Sewer odor coming from Hot Tube/Shower

[keith5523]

In my masterbath, I have a toilet, hot tube, separate shower, and two vanities. Whenever my wife lets the water out of the hot tube, we get a raw sewage smell coming from the drain in the separate shower.

Obviously, I've got something blocking a drain somewhere, but I don't know where to start or what to start with.

Thanks for your replies.

Keith

 

[phishfood]

It could also be a blocked vent. But you would probably want to start by snaking the drain line. If you can remove the drain grate from the shower drain, that would be where I would try to snake the line from.

 

[dropnflop71]

it's also possible that the tub is sucking the ptrap dry at the shower if they are close together (back to back).
check it with a flash light next time it drains, see if it holds water in the trap

 

[keith5523]

It could also be a blocked vent. But you would probably want to start by snaking the drain line. If you can remove the drain grate from the shower drain, that would be where I would try to snake the line from.

Am I just allowing the snake to go where it wants, or am I trying to direct it a certain way? I have no idea how these things are connected, but the shower and tub are back to back, along the same wall as the toilet.

Thanks

 

[keith5523]

it's also possible that the tub is sucking the ptrap dry at the shower if they are close together (back to back).
check it with a flash light next time it drains, see if it holds water in the trap

Yes, they are back to back. This sounds like a possibility, because the odor definitely seems to be coming from the shower drain. So much so that I'll run the shower immediately afterward just trying to "flush" it it away.

If it is sucking the water from the shower trap, what causes it...or more appropriately, how do I correct it?

This plumbing has been in place for over 10 years, with no prior problems like this.

 

[phishfood]

Am I just allowing the snake to go where it wants, or am I trying to direct it a certain way? I have no idea how these things are connected, but the shower and tub are back to back, along the same wall as the toilet.

Thanks

Drainage fittings are designed to direct the flow of water toward the sewer/septic. These fittings also usually do a pretty good job of directing a snake, with some notable exceptions.

 

[dropnflop71]

I have ran across this a couple of times , generally a partial clogged drain /vent. One occasion I remember we had to slow the rate at which the tub drained , which we did with a hair screen you can buy anywhere.

 

[keith5523]

I have ran across this a couple of times , generally a partial clogged drain /vent. One occasion I remember we had to slow the rate at which the tub drained , which we did with a hair screen you can buy anywhere.

Thanks for your comments. The only thing that confuses me is that this setup is over 10 years old, and the problems started recently.

So maybe I've had some sort of buildup in the drain causing something....dunno.

We've got a lot of family in for the Thanksgiving holiday, so I won't be able to work on it until next week. Fortunately, it's not an overflow, just an odor.

 

[Mr_David]

The fitting between the back to back tub and shower would look something like this. Depending on what type of material your system is made of.
A drain cleaning cable can sometimes pass through the fitting to the other fixture.

Have a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving.
I just put my Tur-Duc-Hen in the oven.