# Sewage type smell coming from bathroom shower drain



## majorchamp

My wife and I recently purchased a home, and this week as we were moving in, we started noticing a "smell" coming from the master bathroom. It pretty much smells like sewage/rotten eggs.

Upon further investigation, we realized the smell was coming from the drain at the base of the stand up shower.

I removed the silver grate, and noticed there is some standing water halfway down the pipe. I assume I shouldn't see any water by looking straight into the pipe, especially if the pipe starts to curve about 8-10 inches from the top of the shower drain.

I bought some Liquid Plumber and it has been sitting for over an hour now, and the water hasn't moved. What should my next move be?

I originally bought some liquid hair remover, which markets clog free drains in 10 minutes...but it sounds like it might have harsher chemicals then liquid plumber because it says pour directly into the drain, keep away from sink tile, the steel rings around the drains, etc... however I have not used it, and if the liquid plumber is still sitting there, I don't want to add it and mix chemicals.

I read on another forum about pouring boiling hot water down the drain. Not sure if that would help.

Please off some advice.

Thanks


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## majorchamp

If this picture is true, then it looks like I "should" see water 5-8 inches down in the pipe when looking from above in the drain. I am clueless.


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## majorchamp

I should also note...I can tell the liquid plumber is still in the pipe because I had purchased a hair removal long flexible stick (with plastic thorns on it) and when I pulled it out, I could still see the gel from the liquid plumber on it, so my gut tells me I do have a clog.


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## Termite

The picture you posted is a floor drain, which is a similar trap to the one that should be under your shower. The floor drain pictured has a black cleanout cap and a semi-horizontal cleanout channel, and shower drains don't have that.

If you've isolated the poo smell to the shower drain, that's step one. 

If you look down into the pipe you should see water sitting there. The purpose of the trap is to hold enough water to prevent sewer gas from coming up into the room. 

If you're getting sewer gas, your trap is either partially dried out or is not functioning correctly. Sewer gas is not indicative of a clog. Liquid plumber isn't going to fix this.

If you haven't used the shower yet the trap is probably partially evaporated...Problem cured. Just add water.
Does water run down the drain the way that it should? If so, the trap may be plumbed improperly. There are a couple scenarios that could cause the trap to drain just a little too much water out of its bend. You need a plumber in order to fix that.


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## majorchamp

Actually, we have not run the shower yet...but we assumed there was a clog so we chose not to.

I will run it in the morning , which should also clear out the liquid plumber.

Thing is...the house was being lived in prior to us moving in...so I can't quite figure out why the smell would be present so quickly in terms of the house "handoff and posession".

I will run the water and see if it fixes it.

Thanks


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## Termite

Bear in mind that the entire trap doesn't have to be evaporated to let sewer gas by. If the level drops 1/8" too low, gas is going to get by. 

Another possibility I didn't ask about...

Do you ever get gurgling sounds from the shower when you run the tub drain, the sink drain, or flush the toilet? If the vent pipe for the bathroom fixtures is plugged (leaves, dead squirrel, etc), non-existent, or improperly piped, the other fixtures might be using the shower drain as their vent. That could suck a little water out of the trap.


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## majorchamp

I will have to check that. 

I have given my son a bath in the guest bathtub, but didn't think to go check for gurgling anywhere.

However, we recently got hooked up with a new washer/dryer...and when I ran the washer which is upstairs, I heard bubbling coming from the downstairs toilet. Last only about 1 minute, but it sounded as if someone was blowing bubbles in the downstairs toilet.


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## majorchamp

Also, if I run the shower, will that liquid plumber I added get diluted and washed away?


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## Termite

Yes, the liquid plumber will wash away.

For future reference, liquid drain cleaner is a joke. Don't waste your money. If you have old cast iron pipes, chemical drain cleaners aren't a great idea. You can't beat a good old drain snake.

The gurgling you heard is the washer machine drain trying to vent itself to allow the water down the drain. Imagine filling a drinking straw with water and keeping your finger on the end. With the end plugged, or not vented, little or no water gets out. When you remove the finger you vent it and everything flows. Water must be displaced with air. If your home is new, you should contact your builder because the laundry was not vented properly. If it is old, there's no telling what you've got. There are options for venting that a plumber can do for you without tearing half your house down though (unless you're an ambitious DIYer it might be a lot to tackle for you).


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## majorchamp

I talked to a plumber on the phone, and he said the problem might not be a clog or anything, but either the vent pipe is blocked, or the sewage line outside has a clog. He said the bubbling I heard in the downstairs toilet might be because of the clogged sewage pipe.

So he said to contact a sewage/septic expert versus a plumber first so they can check those lines.

I realize this this a DIY forum, and I would throw myself into the beginner category when it comes to home repairs...but some things I don't feel like tackling myself...especially with a newly purchased home, 2 1/2 year old, 2 month old, etc...  time is not on my side.

Regarding the age of the home, it has 1 previous owner and is 4 years old. No clue if the previous owner experienced these same problems and just chose not to disclose it, or if its a coincidence with us moving in a week ago.


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## micromind

If the house has sat empty for more than a couple of months, I'd bet the trap is partially dry, as stated above. Once you run water in it, the problem will likely be solved. 

Rob


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## majorchamp

It was empty for only a couple of days.

Also, I ran the water and it helps pretty quickly, but I have noticed the smell comes back a little while later.

My guess is the vent pipe is blocked and other sources in the house are removing that water or something...or the sewer pipe on the outside is blocked. I will be calling the sewage company tomorrow.


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## Termite

A blocked vent, maybe.

A blocked sewer, doubtful. A blocked sewer still shouldn't put sewer gas in your home. A blocked sewer would put sewage in your home, your drains wouldn't drain, and your fixtures would overflow.


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## joasis

My money says you have an obstruction in a vent. The trap on the shower is the first fixture to compensate for the lack of venting. 

Surprising you didn't notice it when you look at the home, or the HO's knew it and ran the shower before showing the home. I have seen stuff like this before. Unless you feel comfortable being on the roof and snaking the vents, you might be advised to call a plumber....one other thing you can do to confirm this is plunge one of your fixtures while someone "listens" to see if you can create the gurgling sound.


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## majorchamp

Plunge a toilet you mean, and have someone listen up by the shower drain?


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## majorchamp

Ok, just an update.

Had a roto-rooter guy come out. They had a free analysis, so I didn't pay for anything.

He didn't believe it was sewage gas I was smelling, which hasn't been as strong as it was a week ago, which might be tied to us running the shower multiple times, but also using water throughout the house.

He did notice in the shower drain between the water level and the top of the drain some black stuff, which he attributed to mostly decaying hair, sweat, skin cells, etc... that you could accumulate over years of use. He believed that was contributing to the odor in the bathroom. 

In one of our sinks in the guest bathroom, there was another odor, which I can only say smelled like "pine". Well, in the drain pipe, on the stopper itself, there was quite a bit of hard water buildup, but also some black stuff on one side of the stopper. It would be the top piece in this diagram: http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infplumb/i/infpop1.gif

So I ended up buying roto rooter solvent/solution stuff meant for cleaning the pipes. He kept saying there stuff isn't as "caustic" as stuff like Liquid Plumber or other liquids meant to burn through debris. $47 and I probably ended up getting "taken" on that price, but I didn't want to run out to lowes and find out what alternatives there were.

So I am going to clean the areas that appear to be problems and see if that fixes our "smell" issue.

The black stuff in the guest bathroom sink I think could possibly be mold, because I am not sure what kind of stuff would go down that drain when compared to a shower drain.


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## Termite

$47! Those RotoRooter guys are rip-off artists. 

There are some good enzyme type cleaners that work fairly well by eating the goo in the drains. I used "Roebic" main line cleaner in my under-slab run of drain pipe that likes to clog, and it does a good job. Lowes sells it for $13.


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## majorchamp

G'damnit...why tell me that...I already knew I got shafted via $47, now you have to rub it in my face with that 

oh well


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## majorchamp

That is also how they make up their "free" analysis, and schmucks like myself fall for it


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## hudsongr

Short of tearing out the shower and starting over, I believe I have the solution to the foul rotten egg smell coming from a tile or other shower with shower pan liners. The smell is probably not coming from the drain but the space between the floor of the shower and the shower pan liner. The design of the shower drain has openings that are intended to direct water that seeps through the grout or other cracks of the shower into the shower pan liner down the drain. If the mold or bacteria is in this area, simply poring bleach into the drain to settle in the p-trap will not affect the mold or bacteria. 

You need to take off the drain cover and plug up your drain about 4 inches below the surface or just past the openings that allow the water to drain from between the floor of the shower and the shower pan liner. Pour bleach into the plugged up drain until you have a good standing of bleach in the bottom of the shower. You may want to even fill it until the whole bottom of the shower is covered with bleach. This should force the bleach into the cavity between the floor of the shower and the shower pan liner. Let it set all day or until the next shower. I could not get a good seal down my drain so it would slowly drain. You may want to add boiling water before you unplug it and let it all drain out. Do make sure that whatever you put down the drain as a stop that you can get it out. I hope this works for you. I did for me. You may have to repeat on a regular (weekly) basis for a while.


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## pmoe

majorchamp said:


> He did notice in the shower drain between the water level and the top of the drain some black stuff, which he attributed to mostly decaying hair, sweat, skin cells, etc... that you could accumulate over years of use. He believed that was contributing to the odor in the bathroom.


I suppose you've already resolved this problem, but for future reference:

http://www.askthebuilder.com/587_Shower_Drain_Odor.shtml


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## lassie

Our house was built brand new in 2007. , Our shower room (ensuite) is just off our master bedroom. In this room, is a shower, sink and WC and for well over a year now, our shower room smells fusty - like a stale sour cloth yet the room is spotless. It seems that whenever we shower, and the shower is used 2 times a day, a funny smells appears in the room. You tend to notice once you are out of the shower room, back in the bedroom and go back in the shower room. We had a log of snags fixed as it was a new build and this is the only snag left. The builders wondered if the smell was weather related as our house is on a windy plot and tends to be gales and rain. The builders put a "mushroom" thing on top of the outside vent pipe on the roof as they wondered if it was weather related and the wind was drying out the shower traps, yet the traps are full of water. I'm sick cleaning out the plug hole with bleach as it doesnt solve the problem. Today, I tried a dishwasher cleaning tablet with boiling water to see if it would help clean the soap scum residue and hair that was there and still the smell persists. any ideas what it could be? OUr shower room is upstairs.


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## pmoe

lassie said:


> I'm sick cleaning out the plug hole with bleach as it doesnt solve the problem.


Not even temporarily?

Is there any visible crud behind the drain cover?


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## lassie

The drain cover screws open and closed. When you screw it and lift it off, you see a plastic cup type thing full of water. That lifts out and then you see the white plastic drains. There is gunk at the bottom of the screw in plug, the plastic cup has gunk and hair in and around it , as does the drain itself. The smell might go away for a bit but then as soon as the weather is bad, rainy and /or windy, the smell comes back or as soon as you have a shower.

Our shower walls are lined with aqua panels.

Our shower tray and door is a Showerlux model.

The plumber has been a few times, and wondered if the drain cover was not fastening tight enough as he said that should stop any smells. We went away for Easter for 2 weeks and when we returned, there was no smell for a couple of weeks then the smell returned when it was windy/rainy. Then he had a builder out a "mushroom" thing to cover the outside vent pipe and for a few weeks, the only smell we could smell was shampoo and shower gel. Then 4 weeks ago, the bad weather returned and so did the smell.

The builder thinks it is the shower traps but plumber doesnt think so!


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## jaimeblyth

*The same sewer gas problem*

Three and a had years ago we had our house built. Ever since we moved in there was a sewer-like smell coming out of the master bath room stand-up shower. We have had the builder send their plumber over 2 times and both times they told us they couldn't smell anything and that there was nothing wrong with the traps or the vents. There is water in the traps at all times and there is no buildup. Sometimes the smell is so strong it travels from the bedroom at the end of the hall and half way down the stairs. Sometimes it makes me sick to even sleep in my bedroom and I am really embarrassed to show people around my house. I have removed the plate and cleaned the pipe thoroughly. I also don't know what else to do. I believe something was installed incorrectly at the time the house was built. I am tired of not getting an answer from the builder to this disgusting problem. It should be their responsibility to take care of it at all costs since we have reported this problem since we moved in. If anyone has an answer I would really like to hear it....PLEASE HELP!


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## slimm34

Hello,
I don't know if you ever resolved your problem, I just read your blog. Does your shower have a glass shower door? If so, I read on another website, a guy said their is mold buildup around the door. There is rubber around the glass and if you look closely you can see brown and black stuff, maybe even yellow. If you smell the door, usually around the bottom, you will smell that odor. I had it for years and it was driving us crazy, wasted money on a plumber and everything. Check it out if you haven't already. It's pretty disgusting. He said change the door. This house was brand new when we moved it, so we just couldn't figure it out. Until tonite! Should have googled this sooner!


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## handyman8494

just a little humor, hope you had a home inspection done. most states it is standard, good luck with it anyway ! i have been in the sewer business way to long, mainly 8" to infinity. does sound like might be a vent problem or just the trap has not been filled with water.
good luck,
frank


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## god

joasis said:


> My money says you have an obstruction in a vent. The trap on the shower is the first fixture to compensate for the lack of venting.
> 
> Surprising you didn't notice it when you look at the home, or the HO's knew it and ran the shower before showing the home. I have seen stuff like this before. Unless you feel comfortable being on the roof and snaking the vents, you might be advised to call a plumber....one other thing you can do to confirm this is plunge one of your fixtures while someone "listens" to see if you can create the gurgling sound.


started new thread instead


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## JohnFRWhipple

*What causes that smell in the shower?*

I have been working on removing the glue from some mosaic tiles that I'm installing on my back deck. The process has been a real eye opener and the smell is something else.









*Here we soaked the tiles in hot water and dish soap for 90 minutes.*

The smell from the glue is a nasty one. It smells like Ass and I'm convinced that this similar glue is being used on many tile choices sold in North America.

If you have a strange smell coming from your shower go dig out the tile sample or extra tile and soak it in hot water for a hour or two. Remove the sheet holding the tile together and place this in a ziplock bag for a day.

Open the bag and take a wiff. Is that the smell you smell? If so it might be that you need to re-do the entire shower tile job to remove the odor.

If it's not the smell you have at least ruled out one possible source of the smell.









*This glue is water based. What is the water quality in this Indian tile factory?*


Over on Contractor Talk I have a discussion showing how we removed the glue residue from 60 square feet of tile.

http://www.contractortalk.com/f73/best-way-removing-glue-sheets-mosaic-slate-tile-119363/


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## JohnFRWhipple

Here is a must read for anyone looking to tile their shower or outdoor project.

Figure 5 in the article at the top of the page shows what many glue's look like once saturated with water. Our showers are some of the wettest places on Earth and any shower floor in my opinion should be treated like building a pool.

The wrong glue or adhesive can only make a great project look like crap and smell horrible in no time.

http://www.infotile.com/pdfFile/advicetopic/48201031834.pdf

Take the time to read this and look at picture 5.


http://youtu.be/Oe3SU9GAacY this a link to the process we used to remove the glue from the tile. 



JW


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