Hi,

I live at ground floor of my apartment block. Few months ago, my ensuit toilet started to smell really bad. I called the developer, and original builder couldn't find the reason why. Here I am, trying everything on my own. Bleach, flushing water down everyday for at least 5 minutes, enzyme….Everytime the plummer is trying different method of approach, so far nothing has worked.
My bathroom drain is linked with my shower, bath, sink in one. The plummer mention it might be the pressure in the bathroom, because of my fan.(desperate approach in my opinion) Everyday when I get home the bathroom is really humid and warm, esp. a hot day, no wonder there'll be a smell. I think the drain is leaking, so the sewer gas is somehow coming back up from the drain.
Please please help me with the situation!
If there're more test I can do to identify the issue?

Amanda

Take a flashlight and look inside the floor drain. See if there is standing water inside. Back to you...

Did either of them mention a bad wax ring on the flange? That's where I would start. Does the toilet rock if you try hard?

Take a flashlight and look inside the floor drain. See if there is standing water inside. Back to you...

Hi,
Yeah, I've checked. There're plenty of water. I flush down buckets of water everyday... and I do use the bathroom daily...
No, they haven't mention about the wax ring? What's that? Somewhere down the drain?

I am not sure how the drain works, for what reason would the sewer gas coming back up? My bathroom is unusually warm and humid. From what I can tell, I don't think there is any problem with our drain, however, I will use one of the method I read from the website before. Finger's crossed!
1. "What you are smelling is grease and rotting hair that has built up in the line.
To be absolutely sure the drain should be snaked and flushed, but try this. Tonight before you go to bed pour 1/2 gallon of bleach down the drain and let it set overnight. Next morning flush it down with a few large pans of boiling water. THIS IS IMPORTANT!!The bleach will start to dissolve and soften the hair and make it slippery and the boiling water will melt the grease and flush the mess out into the main. Now see if that smelly drain doesn't smell sweeter?"
2.2 packs of baking soda
3. worse come to the worse, I will buy a dehumidifier... to fix the humidity and the smell in the toilet.

Hope you will have more suggestions... I am willing to try everything...
Thanks thanks

Amanda

The plummer mention it might be the pressure in the bathroom, because of my fan.(desperate approach in my opinion
Your plumber must have run out of ideas to suggest that.
Did he pull the toilet, replace the wax ring and caulk around the base.
Are you quite sure it's coming from the toilet? Where's the smell the strongest? The bowl? The base? Where? Have you sniffed around the other bathroom drainhs? Let me know, tom

Your plumber must have run outta ideas to suggest that.
Did he pull the toilet, replace the wax ring and caulk around the base.
Are you quite sure it's coming from the toilet? Where's the smell the strongest? The bowl? the base? Where? Have you sniffed around the other bathroom drainhs? let me know, tom

I did is from the drain in my bathroom.laundry and second bedroom all fine.I was think maybe they linked mine with another unit,maybe thy're blocked and smelly. I can't think of anything else
Plummer haven't replaced anything,didn't mention wax ring as well. The strongest is the main joint drain and shower.
Thanks!

Amanda

What's a " main joint drain"? As for the shower. Most bad odors in bathroom drains come from rotting hair mixed with grease from the soap. Try this. Remove the two screws holding the strainer. (TIP; put the screws in the soap dish before they get lost down the drain.) Shine a light down there and with a bent coathanger fish out any hair that may be hiding down there. Then pour a 1/2 gal. of bleach down into the trap and let it set over night. Next morning flush the mess down with 2 large pans of boiling water, (this is important). The bleach will dissolve the hair and make it slippery and the boiling water will melt the grease and get the mess out of your drain. Get back with the results. Good luck Tom

Hihi,I am back!
Still with a smelly drain:)sob!
Plummer has showed up since the last visit.
Here's what I have done in last couple of weeks,no improvements though... I flush cold water down for 10mins after shower every morning.however coming back home with warm and humid bathroom.I am 110% sure is the gas from my drain,despite there're sufficient amount of water I there.what should I do?help!!

Did you do speedies suggestion in post # 8? Has the toilet been reset yet? I have found loose or unsealed and even broken cleanout plugs in the past.
I would recommend you follow the instructions in post #8 first. You could also try covering your shower drain and see if the smell dissipates. If so, that is your gremlin. If not, bring the plumber back in, have him reset your toilet and check for any cleanout plugs that may need to be resealed or replaced.
Are there any drains from a/c or furnace condensates or water softeners that were hacked into the plumbing drains? Quite often I see where installers have drilled a hole in a pipe, shoved there drains in the hole and then caulked around that. That could be another source of bad smells.
Are there any sewage ejector pumps close by? Another potential source.

did you do speedies suggestion in post # 8? Has the toilet been reset yet? I have found loose or unsealed and even broken cleanout plugs in the past.
I would recommend you follow the instructions in post #8 first. You could also try covering your shower drain and see if the smell dissipates. If so, that is your gremlin. If not, bring the plumber back in, have him reset your toilet and check for any cleanout plugs that may need to be resealed or replaced.
Are there any drains from a/c or furnace condensates or water softeners that were hacked into the plumbing drains? Quite often I see where installers have drilled a hole in a pipe, shoved there drains in the hole and then caulked around that. That could be another source of bad smells.
Are there any sewage ejector pumps close by? Another potential source.

Yep, I've done that, and that didn't work for me.
I think my problem is not the drain its self... last time the plumber came cleaned up the drain even the water inside. The second day same heat and smell coming back up from the shower drain.
Also, I've tried to block the floor waste, sink, bathtub and shower, the smell is slightly better. What does that even mean? I can't really block it everyday... this is my first apartment, I really don't know half of the things you mentioned... sorry... what do you mean by "gremlin"?


Could anyone explain to me why every night when I get home,my toilet is still so warm?even though I flush down cold water in the mining and it's nearly Winter here? I've tried everything,the plummer refused to come back,I guess I will hv to find another one.it's funny,xoz this guy's company build my bathroom.how can I check whether is my toilet leeking?I threw some baking soda and vinegar down the drain ytd.don't think it's going to help with the warm gas keep in coming up from shower drain.short of solution now?!

By gremlin, I just meant the source of the problem. What is the building manager or owner doing for this problem? It sounds like you are heading up this whole thing, and that is not how it should be. I would suggest at this point that unless he or she gets a reputable plumber in there to fix the problem, that you consider telling them that you would like to move to the next available unit that opens up or you want out of your lease. IF you have to bring out the big guns you could call the health department out to inspect for the smells source, but that could cause you problems with your landlord. If you have a decent building manager they will take care of this problem right away. If they continue to make you take care of this then you would be better off in another apartment elsewhere.

I am the owner... and my apartment is still under one year warranty.that's why I hv to deal with the developer not my building manager.they js couldn't careless about the situation.
So I should lodge a complain and get health inspector?I really don't know what to do..

If I was the owner and had a developer who is not responsive to my complaints I would bring in the inspectors and/or a lawyer. This building is less than 1 year old and you are having this problem? They should do everything necessary to fix the problem even if it means gutting the bathroom and cutting out the floor to fix the problem!