Okay, it is not as bad as the headline makes it look but, if you understand what you are looking at here, this is a pretty evil arrangement. Prior to the home inspection, it was mentioned to me that the bathroom had an "off smell." This is the attic view of the home over the bath. Off to the left, the white flex duct, is from the bathroom fan. What is it attached to? You assume it vents out through the roof or the side of the house, right?. Wrong! This vent is spliced or cut into the sewer vent system. And this was a septic system in grave need of pumping. Over to the far right, that vertical pipe going up through the roof, is the sewer vent stack that is normal on top of the roof. This was a very unhealthy situation. When the bath fan was running, it would force air up into this system so the smell did not come into the bath -- too much at least. But, the moment the fan was turned off, the odor from the sewer was seeping back into the bathroom through the white flex duct. This is yet another good reason for someone to have a home inspection. Also, this is a really simple problem to solve, but to do so, someone has to recognize what the problem is.
Thanks for looking,
Steven L. Smith
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Oh the things that you must come across!!! Thank you for all that you do! Inspections are so important.
Eric, it was and you are right.
Joan, not sure who did it but it certainly was not a plumber. A bozo I assume.
Bridget, there are lots of odd things, for sure
Disgusting? Yes!!
Shocked? Sadly, no.
Ugh, ugh, ugh!
Carolin Benjamin
Bob and Carolin Benjamin
The Benjamin Team
Keller Williams Integrity First Realty
Gold Canyon Arizona
Steven.... it's disgusting and sad. But as Tom mentioned and meant, we wouldn't be surprised if anyone was shocked for the reason that people knew about this and probably was hoping to get away with this... because of the cost to repair....even if it wasn't costly, they still would have to put money out.
My sister and brother-in-law had a home inspection done..... 4 years ago..... they are ready to sell now and are being told that they need more AMPS installed in order to add an air conditioner. This should have been upgraded and caught the last time around. There is more to the findings, but it could cost them a total of $1,500.
that is sick and Wrong
Steve - thanks for this post. And thanks for reminding us that there is no shortage of candidates for the Darwin Awards.
This is one nasty revelation. I hope your summer goes better than this! :)
Looks like a DIY gone very very wrong......... stinky in fact!!
hehehehehe.....
Someone call the "Toolman" for this one!!
=-)
Christy,
Doing this kind of good work saves lots of money on air fresheners. Who needs them?
Steven,
That's an ugly example of what can happen without an inspection. The money an inspection costs is money well spent. A good inspector can also point out soft spots that can become future problems. Every house I buy has an inspection.
That did disgust me you were right. YUK!
Steven, I think it is disturbing, as well as disgusting, that someone who represents themself as a professional would have so little regard for the safety of the people they pretend to serve. Who knows if someone could have or already has been made ill because of this situation.