We are at our wits end.  We have a beautiful view from our deck and want to use it to entertain on, but sometimes the sewage smell is so strong it is embarrassing.  It seems to be coming from the vent on the roof.  HELP!!!  T&D 

The vent pipes from the roof are there to equalize the pressure in the drainlines as the wastewater goes down the drain…without vents your drains would gurgle, glug and drain slow. The other purpose is to vent the sewer gas away from the living area. However, in some cases the wind conditions will blow the gas down rather than up and away. The best solution is to install a vent filter (about $40) from www.sweetair.com or 1-800-622-8768.

These are activated carbon filters that remove the odor and do something else…they keep things like leaves and animals out of your plumbing system. I once found a huge, dead squirrel in one of my toilets. He had gotten in through the vent pipe and finally found a way out, but luckily the lid was down and he drowned. Can you imagine what you would think if you just sat down, took care of business, then looked at what you thought came out of you? Can you imagine what it would be like if he was still alive?

Jim