Plumbing Experts?

[chaded]

So I am having an issue at my house that I can't seem to figure out. When we take a shower in the master bath upstairs it will smell quite frankly like a septic tank for a little bit. The weird part is this smell is not really in the bathroom. You smell it outside of the bathroom, also going down the hall and really bad in just one of three other bedrooms down the hall.

I checked every trap thinking I had one dry but they are fine. I'm to the point that I'm going to get a plumber out but I haven't done it yet because I can't replicate it every time. It happens like 75-80% of the time But it's always just that shower that causes it.

 

[bird dog]

How long has it been doing this? Stupid guess here but have you checked your vent stacks on the roof for a birds nest?

 

[sstterry]

How long has it been doing this? Stupid guess here but have you checked your vent stacks on the roof for a birds nest?

That was my first thought. It is definitely something wrong with the plumbing vent.

 

[simme]

Just a thought. Toilets have the trap in the bowl. The wax seal that seals the toilet to the drain hub flange keeps the sewer gases in the drain system. But those wax seals deteriorate and can leak sewer gas into the house (and leak water when you flush that can ruin your floor). Maybe when that shower is draining, there is something going on that pushes sewer gas to a toilet with a bad wax seal. Check all the vents first as was suggested. Take a water hose on the roof and put water in each vent to be sure they are not blocked.

 

[Rmc]

If the vent is not plugged .
Smoke the vent line to check for a cracked line or separated fitting

 

[chaded]

I have thought about the vent. If it wasn't so high and steep I would of already checked it. I don't do roofs like this so I will have to find someone. One thing about the vent though, if it was plugged wouldn't it cause problems with draining or slow the draining down?

 

[Ouachita]

Somebody farted.

 

[Hogfarmer10]

No it would not necessarily show up as slow draining/draining problems, especially if that is the only thing draining and that time. If possible, you can try filling up a bathtub with about 5 gallons of water, and then simultaneously drain the tub and flush the toilet. Usually, you won't get a "complete flush" or you'll get an air bubble "burp" if you have vent trouble. (But not 100% of the time, more like 90%)

 

[Hereford2]

So I am having an issue at my house that I can't seem to figure out. When we take a shower in the master bath upstairs it will smell quite frankly like a septic tank for a little bit. The weird part is this smell is not really in the bathroom. You smell it outside of the bathroom, also going down the hall and really bad in just one of three other bedrooms down the hall.

I checked every trap thinking I had one dry but they are fine. I'm to the point that I'm going to get a plumber out but I haven't done it yet because I can't replicate it every time. It happens like 75-80% of the time But it's always just that shower that causes it.

This is a terrible answer (just stop using that shower)
In all seriousness it sounds like a blocked vent.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I agree with the vent issue as well.
The plumber that did our house also put in a vent outside to the septic tank along with a backup preventer. No roof vents here all Oatley vents been working great for 18 years.

 

[Ouachita]

The smeller is the feller!

For years we never had a problem. Then when the kids grew up and moved on, I would walk into the house and smell ripe dead mouse. Never could find the source, until it started smelling like full on August rodeo port-a-potty.

It was the upstairs shower P-trap was dry. When we would use any of the downstairs fixtures, it would somehow "stovepipe" out of the upstairs bathroom. I still don't understand it. I just convinced myself that stink finds a way and began the monthly habit of filling the P traps upstairs.

 

[Caustic Burno]

The smeller is the feller!

For years we never had a problem. Then when the kids grew up and moved on, I would walk into the house and smell ripe dead mouse. Never could find the source, until it started smelling like full on August rodeo port-a-potty.

It was the upstairs shower P-trap was dry. When we would use any of the downstairs fixtures, it would somehow "stovepipe" out of the upstairs bathroom. I still don't understand it. I just convinced myself that stink finds a way and began the monthly habit of filling the P traps upstairs.

I had the pea trap issue as well one time forgot about that one.
We built the two large bedrooms and bathroom upstairs for when kids and grandkids came in.
It was the upstairs lavatory trap. So know every time I go upstairs to the utility room( gun safe location) I run sink shower and flush the toilet.

 

[Ouachita]

Pro tip…….
Stink takes the path of least resistance. Check there first.

 

[Redgully]

Do you have an extractor fan in bathroom, will suck in smells from any gaps, holes or pipes.

 

[Lucky]

Friend of mine had this same issue after a remodel. They looked everywhere and even tore some sheetrock out thinking the vent broke in the wall. Turned out the plumber didn't think the bath tub needed a pee trap.

 

[chaded]

Friend of mine had this same issue after a remodel. They looked everywhere and even tore some sheetrock out thinking the vent broke in the wall. Turned out the plumber didn't think the bath tub needed a pee trap.

When we first bought this place it didn't take too long before we were smelling strong sewer gases. Got to looking around and the one bathtub on the first floor and the washer drain in the basement didn't have p-traps.

The problem I am having now though has not always been like this and with the other drains I could track the smell straight to the drain. This smell comes from the hallway outside our bedroom and one of the other bedrooms down the hall.

The next step I think is probably the roof stack. We did have some wasps trying to build nests under the soffit and it makes me wonder if they didn't maybe do the same to the stack?

 

[Philip-TX]

wax ring

(Easy to replace and eliminate that as a possibility anyway)

 

[simme]

All PVC drain system? Some houses had cast iron pipe sealed with oakum and lead prior to PVC. Cast iron pipe and those joints can fail over time. Hopefully you don't have those.

 

[greybeard]

All PVC drain system? Some houses had cast iron pipe sealed with oakum and lead prior to PVC. Cast iron pipe and those joints can fail over time. Hopefully you don't have those.

Don't forget the old clay drain pipes...

 

[chaded]

All PVC drain system? Some houses had cast iron pipe sealed with oakum and lead prior to PVC. Cast iron pipe and those joints can fail over time. Hopefully you don't have those.

Yes it is all PVC.