Wow, does that ever smell bad!


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Old 10-15-06, 04:19 AM
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Wow, does that ever smell bad!

Good morning everyone.
We have a shower stall and a separate tub. Junior gets a bath every night in the tub, and that's its only use. After we drain the tub, it's gag time. The sewer gas comes from the shower stall while the tub is draining, or immediately after it's done draining.

My freshman opinion is that the draining tub water is emptying the shower trap. So that could either be a venting issue, or a misplaced trap issue, right?

From what I gather reading here, I should first see where the trap(s) are located for both drains. Perhaps there is only one, and it is above the path of the tub water, robbing the trap of the shower.

Or, get up on the roof and blast all heck outta the vent stack.

Am I on the right track?

Is sewer gas flammable? Harmful?
 
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Old 10-15-06, 05:47 AM
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It certainly sounds like a venting problem. Could be that one of the fixtures (shower or tub) is not connected to the ventline and this is causing the trap to be sucked out. Sewer gas is a combination of waste products mixed together in the main sewerline (mostly the street line). As far as "flammable", it CAN be. Think about all the things that you and your neighbors put into the sewer system. These are then all combined and chemical reactions can take place. This can also cause toxic gases. Ammonia mixed with bleach will produce gases that can kill you. These things are contained in common household cleaners. Find the cause of the malfunctioning drain as soon as possible. Good luck.
 
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Old 10-15-06, 06:13 AM
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thanks for the advice. I just looked around for an access panel to the bathroom plumbing. There's none. The previous homeowner gutted the house and put it back together himself, without leaving any access to the bathroom works.

I'll be up on the roof today anyway to cuss at the squirrels - what can I look for in the vent stacks? We had some silver maples shed a TON of helicopters this summer - maybe one stack is full of 'em. Can a vent stack be snaked?
 
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Old 10-15-06, 06:55 AM
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Making sure the vent pipe is clear is always a good idea. When you go on the roof, take a flashligh with you and look down the pipe. Remove anything you can by hand. You may find spiderwebs that have capured the "whirlybirds" or perhaps a birdsnest. You can then either snake the pipe or flush it with a garden hose.
I have to think that it is an improper vent connection at one of the fixtures. Reason being, if it was a clogged vent line, you should have bubbling or gurgling when a fixture is drained. This is caused by the lack of air from the vent to facilitate drainage. The air is what keeps the traps from being sucked out.
 
 

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