Sewage smell coming shower drain - tried water, vinegar, baking soda, duzz it drain away

[Sard]

Hi,

My shower drain has been smelling for about a week. It happens periodically as its an en-suite shower and not always used and we normally sort it by running some water through it as we understand the trap may have dried out. However this time I have run water through it for 5 minutes, tried bleach, vinegar, baking soda, duzz it drain away all on separate ocassions and the smell still persists and is strong as ever. I haven't noticed any leaks underneath the shower from the floor below.

Any guidance on what to do next would be gratefully received.

 

[brig001]

There’s probably a better way than this, but it worked on mine
First you need to work out if the water is being sucked out of the trap or pressure in the drain is pushing the bad smell up

I cut a square of cling film and taped it over the drain but left the cling film loose then I could see if it inflated or got sucked flat. Hope that makes sense

Mine was sucked flat and I could see that it sucked down each time I flushed the toilet. Fitted an air admittance valve and it has been fine since

Brian

 

[Sard]

There’s probably a better way than this, but it worked on mine
First you need to work out if the water is being sucked out of the trap or pressure in the drain is pushing the bad smell up

I cut a square of cling film and taped it over the drain but left the cling film loose then I could see if it inflated or got sucked flat. Hope that makes sense

Mine was sucked flat and I could see that it sucked down each time I flushed the toilet. Fitted an air admittance valve and it has been fine since

Brian

Thanks Brian. I am assuming the AAV is fitted to the top of the soil stack right commonly known as a Durgo valve? My soil stacks terminate in my loft. Would your recommendation still apply here?

 

[brig001]

You might already have an AAV in the loft - I believe that is normal. Could be that it is stuck closed

I’m not an expert in these things, just came up with an easy way to figure out which way the smell is getting in - I live in a flat and have had problems both ways, but the cling film proved it both times

Brian