Sewage smell in shower...

Tom,

I have checked down in the utilty room (where the EP is located) and I don't notice the smell at the same time in both rooms. I never did say anything about the trap seal being OK. Somebody did mention to me that with mud set shower bases, sometimes the drain doesn't sit right and he thought that may be a problem. How can I tell if the trap seal is OK? Also, as I think about whether there is any gurgling coming from the drain, I would ask how long would it last for? The reason I ask is because I have a 12" rain head in my shower which puts out a good amount of water and after I shut off the water, the water drains for about 10-15 more seconds. I wonder if I am either mistaking gurgling noises from water dripping into trap or if I am hearing a combination of both. Is this possible or would the gargling last longer or be more obvious? I am definitely curious about the trap seal being an issue. Thanks again for your help.

" I never did say anything about the trap seal being OK." So you didn't. I'm working three askers on the same thread with the same problem and confused your post with another.
" Somebody did mention to me that with mud set shower bases, sometimes the drain doesn't sit right and he thought that may be a problem."
Not even in the ball game. If the drain were positioned wrong you'd have water leaking out of the base and besides, the trap is downstream of the drain protecting it.
How can I tell if the trap seal is OK? Also, as I think about whether there is any gurgling coming from the drain, I would ask how long would it last for? The reason I ask is because I have a 12" rain head in my shower which puts out a good amount of water and after I shut off the water, the water drains for about 10-15 more seconds. I wonder if I am either mistaking gurgling noises from water dripping into trap or if I am hearing a combination of both. Is this possible or would the gargling last longer or be more obvious?"
Flush a toilet and listen at the shower drain. Any "gurgle"? Noise of any kind?
Chances are if you don't then the trap seal's intact. One last test for the seal. Remove the strainer,( TIP: Put the screws in the soap dish, if you lose them down the drain they will be hard to replace) and look down at the water in the trap. Now take a large pail of water and pour it down the drain. Check the water level in the trap. Is it any lower? Waiting on your reply, Tom

Has anyone has had any lock solving this problem? I have the same exact problem. The bleach treatment worked for a couple of days first. The 2nd time it was much less effective. And I do not want to use any more bleach in my Septic system.
I do not see how the sweetfilter will solve the problem! It will filter out the bad smell before it vents to the outside. The problem is that the septic system odor is coming in through the drain and not through the vent. It happens every day and not just on windy days.

I also have this same problem and looking at the date stamps of this thread I am concerned I have not seen an answer to this issue.

Keeping in mind plumbers created these problems so if it was just a matter of paying a few bucks to solve this unwanted problem then it would be a done deal if one knew where to turn.

We have been in the house for 6 months and the smell is initiated during the shower and then dissipates.

I think it has to do with the trap itself not functioning properly due to inadequate distance between the turns of the trap.

The shower is draining into the trap via a large hole and splashes around crating air gaps allowing the gas to escape upward into the shower.

I have the builders looking into the issue and will wait to see what they say. If they can

Thanks. We have been pouring white vinegar down the drain and it appeares to be working emporarily.

Did anyone ever resolve this problem? I have the same problem. During the winter months it usually is not a problem but when it warms up the smell comes back. During the hot summer months the odor is really bad.

I solved the problem! We have had this exact problem with one of our showers for over a year. Paid two plumblers to snake the drain and even replace the P trap. The sewer smell only happens when we shower, and then disipates after. Some days worse than others. Well, hold on to you hat because you are not going to believe the culpret. It was a biological agent, but not inside the drain. It was from the shower walls - the chrome clad metal doors and glass. One of the rubber seals was letting in water and over time and with daily use, the water accumulated and mold or some other biological entity started to grow. I just happened to chance on it. I was smelling the drain, trying yet again to solve the problem, could smell sewage though have never really gotten a wiff directly from the drain. So I started to smell all arouind the shower, puting my nose very close to all the chrome and glass joints. I detected nothing until.... BAM.... I got to one spot and WOW there was the smell! No mistake about it. We took it apart and YIKES the entire lining had some gross slimmy yellow stuff growing inside like a film but pretty thick and running thr9ough about 15 inches of material. ANd there was no denying the smell. YUCK. Put in new shower enclosure and now smell like a daisy!
Hope this helps!


PS. To test if this is the problem with your shower, run the hot water all aroiund and get the shower cabinet good and wet and hot to encite the smell!

Sani-Drain makes a product that helps destroy organic waste that causes odors and clogs drains. It is environmentally friendly and free of harmful chemicals. I use this product in my kitchen sink 1 on my garbage disposal and the other on the drain. It works fantastic. The website is Sani-Drain, Visually effective Microbial drain deodorizer .

PROBLEM SOLVED. For me anyway, and hopefully this will help someone else. I tried following the advice found here and in other forums and other sites. Nothing worked. Finally I noticed that there were small cracks in the caulking around the drain itself. I removed all the caulking and unscrewed the drain from the drain base in the floor. What I found was rather disgusting and is best described as biosludge. Most showers should have some sort of a shower pan liner. It is there to protect against leaks if your drain should fail, or the shower floor should leak in some other way. In my case the water was leaking into the liner (which feeds into the drain under the shower floor) and the "biofilm" built up over time. I cleaned out the sludge, screwed the drain back in, resealed it with silicon and no more odor. Hope that helps.

We thank youn forn the update. Glad you found and repaired your problem, Regards, Tom