Odour So Severe a Family Had to Leave Their Home – Solved in a Single Visit

Overview

When a homeowner called WCI Service Engineers to say the smell from his sewage treatment plant was so severe his family had moved out of the property, our team responded the same day. The cause was not what anyone expected.

The Challenge

The property was served by an Acorn sewage treatment plant that had recently been desludged, so a full tank seemed unlikely. The smell was overwhelming – but the system appeared to be running. Something else was forcing foul odours back into the living space.

The WCI Solution

Our British Water accredited Service Engineer carried out a structured investigation. The plant checked out: air blower running correctly with a back pressure of 0.2, ammonia sampling at the pump chamber inlet returned 16.11 mg/l – consistent with a healthy system – and both primary tanks were within normal sludge levels.  With manholes sealed, a smoke pellet was introduced to the primary chamber. After five minutes, smoke was moving through the upstream manhole towards the house – but none was seen exiting from the top of the building. The diagnosis: a stuck air admittance valve (durgo valve) inside the property was preventing the system from breathing correctly and forcing smells indoors.

The Outcome

The system was confirmed fully operational on departure. The recommended fix was simple and inexpensive. The client signed up to a WCI annual service contract on the spot.

To find out more about our maintenance and service contracts, get in touch with the WCI Service Engineers team today.