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marisator
Sep 9, 2011, 06:26 PM
HI guys
It's marisa blue, with the shower drain that only smells after we shower? We have exhauted all products and all remedies you mentioned in my ast post in March.The smell got better but it still smells after every shower. We hired a plumber to come and change all the pipes and ptraps. He found no blockage and all ptraps were clear. SO IT NOT SOAP SCUM. Marc had mentioned it could be my vent? What does that mean and how do I fix it? Please answer soon. Thanks
Marisablue

ballengerb1
Sep 9, 2011, 06:43 PM
I looked up your history and there is no record of a previous post, maybe you have confused us with ASK.COM No matter, please retell your story especially describing the type of smell, is it sewer gas or what? What weresome of the remedies you tried without success? Did you try 1/2 cup baking soda mixed with equal part of table salt then dump in the drain foloowed by a cup of vinegar. Allow to soak overnight and then flush with a bucket of hot water. The vent Mark mentioned was a pipe that connects to your drain but goes up and through your roof, it vents out sewer gas and allows drains to work without gurgling.

marisator
Sep 9, 2011, 08:04 PM
Ballengerb1,
My original post was under the username marisablue. We have done all of the remedies, bleach overnight and hot water in the morning. Bakingsoda/salt and vinegar, degreasers,etc. The smell goes away eventually but it stinks right after each shower. We run the cold water for a few minutes and that seems to work. Could it be my vent? How do I check it?

speedball1
Sep 10, 2011, 10:05 AM
Your vent would depend upon the Plumbing Code you fall under. If wet vents are allowed then you wet vent through the lavatory roof vent. Any gurggles, bubbles or weird sounds when you flush or drain? When the plumber snaked the drain line what came back on his auger? Does the drain smell just as bad in the morning after it sat all night as when you shower? What does it smell like? Rotting hair and soap scum? Sewer gas?
Answer me and I'll get back to you. Regards, Tom

hobnob
Sep 24, 2011, 02:53 PM
Hi Tom

Ive read some of the advice you've given others and wondered whether you could help me on a similar matter but with a renovated property.

One bathroom using many of the original plumbings (and identical bathroom fittings/ wedi board etc as the problematic ones) is absolutely fine but two bathrooms on the new build part of the property have the very offensive sewage smell (but no gurgling noises) coming up from the shower drains. These two bathrooms are directly above/below each other. There is a very similar but less obvious smell in the garage and also the utility drain the washing machine empties into which is in the very same area of the house as these problem bathrooms. As these are all new hardly used structures it can't be build up of hair / scum. When I raised this with the builder / plumber they told the smells would go once we started to use the drains as the water traps were just dry, but the opposite has been found and the two rooms are virtually unusable although the smell varies with no apparent pattern to its occurrence. Were now at the beginning of snagging so I'd like to get to the bottom of this quickly, thanks

speedball1
Sep 25, 2011, 06:32 AM
There's no doubt that you're getting blowback through the traps and that it's caused by the plumbing design. Was your remodel permitted and inspected? Can you tell me what's behind the wall i.e.. Is the lower bathroom being wet vented by the upper bathroom? In the case of a blow back you wouldn't necessary hear anything. Try this. You say you have three bathrooms? The don't use the two bathrooms for a day or two and then check the smell. Let me know if it goes away or remains the same. Good luck, Tom