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Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 5:24 pm
by Facilities Man
Hi everyone,

I've been working in this office for over 2 years now and we have had a bad drain smell ever since I started here.

the smell kicked up every time we switched the under floor AC on. after a while we found Manhole covers.

I have had a company in to jet and CCTV and try and find the other covers, we found 5 of them but some are still missing in action!

The clever people that designed the fitout put some carpet tiles on some of the raised floor areas and some toung n goove wooden flooring on the other parts, so not all the raised floor is available to track the covers.

I've tried loads of different thigs to stop the smell, plastic bags over the lids, air fresheners, taping around the edge of the lids, the lot.

does anyone have any ideas or seen this before or can help please get in touch.

It is finally driving me to drink!!

Thanks

Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 6:22 pm
by flowjoe
You will need to locate all the covers you can and then survey all incoming branch lines to find the rest of the chambers, then you need to lift each cover and grease the frames which should make them air-tight.

That`s assuming the system is venting through the covers and not through a disused floor gully or branch line.

Alternatively find the last chamber before the system hits the sewer and see if there is an interceptor trap with a missing cover on the rodding eye which may be allowing sewer gas through into the system

Not what you wanted to hear but i hope this helps.

Posted: Fri May 21, 2010 4:55 am
by Suggers
I don't know if you've frightened facilitys-man, but you've frightened me - "find the last chamber before the system hits the sewer" - the title of my next album.
Joe has to write a book.
:)

Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 8:34 am
by seanandruby
Can you find out the original builder, and ask them for their as built drawings to locate manholes, pop ups, gullies etc? Is the system venting, toilets water in the pan to low when you flush the toilet? No water trap will allow the smells to come up there. There should be airtight chambers inside the manholes and double seal manhole covers on manholes/inspection chambers. If a line was made redundant it should of been capped off/ filled with grout.

Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 11:37 am
by Dave_L
Suggers wrote:I don't know if you've frightened facilitys-man, but you've frightened me - "find the last chamber before the system hits the sewer" - the title of my next album.
Joe has to write a book.
:)
Last seen venturing under the floorboards!!!!