We are starting to have the occasional warmer weather right now (Alberta, Canada), and every time it warms up our exterior discharge line for the sump pump smells like sewage. Once it gets colder again, the smell goes away. There isn't usually a smell inside, just the line outside. The pipe goes into the ground to tie into the house's drainage system. We also have a backwater valve close to that area (in the basement), in case that's important. Any ideas as to what might be wrong? Any easy fixes we should try before hiring a plumber?
Sewage smell outside
- Thread starter Chelsey
- Start date
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I'm guessing the storm water system, but I won't lie, I'm not 100% sure. I don't know what's normally done. I know the sewer line must be close to there as that's what the backwater valve would be attached to. But the sewage smell is definitely coming from the pipe in the ground that the sump pump discharge pipe goes into, as the smell gets stronger as you get close to it.
If the "Y" isn't capped, that's probably where the odor is coming from. You could cap it off, but you need a vent or vents somewhere. Normally the sewer vent stack is plumbed to the roof, where the odor isn't noticed (unless your'e on the roof I guess).
nealtw
Contractor retired
So they ran a sump into the sewer with out enough venting so they added the Y so the traps would not be sucked dry.
You need another place to run the sump water.
You need another place to run the sump water.
