'Bad' smell from ensuite

Stevie Dakota

We have an ensuite which is rarely used in our house, as a result the trap in the shower seems to be drying out and we are getting a sewerage smell back into the room. Running water solves it for a few days but then it is back. Can the trap be upgraded, is there a devise to cure this problem?

The ensuite is on the first floor in a dormer bungalow and the shower drain pipe feeds into the waste down pipe outside the house.

Cheers

10-10-20

A plug!

northdublin

was doing a little research recently about tapping the waste from showers and sinks into the 4 inch soil waste. it is ok to do this once the sink or shower has a trap and in certain instances due to a lack of ventilation on the soil pipe an air atmittance valve is needed on the soil pipe which allows air into the soil pipe when it is flushed. in certain instances when the toilet is flused it creats a vacum and sucks the water out of any traps that enter soil prior to a vent in the soil pipe. this leads to a smell.......this is my understanding of it anyway. so the air atmittance valve allows air to be drawn into the soil pipe instead of it been sucked from the nearest point which would be the nearest trap. can anyone confirm this or do i have it wrong???

dingding

Sounds possible.

stapeler

My (dormer) ensuite shower used to do the same, particulary during the summer when the room was very warm, the water in the trap used to evaporate creating a smell. While away for long periods I'd place a plunger over it to stop the smells.

Stevie Dakota

Northdublin, I am almost certain that is what is happening. I was hoping there was some trap specially designed to counter the suction caused by the toilet on the same pipe.

northdublin

havent heard of that type of trap......but it might exist. if you could access the soil pipe somewhere between the toilet and the shower inlet and install the air admittance valve it might solve it.
on this link to wavins site you can see the 40 ml to suit a shower pipe and the 110 ml to suit the soil pipe. i reckon if you could uncover one or the other of the pipes and cut out a section and insert a tee piece, the respective valve slots into the tee using a rubber flange.

http://ie.wavin.com/master/master.jsp?products=products&middleTemplateName=oc_middle_product_browse_detail_I&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474398578521

Stevie Dakota

Cheers Northdublin, really helpful, that is just the trick, plumber on the way!