Second floor shower drain smells 24 hours a day.


  #1  
Old 08-03-06, 07:53 PM
R
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Second floor shower drain smells 24 hours a day.

We have a problem with the shower drain in our master bath on the second floor smelling 24 hours a day. It doesn't matter if the shower is being used or not, the smell never gets better, its there all the time.
 
  #2  
Old 08-04-06, 08:26 PM
chandler's Avatar
Banned. Rule And/Or Policy Violation
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 36,607
Upvotes: 0
Received 9 Upvotes on 8 Posts
You may have an occluded vent pipe above the shower on this level. If you are up to it, and feel confident enough, go up on the roof and chug the vent pipe with a garden hose until the clog is pushed down and dissolves.
 
  #3  
Old 08-04-06, 10:05 PM
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: KY/OH
Posts: 3,362
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by rainyday645
We have a problem with the shower drain in our master bath on the second floor smelling 24 hours a day. It doesn't matter if the shower is being used or not, the smell never gets better, its there all the time.

First remove the drain grate serving this drain. It will be nasty for sure. If this is PVC drain piping I would say that this smell will be removed if you clean it thoroughly. If it has a pourous surface like wrot brass/galvanized or cast iron then this will be harder to remove the smell.

The sidewalls of the piping get congealed body hair/soap scum along with stuff you don't want to see once it comes off in the shower. If you take a hose and hard jet/clean the piping leading to the water surface of the trap, this will most likely resolve your problem.

I have this exact situation going on in my shower, just as an example I'll post pictures of what might be similar to yours. When you first turn the water on in the shower the smell is strongest and then tapers off.

I have to do this 2 to 3 times a year and once I do it the smell disappears instantly. I've done the same for customers but on those who had the older style bell cup strainers......it was easy to clean but the smell would continue to linger after cleaning and chemicals due to the porous surface inside the drain piping.

It might be prudent to check to see if the wax ring on the toilet may be leaking sewer gas in the same vicinity near the shower. This happens as well.
 
  #4  
Old 08-05-06, 04:38 AM
majakdragon's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: N.E. Arkansas
Posts: 7,475
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
As previously mentioned, soap, shampoo and body oils can collect on the pipe walls and cause this smell. I have had pretty good luck with pouring a 1 part bleach/3 part water mixture down the drain. Pour as quickly as you can without splashing so that the mixture gets all of the pipe surface contacted. The mixture will also sit in the trap until you use the tub again. This will usually kill bacteria that is growing inside the pipe. Good luck.
 
  #5  
Old 08-06-06, 04:50 PM
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: KY/OH
Posts: 3,362
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by DUNBAR PLUMBER
I have this exact situation going on in my shower, just as an example I'll post pictures of what might be similar to yours.

Here is what the drain looks before I started here.

With the drain cover off here.


And what it looks like cleaned now.

Notice how you can see the sidewalls of the piping down into the trap clearly. When I first sprayed water into the drain to clean it I almost hurled.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description: