Condensate Pump Drain Foul Odor

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Rob517

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Feb 23, 2021
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SE Michigan
Hi All,

I have just purchased a house and I have noticed a very foul odor from the drain that my condensate pump utilizes in my basement. The 2 inch PVC drain pipe is not capped. It appears the previous owner just put some tape around where the hose drops into the drain but the gasses are escaping. So much so, that they fill the entire basement with the stench.

I have included a picture of the way it is setup now. The red circle shows how the hose drains and the big red blob represents the basement floor drain on the other side of that drywall, which is the finished bathroom. It is a 4 inch drain and the only drain in the basement.

Now to my question...

What is the best way to stop the gasses from escaping? Can I seal around the hose or does it need to vent out? I was thinking of capping the drain pipe after drilling a hole in the cap (not the pipe) and pushing the hose through it first then placing the cap on the 2 inch pipe. Would it be better to clean out the pipe with something?

Thanks for the help.
 

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It goes straight down into the floor, not sure if it's connected to the main drain below the concrete on the other side or not.
 
Your picture is a little blurry when blown up.
And it does not show all the way to the floor.

But no trap is shown, so is there a trap lower down on the pvc piping?

Is that orange fitting also open to the air?

Post a pic showing lower down, and sharper focus if possible.
 
Is this pvc assembly a rough in for a laundry sink?
And maybe a failed attempt at a laundry stand pipe?

Also, your vinyl condensate drain hose looks totally pinched.

And the drain piping for the temperature and pressure relief valve looks like it was done by uncle Joe or cousin Moe.

Where does it end up?

Post more pictures!
 
Sorry, here is another pic. I am not at home so I can't take a new pic but here it shows it running down into the floor. No trap. And yes, the orange fitting is open to the air.

We recently had a sewer backup (picture is from the day of the flood, has since been professionally cleaned) so the floor is wet from that but the smell was there before the backup. We noticed it on move-in day, about 3 weeks ago.
 

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Looks like the orange fitting would be venting out sewer gas.
And maybe a little from the goofy taped connection.

These things should have been caught at your home inspection, I would think.
 
The laundry was originally down there years ago so there are a few water lines in various places. The smaller thin hose running perpendicular in the picture goes to the far wall and ends near the main drain cleanout cap, right next to it actually.

The smell is definitely coming out of the drain pipe, it is really potent up close. So I'm guessing it's time to hire a pro? Don't cap the pipe?
 
Looks like old washing machine connections.
The orange thing looks like a chrome quickie vent with a orange sticker on it.

You could have a trap beneath the floor or not......or it could be a trap under the floor with a hole in it.,

I might would cut a trap in and see what happens. It would be an S trap but so what, it’s a dehumidy anyway.

Get a Sch40 pvc ptrap and some solvent. There’s enough pipe there already to use.
Cut the pipe near the yellow mark and install the ptrap.
8B833CFF-888C-41DF-AB4E-0F0EC87289A1.jpeg
 
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I like this better. Cut it 6” above the floor and do this.....AAV on top. Use a sanitary tee.
5299A238-A044-41B8-B67E-B8914E5B007C.jpeg
 
What does that long horizontal slanted pipe attach to, at its origin?

I assumed it was from the water heater relief valve.
 
Thanks for the replies....really appreciate yout time.

I'll have a look when I get home and let you know where the long horizontal pipe begins. Currently at work.
 
So that sloping horizontal pipe ends next to the drain cleanout cap and is broken off. The other end slopes up and runs over to the furnace and is just some sort of vent. I think I got a real mess going on over here.

Thanks again for your time.

Rob
 

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What does that long horizontal slanted pipe attach to, at its origin?

I assumed it was from the water heater relief valve.
Just
So that sloping horizontal pipe ends next to the drain cleanout cap and is broken off. The other end slopes up and runs over to the furnace and is just some sort of vent. I think I got a real mess going on over here.

Thanks again for your time.

Rob
looks like there’s your stink or part of it.
 
Yeah I will get that covered promptly. I don't recall that being broken, they may have hit it when they were snaking the drain. They were really going at it to get the clog out.
 
Looks like that long horizontal sloping pipe might be (or used to be) a drain for the a/c coil, or maybe the furnace humidifier.
Yes, bottom end looks busted off.
 
Looks like that long horizontal sloping pipe might be (or used to be) a drain for the a/c coil, or maybe the furnace humidifier.
Yes, bottom end looks busted off.

Yeah I think it was left over from the old furnace they had here.
 
They should be ran to a floor drain or to the outside. Not into your sewer.
 
They should be ran to a floor drain or to the outside. Not into your sewer.
Most floor drains connect to the sewer.
In very cold climates the condensate line could freeze or create ice outside where it could be a hazard.
 
Most floor drains connect to the sewer.
In very cold climates the condensate line could freeze or create ice outside where it could be a hazard.
not in all cases. Not many places here.
 

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