'll get him going! :devil3::devil3:


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

Tango said:


> Ahem, ahem. The spelling police says you made another infraction. You should write "one" in sentence not 1.:glasses::biggrin::glasses:


why not?:vs_smirk::vs_smirk::vs_smirk:


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