Hi,

Before I ask this question, I just say that I've read a lot of other questions here that describe a similar problem. However, the answers don't seem to solve the problem I have.

Ok what is the problem you ask? It’s this;

My wife and I have lived in a condominium for 4 years. We are the only people to have lived there as it is new construction (or was when we moved in). In the last six weeks or so we have begun to notice a skunk like odor in our en suite bathroom.

The smell comes and goes but we cannot find a source for it.

The smell is confined to the en-suite and isn't evident in any other room of the house.

I have deconstructed and thoroughly cleaned the sink. I have used drain cleaner in the shower. I have replaced the showerhead. I've even bought a toilet brush to scrub the shower drain.

Each time I do one of these things the smell seems to go only to return after at most a couple of days.

The smell seems to be linked to running water but the water itself doesn't smell. It's mostly a miasma.

The one place where there doesn't seem to be a smell is around the toilet.

Like I said I've seen a number of questions along the same line as this one but the answers I seen contain things I've tried. Anyone out there have any suggestions.

How many different floors are there in the building?

Which floor are you on in the building?

Where in the US are you located?

Does it seem to happen only in cold or windy weather?

Trust me, I'm actually going somewhere with this.

Hi, Ok here are my answers to your questions

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Originally Posted by iamgrowler

How many different floors are there in the building?

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Two

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Originally Posted by iamgrowler

Which floor are you on in the building?

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We are in the ground floor unit. The Unit above us mostly follows the same floor plan except in the entrance hall specifics. That is the en-suite of our unit is below the en-suit of our upstairs neighbors.

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Originally Posted by iamgrowler

Where in the US are you located?

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Michigan, a little north of Detroit

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Originally Posted by iamgrowler

Does it seem to happen only in cold or windy weather?

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Well we've only just noticed it so it's difficult to say for sure. However, that would describe the general condition of the weather of late yes.

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Originally Posted by iamgrowler

Trust me, I'm actually going somewhere with this.

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Any possible answer would be great.

A couple points on localizing it. Does it come when the heat and AC are relatively inactive, and go when one or the other is circulating the air? The other thing is to duct over a drain over night and if the smell is gone in the morning, it could be that drain.

The above points lead me to a bad wax ring on the toilet. Likely not your problem since you said that isn't where the smell is. It wasn't either drain, and it was the worst in the spring and fall.

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Originally Posted by labman

A couple points on localizing it. Does it come when the heat and AC are relatively inactive, and go when one or the other is circulating the air?

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Well I've had the heat on most of the time and the smell is still there.

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Originally Posted by labman

The other thing is to duct over a drain over night and if the smell is gone in the morning, it could be that drain.

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Ok I'll give that a go, it can't hurt to try

Quote:

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Originally Posted by labman

The above points lead me to a bad wax ring on the toilet. Likely not your problem since you said that isn't where the smell is. It wasn't either drain, and it was the worst in the spring and fall

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Yes no smell around the Toilet. Also it's only just started so I don't know about the spring or the fall, I hope I can fix this before the spring comes.

Ok quick update. I have not used the shower for a few days (used the one in the guest bathroom instead) and the smell is no more.

So evidently, the smell is located somewhere near the shower pipe (the bit that comes from the wall that the showerhead itself is attached to).

I ran my finger around the inside of the pipe but didn't find anything sludge or mold like.

Any ideas?