Shower Drain Smell?

Submitted by sheila on Feb 16, 2008 in Home & Garden
Tags: shower  drain  smell 
Shower Drain Smell?
Shower Drain Smell?
Shower Drain Smell?

Description:

I know this might be a little wacky question but I thought I might as well ask. Our Shower drain works just fine draining all of the water, but after a bad smell arises from the drain. We've tried pouring chlorox but that didn't work. Anyone one (maybe a plumber out there)come across this before and have a remedy?

Comments:

malj on Feb 16, 2008 at 21:15 PM
the pipe to the drain probably needs a vent pipe up above the roof - if it has one already it may be blocked by a birds nest or similar. malj.
wombatter on Feb 19, 2008 at 07:06 AM
I had a similar problem but it wasn't the drain. I didn't have tile, but some solid surface for the shower floor. Water seeped in under it and caused it to smell. Once I re-caulked everything (drain, walls, etc.) it stopped smelling,
aceoflilium on Feb 19, 2008 at 14:32 PM
Try dumping some baking soda down the drain, leave it sit for a few minutes, then flush it out. If the smell remains, it's not in the drain pipe itself, but somewhere else. In fact, if bleach didn't help, I don't know that the soda will either, but it doesn't hurt to try.
homerbob on Feb 26, 2008 at 14:25 PM
It's possible that you don't have a p-trap in the drain. P-traps (like the one under your kitchen sink) retain some water in the bend to block air from coming back up the drain. Specifically, sewer gases, since all your drains are connected. If you have access to the underside I'd check for that.
bifdog on May 06, 2008 at 20:23 PM
I'd second the P-Trap comment. Gases from the sewer come back up without that U shaped pipe underneath.
montana on Jul 22, 2008 at 21:31 PM
If there is a toilet on the same line and they are both not properly vented. When the toilet is flushed it can draw air from that shower drain causing the trap to go empty, or spill sewer gases as it takes air in through the drain. I have even seen it happen in Montana, where the vent pipe freezes closed up on the roof and the volume from a toilet flush will draw air from the shower drain.
thebends2000 on Sep 28, 2008 at 18:47 PM
Cover after use.

Add Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment