we just recently built a new home (4 months ago), in Winnipeg, Manitoba. we noticed that whenever we turn on the kitchen stove exhaust, a sewer smell lingers in the basement coming from the laundry room. our contractor had said, the house is air tight that when we turn the exhaust on, it's got nowhere else to pull air but from our laundry drain, (hose from washing machine goes in this drain). lately i've noticed, when i do the wash, the smell comes out again. is this something to worry about, or is it just that the house is tight there's nowhere else to pull any air from?
Answer:
It sounds very much like there may not be a trap under the basement floor drain. You should be able to confirm that by sticking something down there to see if water is being retained. If it is not, whatever you stick down there will come bone dry. Yes, it is something to be concerned with.
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