DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

I have recently bought a property dated 1950's everything was fine but every now and then especially since the weather has got colder the upstairs toilet smell's like a sewage drain.

I know you may think its just the toilet but the smell seems to be coming up into the toilet from the drain at the base of the house, I have cleaned the drain when I first moved in and also flushed it through as best I could but the smell keeps returning.

Im a DIY novice I like to try my hand at things but plumbing scares me, I would rather build an extention than mess around with plumbing, I dont have alot of cash at the moment so need a cheap fix or solution.

Many thanks

There is no water in the trap by the sounds of it. Have you checked the vent? If its blocked then when you flush the loo the water in the trap is syphoned out as air cannot be drawn down the vent.

Cheers

[quote="rosebery"]There is no water in the trap by the sounds of it. Have you checked the vent? If its blocked then when you flush the loo the water in the trap is syphoned out as air cannot be drawn down the vent.

Cheers[/quote]

Hi sorry, Im not sure what all that means could you be more specific please? Im not very good with things like this, where is the trap located?

Your toilet has a trap built into so so that after the flush has removed the - well whatever you put in it - a water seal remains to prevent foul smells coming back into the house from the sewers. The water you can see in the base of the toilet pan is one side of the trap.

Take a look under your washbasin. If you have a P trap under there (- yes OK look here http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=12 ... l&ts=83525) then thats similar to the innards of the loo - the U part forms the water seal which stops the smells. Syphon the water out of the trap the seal disappears and up they come.

Cheers