![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cimoreneThat subject line is horrifying but not nearly as horrifying as the situation in our bathroom all winter long, when the aforementioned sewer gas for some reason escapes into the first floor bathrooms. waxjism told me she had some vague idea that it was a common issue (not common enough for her or anyone to mention it in the summer when we were agreeing to rent this flat I note), but I didn't believe her, because nobody's ever mentioned it to me or on This Old House. Of course, single family dwellings aren't typically that tall, and even the apartment buildings in the places I'm familiar with in the US tend to be 2 stories - I've never lived in an area urban enough for 6- to 8-story buildings before Turku (and our earlier flats were on the 3rd and 4th floors, too high for this issue).
My googling in English suggested any release of sewer gas into the bath was a bug, not something endemic to the design, and something that could be fixed, being typically caused by problems with the trap, and the internet is full of people who fix their problems by tinkering so that previously dry U-traps have enough liquid in them to prevent that escape.
But apparently Wax was right, because when the maintenance team came to check our whole flat for flaws (that time when they scared the bejeezus out of Rowan), I asked him about it and he immediately knew what I meant and seemed surprised but slightly regretful that I didn't know, as if an entire winter swimming in sewer gas in the lower floor bathrooms is simply to be expected, like leaf litter problems with gutters or drafts/leaks with big double glazed windows.
First of all, that can't be right, even if it is correct. I mean, if this is a typical feature of your design, doesn't that mean there's something in your design you need to fix?
Secondly, though, I still haven't been able to find much other information about this online. No, I haven't really tried searching in Swedish and Finnish, because dictionaries aren't necessarily helpful - you have to know which terms people actually use to refer to things... and it's just kind of a tiring way to take in new information.
But thirdly, until just now when it's started up again this week - and that's before the radiators have even come on; it's only been under freezing once in daylight - I'd somehow forgotten how nauseating this issue is. Literally nauseating, like gag while brushing my teeth and breathe through my mouth every time I go in the bathroom bad. I'm sensitive to perfumes and allergic to some of them (still don't quite know which), so things like scented candles and air fresheners aren't an option for us, even assuming they would work - only things like odor killers. So far none of those sorts of things that I've attempted have made any difference, which isn't surprising if there's actually sewer gas streaming up from the drains.
Anyway, Wax's work location is moving to Kärsämäki, an area (borough? Former village?) on the way to the airport and somewhat closer to BIL, and one which would involve two buses for her commute from here. The scenic surroundings of this flat are idyllic and the management and community are lovely, but the last week's sewer gas resurgence is quite enough to make me vote firmly for moving somewhere that will let her commute with just one bus.
waxjism told me she had some vague idea that it was a common issue (not common enough for her or anyone to mention it in the summer when we were agreeing to rent this flat I note), but I didn't believe her, because nobody's ever mentioned it to me or on This Old House. Of course, single family dwellings aren't typically that tall, and even the apartment buildings in the places I'm familiar with in the US tend to be 2 stories - I've never lived in an area urban enough for 6- to 8-story buildings before Turku (and our earlier flats were on the 3rd and 4th floors, too high for this issue).My googling in English suggested any release of sewer gas into the bath was a bug, not something endemic to the design, and something that could be fixed, being typically caused by problems with the trap, and the internet is full of people who fix their problems by tinkering so that previously dry U-traps have enough liquid in them to prevent that escape.
But apparently Wax was right, because when the maintenance team came to check our whole flat for flaws (that time when they scared the bejeezus out of Rowan), I asked him about it and he immediately knew what I meant and seemed surprised but slightly regretful that I didn't know, as if an entire winter swimming in sewer gas in the lower floor bathrooms is simply to be expected, like leaf litter problems with gutters or drafts/leaks with big double glazed windows.
First of all, that can't be right, even if it is correct. I mean, if this is a typical feature of your design, doesn't that mean there's something in your design you need to fix?
Secondly, though, I still haven't been able to find much other information about this online. No, I haven't really tried searching in Swedish and Finnish, because dictionaries aren't necessarily helpful - you have to know which terms people actually use to refer to things... and it's just kind of a tiring way to take in new information.
But thirdly, until just now when it's started up again this week - and that's before the radiators have even come on; it's only been under freezing once in daylight - I'd somehow forgotten how nauseating this issue is. Literally nauseating, like gag while brushing my teeth and breathe through my mouth every time I go in the bathroom bad. I'm sensitive to perfumes and allergic to some of them (still don't quite know which), so things like scented candles and air fresheners aren't an option for us, even assuming they would work - only things like odor killers. So far none of those sorts of things that I've attempted have made any difference, which isn't surprising if there's actually sewer gas streaming up from the drains.
Anyway, Wax's work location is moving to Kärsämäki, an area (borough? Former village?) on the way to the airport and somewhat closer to BIL, and one which would involve two buses for her commute from here. The scenic surroundings of this flat are idyllic and the management and community are lovely, but the last week's sewer gas resurgence is quite enough to make me vote firmly for moving somewhere that will let her commute with just one bus.
(no subject)
Date: 7 Oct 2018 02:09 pm (UTC)Also I feel your pain, bc living with this for a whole season sounds horrendous. (Could you maybe leave lots of open contained (bowls?) of baking soda around to absorb the smells?) :((
(no subject)
Date: 7 Oct 2018 03:18 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 9 Oct 2018 12:23 am (UTC)That will fix it here, but of course, this is a single family house. i can't imagine how awful it would be to live with that all winter. Blech!