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mdsmith · Nov 20, 2005, 11:08 AM

I have a problem that is driving me crazy. Starting about 2 months ago I started smelling sewer gas during and immediately after taking a shower in my shower stall. From everything I have read to date, this should be a vent problem. I have two main lines under the house, and the line that the shower is connected to also has the following connections in this order.
1. Washing machine drain
2. Vent pipe
3. Shower drain
4. Vent pipe.
5. Utility sink

These are the steps that I have taken so far with no relief at all:

1. Took a hose up on the roof and flushed all vent pipes. All were clear.
2. Lowered the shower trap.
3. Raised the shower trap.
4. Connected the shower drain through the vent pipe, essentially creating a wet vent (I think this is what it is called.)
5. Cut the vent pipe above the sewer line just to make absolutely certain that the vent worked. It sucks up cigar smoke just fine.

The shower drain is now back to original placement and I am out of ideas.

Help please.

Marvin

speedball1 · Nov 20, 2005, 11:50 AM

Hi Marvin,

Most shower odors are from rotting hair matted in grease from the soap and mus tbe snaked and flushed.. Try this. First remove the strainer,(TIP: put the screws in the soap dish. They will be hard to replace if they go down the drain.) Now work your snake past the trap and 8 or 10 feet beyond. When you pull the snake back it should have the hair that was clogging your shower on the auger tip. Now pour 1/4 gallon of bleach down in the trap and let it set over night. Next morning pour a pan of boiling down the shower to clear what's left and make your drain smell nice. Goodluck, Tom

mdsmith · Nov 20, 2005, 12:37 PM

Speedball1,

Thanks for the info.

I replaced the trap when I was replumbing the drain. The pipes are clear both above and below the trap. While replumbing I could eyeball the main drain line which is very clean, I guesss from the wash water, and the shower drain. The shower pipe had some scum on the inside of the pipe, but was not really gunked up. I have sniffed the drain with no water flowing and there is no smell coming from the shower drain which should clear the downpipe from the shower.

I had the septic system pumped last week, and the odor I am smelling is definitely sewer odor, I just for the life of me cannot fathom why, with a well functioning vent, this odor could possibly be coming through the shower vent.

Any more ideas.

Thanks
Marvin

speedball1 · Nov 20, 2005, 01:27 PM

Hi Marvin,

Smells are the toughest to analyze when you're not there to track them down. I wish I could make more suggestions but you've seemed to have covered all bases. Perhaps another expert has a idea. How about it guys?
Tom