Little issues with house

[handyman2020]

Hello,
I recently purchased this 2 bedroom old house and I repainted, recaulked, steam cleaned everything inside the house including washroom. It has a unfinished basement and wooden floor on main floor. Right now I have 2 issues with the house

Issue 1 - There is a wood type smell coming in the house, i do not know what to call it and how explain, this smell is not dirty smell. This is not a smell which will make you uncomfortable or unpleasant but there is a smell in the house. I have not cleaned wooden floor, I just moped it. thats it. I do not know how to clean wooden floor if thats the cause of this smell.
I do not see mold, mildew anywhere in the house or basement.

Issue 2- there is a small water leak at the joint where the drain pipe is going into the ground. That drain pipe is for laundry sink in the basement. There are no water clogs, water is going fine into the ground through laundry sink, its just spilling out from the pipe-ground joint. Should I just put "Quikrete Commercial Grade Water Stop Cement " ?

Please advise.

 

[DGersic]

All houses smell. You’ll get used to it.

Self vulcanizing tape may work.


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[Farmall450]

Living in it seems to get rid of the smell they get from being empty. Sounds like you cleaned the heck out of it; keep it up. You can always light a candle or something in the interim. Hard to say what wood is; maybe sand and refinish if it really bothers you.

 

[bwringer]

"Wood smell" is a little vague, but as a wild-*** guess I might suggest looking at improving the attic ventilation. If you don't have enough ventilation you'll smell the rafters in the living space, especially on hot days.

Just better air circulation in general will help a lot. Once someone is living in the house, there will be a lot more air movement and you'll smell less of the materials.

 

[Kaizen]

Try and note if it is in any area in particular. Ask others if they smell it. Smell has a huge involvement from the brain. Example some people that had a fire still smell it even though it’s been completely fixed.
You can try and get an ozone generator... think that’s the name. Basically eliminates smells.
Could be a basement smell from sewer gas at that leak.


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[964haus]

Old houses smell - ours did. It wasn't bad, but just had an old house smell to it. It was 100 years old. Like Farmall said, live in a bit and get your own stink on things and you'll notice it less and less. Funny thing about our old place (we recently moved to a 6 year old house) was that we didn't notice any smell, but if we'd been away on vacation for a while when we went home we'd notice the old house/wood smell all over again.

The wonders of old houses.
m.

 

[matt_i]

Fast way to see if a smell is moisture related is to keep doors and windows closed and run either A/C if available or a dehumidifier. If those help, box fan(s) and or ceiling fans left on continuously will help at lower cost.

I would be inclined to use 100% silicone caulk but the surfaces have to be surgically cleaned so it will stick. Then let it cure for 24 hours before re-using.

 

[b-boy]

I have an old house (140 years old). They smell. It's just part of the charm. It's got years of mice in the walls, mold, mildew, and really old wood. It smells like when you visited your grandmother when you were a kid.

I added a dehumidifier in my basement and crawlspace. That helped a lot.

 

[handyman2020]

thanks a lot for replies can you please help me with the leak as well?

 

[Kaizen]

thanks a lot for replies can you please help me with the leak as well?

Put up some pics so we know what material you are dealing with


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[handyman2020]

Here are the photos where the water is leaking from

Issue 2- there is a small water leak at the joint where the drain pipe is going into the ground. That drain pipe is for laundry sink in the basement. There are no water clogs, water is going fine into the ground through laundry sink, its just spilling out from the pipe-ground joint. Should I just put "Quikrete Commercial Grade Water Stop Cement " ?

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

My guess on the leak, pack it with oakum.
When I had wood floors (real wood) I cleaned them with Murphy's oil wood soap and waxed them every few years.

 

[handyman2020]

My guess on the leak, pack it with oakum.
When I had wood floors (real wood) I cleaned them with Murphy's oil wood soap and waxed them every few years.

can i use this ?

 

[Kaizen]

Maybe just me but can’t see pics


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[HondaCBMan]

Maybe just me but can’t see pics


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Nope, can't see them either.

 

[handyman2020]

Maybe just me but can’t see pics


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Nope, can't see them either.

https://www.quikrete.com/productlines/hydraulicwaterstopcement.asp

weird you cant see pictures, its a photo hosted on imgur website.
Regards

 

[HOTFR8]

https://www.quikrete.com/productlines/hydraulicwaterstopcement.asp

weird you cant see pictures, its a photo hosted on imgur website.
Regards

Imgur does not work well with the GJ. Host them in your own album here on the GJ.

 

[Hobbit]

Not all smells have to be adverse. I have a large bonus room paneled with vertical lap-ledge cedar boards. They have been painted but if the room is closed off and no circulation occurs the cedar smell gets quite strong. The cedar smell is a positive for me.

 

[handyman2020]

Not all smells have to be adverse. I have a large bonus room paneled with vertical lap-ledge cedar boards. They have been painted but if the room is closed off and no circulation occurs the cedar smell gets quite strong. The cedar smell is a positive for me.

I found that it seems to be lowered down after I opened up the house airing out etc. Please tell me if I can put that quickconcrete

 

[DGersic]

I found that it seems to be lowered down after I opened up the house airing out etc. Please tell me if I can put that quickconcrete

You can try it. Might work. I don’t think it will, but it’s quick and easy to find out.




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[Kaizen]

Do not put concrete in it. Sorry as I know you are probably stretched thin with the new house but get a pro. If you mess up that you are jackhammering the floor.
To me it looks like that pipe is inserted and the flange is rusted. Only laundry so you can maybe caulk it and hope. If I’m right there is a fernco fitting that inserts into the floor and the other pipe slides into the fitting. But you have to take it apart. Is there any fittings? If it’s cast iron better to just replace it all with pvc.


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[handyman2020]

Do not put concrete in it. Sorry as I know you are probably stretched thin with the new house but get a pro. If you mess up that you are jackhammering the floor.
To me it looks like that pipe is inserted and the flange is rusted. Only laundry so you can maybe caulk it and hope. If I’m right there is a fernco fitting that inserts into the floor and the other pipe slides into the fitting. But you have to take it apart. Is there any fittings? If it’s cast iron better to just replace it all with pvc.


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thanks for replying, i wont put concrete on it, what else are my options other than concrete? I can not change whole pipe and all because of schedule and lack of proper plumbing tools neither i want to hire someone right now because i am tight on budget, what else I can do except concrete?

 

[James-W]

Do not put concrete in it. Sorry as I know you are probably stretched thin with the new house but get a pro. If you mess up that you are jackhammering the floor.
To me it looks like that pipe is inserted and the flange is rusted. Only laundry so you can maybe caulk it and hope. If I’m right there is a fernco fitting that inserts into the floor and the other pipe slides into the fitting. But you have to take it apart. Is there any fittings? If it’s cast iron better to just replace it all with pvc.

Where did you see the pictures at? I have yet to see any pictures. How is it that you see pictures but I don't?

 

[texashunter]

The joys of home ownership. Always a project. In my case, many projects.

 

[Kaizen]

thanks for replying, i wont put concrete on it, what else are my options other than concrete? I can not change whole pipe and all because of schedule and lack of proper plumbing tools neither i want to hire someone right now because i am tight on budget, what else I can do except concrete?

Is the only thing this is draining the laundry? If so just let it leak till tax returns. Maybe go get a tube of caulking or waterproof epoxy and shove it in there.
The epoxy looks like play dough.



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[Kaizen]

Where did you see the pictures at? I have yet to see any pictures. How is it that you see pictures but I don't?

Yea went back and they were showing. Who knows


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[handyman2020]

Where did you see the pictures at? I have yet to see any pictures. How is it that you see pictures but I don't?

Please check attachment in this message or check this link https://i.imgur.com/xtNGEwN.jpg

 

[Bob-B]

If that is a galvanized pipe going into cast iron, it may well be an oakum/lead joint. I was able to take a punch and tap the lead further down into the oakum, sealing up a small leak. I did it 32 years ago when I moved into this house and it never leaked again. I just worked my way around the joint several times. Just another trick I learned from dear old depression-era dad.

 

[handyman2020]

If that is a galvanized pipe going into cast iron, it may well be an oakum/lead joint. I was able to take a punch and tap the lead further down into the oakum, sealing up a small leak. I did it 32 years ago when I moved into this house and it never leaked again. I just worked my way around the joint several times. Just another trick I learned from dear old depression-era dad.

I apologize, but i did not understand, what do you mean by " I was able to take a punch " , what is a punch?

 

[wasfuzz]

Run a dehumidifier and see if that helps. Seems like empty houses **** up moisture and give off that "funk"!

 

[b-boy]

That looks kinda familiar to me. My house had a similar laundry drain. In my case it just drained into hole in the floor. It looks like you had the same situation, but someone tried to dress it up a little with a pipe running into the floor drain.

My solution was to reroute my laundry into a proper utility sink and tie it into the main stack. That's the best way to fix this. You can try to seal it, but I think it will eventually leak again.

 

[DGersic]

I apologize, but i did not understand, what do you mean by " I was able to take a punch " , what is a punch?

A punch.

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[DGersic]

Do not put concrete in it. Sorry as I know you are probably stretched thin with the new house but get a pro. If you mess up that you are jackhammering the floor.
To me it looks like that pipe is inserted and the flange is rusted. Only laundry so you can maybe caulk it and hope. If I’m right there is a fernco fitting that inserts into the floor and the other pipe slides into the fitting. But you have to take it apart. Is there any fittings? If it’s cast iron better to just replace it all with pvc.


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I think he’s going to have to jack hammer the floor. Or, more likely, hire someone to do it. A bit of extra concrete on top isn’t going to matter much once that starts.




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[Kaizen]

I think he’s going to have to jack hammer the floor. Or, more likely, hire someone to do it. A bit of extra concrete on top isn’t going to matter much once that starts.




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Cast iron in the floor will probably be fine imo. Just needs to pull out two inch steel. Point of my post was if he starts messing with it and hammering on it then its definitely gonna need jackhammering.


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[handyman2020]

looks like a big job, is there any temp fix for it?

 

[James-W]

Leaking water in drains and sewer lines is not a good thing and it should get fixed ASAP. Doing things yourself is a nice way to save some money, but sometimes it is best to hire a pro for certain things. I tend to think this is one of those times.

If it were me in your situation, I would do this. I would talk to a plumber in your local area that you trust, or if you don't know a good plumber then get one that has a good reputation for doing good work at a fair price. I would ask him/her what needs to be done. I would then ask if there is anything I can do to assist him/her in order to help keep the cost down. It is certainly possible a very good plumber could have some ideas the members here have have not thought of.

 

[Kaizen]

looks like a big job, is there any temp fix for it?

Shove some plumbers putty in it. Will be reversible later. As temp as I can think of


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[jb3]

My house was built in 1825 and had been shut up for 4 years prior to my family moving in. The smell was intense. A few months of living in it and cleaning eliminated it for the most part.

A house needs to be lived in like a car needs to be run

 

[Falcon67]

Where's the vent on that line anyway? Kinda thinking "no where". Agree with above, if that is a iron pipe intersection, maybe first repack the joint or have a plumber come do it. If it's below ground and perking back up - going to have to dig the floor.

Looks similar to a 50s era house our daughter owned. Laundry machine and kitchen sink on same drain line, couldn't find any vent - nothing but trouble all the time they were in that house. Washer drain liked to back up into the sink because of the lack of sufficient air vent and the velocity of discharge from a 20th century washer.

 

[handyman2020]

ok, i will contact a professional i guess.