For an office building in central London, an unpleasant smell had become a building-wide issue. The odour had spread through the basement corridors and lift lobbies, drawing tenant complaints from every floor. It wasn’t just unpleasant, it was starting to affect the building’s reputation.

The client needed the problem resolved quickly and efficiently. So, they turned to BASSE Solutions to identify the source of the smell and eliminate it for good. 

The situation had reached breaking point. Complaints from tenants were multiplying, and the smell had made its way throughout the building. The client needed a solution that located the source of the odour and addressed it with minimal disruption to the building’s occupants. 

At BASSE, we address every project from cradle to grave to find the root cause of the problem and solve it. For the client, this meant a step-by-step investigation of the building’s drainage and air systems. Here’s what we did.

We started with a detailed inspection of the basement drains, clearing any blockages and using CCTV cameras to assess their condition. 

Using a smoke generator, we pushed smoke into the soil stacks to locate leak points. This required careful preparation. We isolated the fire alarm system, covered smoke detectors and assigned a walking fire-watch to ensure safety during the process. 

The smoke test revealed several small leak points where flexible pipework had been pushed into dry traps on each floor.

We also discovered that the main basement air intake was positioned right next to the soil pipe vent. This allowed foul smells to circulate through the building’s ventilation system.

We adjusted the soil pipe vent to divert it away from the air intake, ensuring no further contamination.

Once all investigations were complete, we reinstated the building’s systems, including the fire alarms and smoke detection. 

The difference was immediate. With the source of the smell addressed and repairs completed, complaints from tenants stopped entirely.

The basement shower and bike store areas – previously some of the most affected spaces – are now odour-free, much to the relief of building users.  

Tackling drainage and ventilation issues is rarely straightforward, but we made it our priority to handle the job with a focus on safety. By using controlled smoke generation, we minimised disruption to the building’s operations and tenants. We also kept a close eye on potential risks to ensure all safety protocols were followed throughout. 

When it comes to complex issues like drainage and ventilation, BASSE always delivers. We don’t just patch the problem. Instead, we take a thorough, considered approach that addresses the problem head-on.

If you’re dealing with a similar challenge, let us help you tackle it. Call our team today on 03335 677560 or email us via contact@basse.co.uk to learn more.