Thanks for the answer re. the septic aroma when the fireplace is lit. The nonglued joints makes sense. Now, how can I fix it? Do I take the vent pipe apart piece by piece as I drop it down into the basement and then glue it as I put it back up through?
Answer:
You should be able to do exactly that but because the gasses you're dealing with are lighter than air, I would first try just spreading a good thick layer of the glue on the upper portion of the joint and and make sure its well sealed there. This would avoid having to pick the whole thing apart. Whenever you open a joint like that, you're taking a chance that other joints will pop just because of the tension you're putting on them.
