Sewer smell in the bathroom

[atgcpaul]

We moved into our new digs and there is a sewer smell in one of the en suite bathrooms.  The house was probably vacant for several months so I ran water down the sink and shower as well as flushed the toilet, but the smell persists.  We had another bathroom with a similar smell and flushing water down the sink, shower, and toilet fixed the issue.

The traps on the sink and shower seem normal.  I see water in there so the traps are holding water.  When I run the water, the smell dissipates but then comes back.  Maybe the shower running just stirs up the air.  This bathroom is above our kitchen and I see no leaks on the ceiling.

So do I focus on the toilet next?  Broken wax seal?

[Roly]

We moved into our new digs and there is a sewer smell in one of the en suite bathrooms.  The house was probably vacant for several months so I ran water down the sink and shower as well as flushed the toilet, but the smell persists.  We had another bathroom with a similar smell and flushing water down the sink, shower, and toilet fixed the issue.

The traps on the sink and shower seem normal.  I see water in there so the traps are holding water.  When I run the water, the smell dissipates but then comes back.  Maybe the shower running just stirs up the air.  This bathroom is above our kitchen and I see no leaks on the ceiling.

So do I focus on the toilet next?  Broken wax seal?

That would be the next place to check.   Are there any of the Studor vents in the bathroom rather than the vent piped through the roof ? , if there are check there first.  Roly

[atgcpaul]

That would be the next place to check.   Are there any of the Studor vents in the bathroom rather than the vent piped through the roof ? , if there are check there first.   Roly

None of those Studor vents.  Looking at my neighbors' roofs, I don't see any vent pipes like we'd have in the US.  We all have barrel tiled roofs.

Well, we do get facilities support so I'm putting in a work ticket.

[Snipe Hunter]

Check under the sinks for studor vents. If it's stuck open, it will smell. The drains have to be vented somewhere... maybe in the attic and you're smelling it through the exhaust fan? I have seen studor vents inside walls, not supposed to do it but people do. If the vents are missing or clogged, the water will get sucked right out of the traps and you'll get the stink.

[merced]

We had that from something in the overflow drain in one of our sinks.  Putting some drain-clog gel in that drain hole got to whatever was doing the stinking.

[barnowl]

...

So do I focus on the toilet next?  Broken wax seal?

That'd be my guess.

My sone told me of a new design plunger that works great.

So I went out and bought one.




Six months later while away on business, his wife told him of a terrible sewer smell in the main bath.

She called a plumber, who replaced the  wax seal, and all was good.

I threw away my "super duper" plunger. 

He did the same.

[Dumb_Polack]

That'd be my guess.

My sone told me of a new design plunger that works great.

So I went out and bought one.




Six months later while away on business, his wife told him of a terrible sewer smell in the main bath.

She called a plumber, who replaced the  wax seal, and all was good.

I threw away my "super duper" plunger. 

He did the same.

Barn?  I'm not getting the connection between the wax ring and your plunger.

[barnowl]

Barn?  I'm not getting the connection between the wax ring and your plunger.

The plunger is so powerful, it most likely blew out part of the wax ring seal.

[atgcpaul]

It seems the problem might have fixed itself, but I'm not exactly sure how.  I showered in there the other night just to continue to flush the drain.  It was stinky, but going on three days (and being used now by my kids) the smell has not returned.

I think I have just confirmed, though, that there are no vents in this house or they aren't working properly.  My wife thought it would be fun to run the jacuzzi tub for the kids tonight.  She just called me upstairs for "plumbing advice".  She said as she drained the tub, she heard gurgling from the toilet, and now our bathroom wreaks of sewage.  When I looked in the toilet, the water had been sucked out.

[Snipe Hunter]

I think I have just confirmed, though, that there are no vents in this house or they aren't working properly.  My wife thought it would be fun to run the jacuzzi tub for the kids tonight.  She just called me upstairs for "plumbing advice".  She said as she drained the tub, she heard gurgling from the toilet, and now our bathroom wreaks of sewage.  When I looked in the toilet, the water had been sucked out.

You have a vent problem.

Tell me about the house. Is it new? Old? Have any bathrooms been remodeled? I'm thinking that someone remodeled and didn't remodel the vents accordingly. Your home inspector should have filled the tub and let it drain... I'll betcha he didn't. I'll also betcha he said he checked the drains and they were fine. And it will drain fine if he just ran water down the drain because it allows air into the drain to act as it's vent. But without filling the tub to block air from going down the drain, a venting issue won't be fount.

You either have a clogged vent(s) or you have no vent(s).