I have a septic? odor in the drain in one shower. Our septic system is 7 years old. We just had it cleaned & the filter cleaned as well. We are still getting the odor. I called a plumber & he said if it is draining ok (it is), it isnt clogged & "snaking" probably would not help. He suggested mixing vinegar & baking soda in equal parts, pouring them down the drain, wait 1/2 hour & run hot water. I did this & the odor is still there. It is only in this one shower drain. We live in Florida. Thanks for your advice. Jina

 

If you have access to under the drain, I would check to see if there is a trap installed on the shower drain. It would drain fine without one but would allow sewer/septic gases into the shower. Actually, if you can see into the drain you should see water sitting there if there is a trap. If the house was remodeled they may have left off an important part of the plumbing system. I have seen it happen.
If there IS a trap, then the vent line could be plugged and the water is being sucked out of the trap when showering, or from any fixture that has a large flow of drain water (toilet, washing machine).
Check these things and reply back and we will go from there. Good luck.

 

Hi Thimblyjina,
- is this shower higher, level or lower than your septic tank ? The entry pipe of the first tank is generally about 18-24" below ground level.

 

Hi Majekdragon-I can see water & some gunk sitting there. It IS draining fine though. Whats next?

 

Hi No mind-The shower is level with the house. We have one tank that is 4 inches below the house. Jina

 

Unless there is a broken or cracked pipe I am still of a mind that it is a vent problem. Can you get someone to flush the toilet in this bathroom while you look into the trap of the shower to see if the water in the trap moves? That would indicate that the vent is plugged.
If you have access to under the house, I would look to see if there is any water or leaking there. This would indicate a broken or cracked pipe.

 

Hi majakdragon-When the toilet is flushed, the water in the drain doesnt move. I do not have access to underneath the house. I can open the drain though. Jina

 

Okay, the trap is holding water and the vent is working. The smell is only coming from the shower drain.
Guess its time to see if that "gunk" in the trap is the culprit. Take off the strainer over the drain if it has one. Scrape, brush or otherwise get rid of all the gunk you possibly can and maybe use a baster or shop vac or even a rolled up end of a towel (wife complained about the baster idea) to suck up the existing water in the trap. Mix a 1/4 cup of bleach with 1-3/4 cup of water and slowly pour it into the drain. When the level in the trap stops rising you can stop. I just want to fill the trap. This will KILL any bacteria that is present in the trap. The baking soda and vinegar just freshened it. Let it sit an hour or so. This small amount will not harm your septic.
REASONING: The trap keeps odors from entering the house through the drains. You trap seems to be working as do the vent lines. Unless there is something dead under your house and the smell is somehow getting around the seal of the drainline, I am at a loss. Good luck.

 

Hi Majakdragon-It worked! The odor is gone!!!! Thanks!!! I found a large calcified item in there & that seemed to be the culprit. Thanks again/Jina

 

There is ALWAYS a reason, sometimes it just takes a little longer to find the right one. Glad this worked for you.