Q: When it rains, we have this smell in our basement. I'm not sure whether to call it sewer gas or not.
Our basement has a drain tile around the inside of the foundation under the floor. (Basement is drained via a sump pump.) Shortly after we bought our house (32 years ago), we had a tile that was broken. It was outside the back of the house and ran from the half bath to the septic tank.We repaired it ourselves, but have wondered if this has broken loose and if there could be leakage into the soil.
We only get the smell during a rain, and the longer and harder it rains, the weaker the odor. My husband puts bleach in the opening from the furnace humidifier drain, which drains into floor tile around the inside of the foundation.
We have no smell from the sump-pump area.
Before this area was developed, it was a swampy field, but we have asked our closest neighbors and they do not have the problem.
We wonder if we should have this area dug up again and have the tile checked. --R.S., Groveport, Ohio
A: Odors are hard to trace, but it appears that you've answered your own question. When you talk about the odor showing up when it rains, this means the odor is from a ground-source pipe, such as a sewer drain. When it rains hard for a long time, the smell disappears because the waste water in the soil is diluted and washed away. Call a professional plumber to locate and repair the damaged drain.
Q: Is there any solution for overall squeaky hardwood floors? (Too numerous for individual screws from basement.) -- L.K., St. Louis
A: Here's an old trick that works on some hardwood floors. Try lubricating with talcum or baby powder. Sprinkle the powder on the squeaky areas of the floor and sweep the powder into the cracks, joints and seams in the flooring.
Sweep up the loose powder, but don't vacuum or damp mop for a while. Let the powder seep into the cracks and joints to lubricate the flooring. Since the powder makes the floor slippery, cover with an area rug for safety.