Flies Everywhere! Any Plumbers?

[HLxDrummer]

Over spring break I replaced the wax ring under our toilet because water was seeping out from under the floor and into the next room. The new ring fixed that problem but now there are flies everywhere. I was assuming I few escaped while I had the toilet off and they bred but I'm been killing them like crazy and can't get rid of them.

I wrapped saran wrap around the base of the toilet to see if that is where they are coming from and I closed the bathroom door. Hardly any flies in there and none trapped in the saran wrap.

Our apartment is in the basement of a house and the only thing draining into the one floor drain is the AC. We were getting some nasty smells from it in the winter when the AC was off (think the trap dried out) but now that the AC is running the smell is gone. I have poured some water in it anywhere for safe measure.

There is some kind of a sewer pipe running from upstairs that goes into the ground that SEEMS like it was smelling (this pipe is one wall away from the room with the drain). I can't find any leaks or anything but there were a few flies around that pipe (may have been there because I haven't been swatting flies in that area as often).

Any tips? I am in school and very busy so I didn't really want to drive 15mins one way to get a wax seal and replace it again if that isn't the problem. It doesn't seem to be the issue but I don't know what else it would be. The house is owned by my girlfriend's dad so I am trying to figure it out/fix it without costing him anything if possible (plumber/etc).

Thanks!

[Vantage]

No dead bodies upstairs?

[HLxDrummer]

We haven't decided what to do with it yet but in the meantime if I can stop the source of the flies/keep them from getting in it should be fine..

[Roybatty]

Some if not all of these issues should be thrown @ the landlord. At least compensation for work done... ie wax connection. Also you can caulk around t-bowl.

Maggots are growing from somewhere lol. Have to follow your nose for that one. Afraid of what you'll find.

Revel in your time

Edit : gfs dad's place? Oh noez! Well, you still need to source smell. Sounds unhealthy there.

[IPD]

trap drains do need to be filled with water, or they'll reek of sewage & wastewater.

[HLxDrummer]

I would throw them his way but he is letting me stay rent free so I figure it is the least I can do.

It actually doesn't smell at all in here anymore that the AC is running which makes it hard to figure out what is wrong.

Do you think a few could have gotten out and reproduced (exponential growth after that)?

Are there traps in drains for toilets? I know there is one in the actual toilet so I am guessing that is the only one..

[Vantage]

I would throw them his way but he is letting me stay rent free so I figure it is the least I can do.

It actually doesn't smell at all in here anymore that the AC is running which makes it hard to figure out what is wrong.

Do you think a few could have gotten out and reproduced (exponential growth after that)?

Are there traps in drains for toilets? I know there is one in the actual toilet so I am guessing that is the only one..

Maybe try turning off the a/c for a bit and giving the house a thorough spring cleaning and see if the smell comes back? Toss out of a few fly strips and see what you can come up with.

[dbest671]

[HLxDrummer]

My girlfriend's brother and his friends live upstairs (which gets cleaned once a year when his mom comes LOL). Surprisingly, they don't have any bugs up there.

I keep the downstairs pretty clean (I'm OCD) and I don't have any food out so I'm not sure what they are living on (makes me think they are coming from an external source).

Maybe I'll put out fly strips so I don't have to keep swatting them.. I considered setting off one of those bombs inside the apartment but if they are coming from outside it will only be a temp. fix. I have also caulked every hole to the outside I could find (this is a newly renovated basement apartment so we are working out the kinks still).

That gun looks awesome! I was wondering how it was going to work. One time I had a fly in my dorm room I just couldn't kill and it was annoying the hell out of me. Got to my wits end and got out my airsoft gun, aimed it the best I could from about four feet away and blasted it. I was so proud haha

[IPD]

*edit*

i want one, but unless it will take on grasshoppers, crickets, spiders bumblebees and hornets...i'll pass.