Hi folks. I am looking some advice in regards to an unpleasant smell emanating from the shower in our main bathroom.
We got a full re-plumb about 36 months ago and all new bathrooms etc... and all seemed to be ok. Over the past 18 months there has been an intermittent bad smell that comes from the shower drain. I am a bit of a clean freak so the visual inspection of the shower shows it to be clean and if I use bleach or a drain un-blocker it offers a short term improvement but it keeps coming back. The shower tray is one of the very low profile trays and access to the underside will mean cutting a hole in the ceiling in the kitchen below so I am reluctant to do this until I get a better idea as to what is happening here.
There are a couple of "symptoms" that may help to explain:
1. It is an unusual smell, it is not a "pleasant" smell but equally it does not smell of sewerage.
2. Over the last 24hrs there has hardly been any bad smell and this has coincided with the fact that when the toilet is flushed the shower is not currently "gurgling". I have noticed that the shower very often gurgles when the toilet is flushed - the water, when rushing from the toilet is very audible from the shower drain.
3. The odd time the drain in the sink in this main bathroom runs slowly and the basin takes time to drain away - again an intermittent problem.
4. The actual smell and strength of the smell is also intermittent. Some days it is not there and on other occasions it is strong and I can smell it from downstairs when the bathroom door is open.
5. The shower drain in only about 5ft from the external wall where it joins into the main soil pipe for the house.
6. It is only this shower drain that smells - no other drains in the property have problems, however, it is only the shower drain that gurgles when the toilet flushes.
7. The shower drains away fine with no apparent blockages anywhere.
8. There is no sign of a visible leak anywhere with the ceiling below ok etc...
I realise that I probably just need to get a plumber out, but would be keen to get a view prior to that as to the likely cause. I have been (possibly kidding myself into) believing that it is just rotting hair etc. in the trap and that I just need to give the pipes a really good clean. But even when I bleach and use a drain cleaner (I have only done this once) it does make a slight improvement but then the smell comes back very quickly.
I appreciate that this will probably need checked out by a pro. However, I am wondering if it worth me trying to get a drain pipe cleaner and try and give the pipes a really good clean, or is it likely to be something altogether different and I would be just wasting my time.
Many thanks in advance.
We got a full re-plumb about 36 months ago and all new bathrooms etc... and all seemed to be ok. Over the past 18 months there has been an intermittent bad smell that comes from the shower drain. I am a bit of a clean freak so the visual inspection of the shower shows it to be clean and if I use bleach or a drain un-blocker it offers a short term improvement but it keeps coming back. The shower tray is one of the very low profile trays and access to the underside will mean cutting a hole in the ceiling in the kitchen below so I am reluctant to do this until I get a better idea as to what is happening here.
There are a couple of "symptoms" that may help to explain:
1. It is an unusual smell, it is not a "pleasant" smell but equally it does not smell of sewerage.
2. Over the last 24hrs there has hardly been any bad smell and this has coincided with the fact that when the toilet is flushed the shower is not currently "gurgling". I have noticed that the shower very often gurgles when the toilet is flushed - the water, when rushing from the toilet is very audible from the shower drain.
3. The odd time the drain in the sink in this main bathroom runs slowly and the basin takes time to drain away - again an intermittent problem.
4. The actual smell and strength of the smell is also intermittent. Some days it is not there and on other occasions it is strong and I can smell it from downstairs when the bathroom door is open.
5. The shower drain in only about 5ft from the external wall where it joins into the main soil pipe for the house.
6. It is only this shower drain that smells - no other drains in the property have problems, however, it is only the shower drain that gurgles when the toilet flushes.
7. The shower drains away fine with no apparent blockages anywhere.
8. There is no sign of a visible leak anywhere with the ceiling below ok etc...
I realise that I probably just need to get a plumber out, but would be keen to get a view prior to that as to the likely cause. I have been (possibly kidding myself into) believing that it is just rotting hair etc. in the trap and that I just need to give the pipes a really good clean. But even when I bleach and use a drain cleaner (I have only done this once) it does make a slight improvement but then the smell comes back very quickly.
I appreciate that this will probably need checked out by a pro. However, I am wondering if it worth me trying to get a drain pipe cleaner and try and give the pipes a really good clean, or is it likely to be something altogether different and I would be just wasting my time.
Many thanks in advance.
