Plumbing: Does the floor drain in a basement shower require a p-trap? Or is venting the sewage pipe sufficient for eliminating odor?
Any drain needs a trap, it's code (NYC anyway). Without a trap, sewer odors will come up through the line regardless of whether or not it's vented. A floor drain does need a vent unless it's less than 15 feet away from another vented line.
How can I get rid of the sewer's smell coming from the shower's drain?
make sure that along the drain pipe there has been a p-trap insalled . go look under any sink and you will see a down pipoe coming from drain hole then itwill make a 180 degree uturn then a 90 degree horizontal bend to a hole in wall that contraption is a p-trap . it traps a bit off wATER in the uturn keeping all odors trapped in pipes and not sdeeping into your home . some dummys forget this in showers . if its a fairly new odor you dont remember smelling before it could be many things but most likely if its a new odor its the amount of sewage has increased in your neighborhood or could be a broken sewer line under your home.call a plumber if problem persists they will know what to do
Why would bugs be coming out of my shower drain?
Hair, soap residue and diverse kinds of organic material accumulate in the plumbing traps beneath tub and shower drains, as well as sink and floor drains. Various kinds of flies, most notably drain flies (Psychodidae) and scuttle flies (Phoridae) are attracted to the odors, and their progeny will thrive in the organic soup they find there. Mechanically cleaning the plumbing traps and flushing them well is generally all that is needed to prevent more flies from emerging from such sites. Ensure that the traps remain hydrated. If the drains don’t receive water for several weeks, they begin to dry. Once the level of water has dropped within the plumbing traps, flies and other pests (as well as odors and sewer gases) can readily enter. So, just add water.
If a purpose of a P-Trap is to hold water to prevent sewer gas odors, should I occasionally run the faucets/shower/bath of an infrequently used guest bathroom to counteract evaporation?
Yes. Water in drain traps can and will evaporate over time if the fixtures are not being used. It would also be a good idea to run water down the drains after weather which included high winds as sometimes water can get siphoned out of drain traps by the pressure difference created by the gusty winds.
I have a horrible smell coming from the washing machine drain pipe. It is a strong mildew type smell.?
If the problem is not coming from the discharge hose, the problem could be in the drain itself, and the smell can be gasses backing up from the sewer. Drains have a 'P' or 'U' trap which retains a small amount of water that prevents sewer gasses from escaping the drain. If the trap is leaky and doesn't hold the water, gasses can periodically be "belched' into your home, causing the odor. If the odor occurs exclusively when you're not using the washer, this is likely the problem.
I can see water in my shower drain but it drains water PERFECT???WHY?
Your shower is fine what u r seeing is water in a part call a p-trap. No its not like a pee trap haha it is a pvc pipe that kind of looks like a P. And what it does is it hold a small amount of water in the bend of the pipe to prevent tthe smell of ur septic tank or sewer from coming in your house without it your whole house would smell like poop. U also have them under each sink in the house and iin the wall where ur washing machine is hooked up the ones under the sink is a thin pvc or could be brass. And that is also why there it water in the toliet all the time
How do I get rid of the foul odor coming from my bathroom sink drain?
There is no house that at some time or the other has not faced the problem of bad odor in bathroom. Bathroom is a place which has humidity and moisture all the time. Moisture and water acts as breeding ground for germs and bacteria which leads to bad smell in bathroom. Many times small plumbing issues also cause foul smell in bathroom.Here are few tips to clear out the terrible smell and keep your bathroom fresh all the time:Clogged drains, dry pipes, cracks in waste water pipes, cracks in floor tiles etc. cause a lingering fouls smell in your bathroom. So call a plumber and take care of these plumbing issues. To understand how these plumbing issues lead to bad smell in bathroom, read 3 plumbing issues that cause bad odor in your bathroomSunlight kills germs & bacteriaBathrooms have moisture and water all the time. Moisture and water acts as breeding ground for germs, and bacteria which leads to bad smell in bathroom. Sunlight is said to kill bacteria. So open out the windows and let sunlight and fresh air in bathroom. This will also remove bad odor. Also after every shower or wash wipe out water from the wet floor.Regularly clean your bathroomClean and sanitize your bathroom. Use cleaners and disinfectants to clean the toilet pot, wash basin and bath tub. Use home made floor cleaners or chemical cleaners to clean bathroom floor. Clean or change the floor mats, as they retain water and dust, which gives off foul smell. Wash all surfaces and accessories in your bathroom and wipe them dry.Say no to wet towels in bathroomNever leave wet towels and clothes in bathroom. Wet towels and clothes do not dry out properly in the bathroom and give off a stink. Dry your used towels under the natural light of sun.Exhaust fan & Air freshenerAn exhaust fan is must in a bathroom. It removes moisture and bad odor from the bathroom and keeps it dry and fresh all the time.Air fresheners give a lovely scent to bathroom and keep it fresh all the time. Scented candles or sticks are also good options.The above tips will not only clear out bad odor from your bathroom but will also reduce germs and bacterial growth in bathroom.Hey, just so you know there is this site where you can design bathrooms online. Check it out now!Bathroom Design -Bathroom Interior DesignsThanks!
How do i stop sewage odor from coming out of my drains in my bathroom?
Pour some water (at least a 1/2 quart) in each drain you can find in your home. That means showers, floor drains, laundry tub, you name it. Each drain should have a trap to block the sewer gases from coming into your home but they have to have water in them as the blocking agent. If the water evaporates out then the gases come out.... keep water in them. Every two months go around and pour water down the drains... simple as that. Now in your bathroom your commode is sitting on a ring of wax that has most likely been flatten out to the point that gas is getting past it. The fix is to first go purchase a new wax ring.... Home Depot...etc. then turn off the water going to the commode water tank. Flush, then remove any remaining water. Disconnect the water line where it attaches to the tank. Unloosen the bolts holding down the commode, lift the commode off the bolts and sit it aside (on newspaper). Scrape off the old wax ring, place a new one on the lip of the sewer pipe, sit the commode back down on top of it, reconnect the water line, turn it on, and Shazam, your smell goes away. Be careful when tightening down the bolts that hold the commode to the floor as you can crack it. Finger tight then a little bit more to hold it tight. Hope that helps. Get a friend to do the lifting......
Central air bubbling sound?
Depending on the design and install of the units it either uses a condensate pump or a gravity drain to remove condensate water which is a bi-product of cooling the air. If it is a condensate pump setup then if it failed you would quickly have condensate backing up in the pump resevoir and in the unit condensate pan. This could be a possibility but you would likely have condensate water overflowing from the drain pan in the unit and eventually leaking out of the unit itself. If it is a gravity drain (most likely) it will be as previously described, a white PVC pipe leaving the air handler to be drained elsewhere. The gurgling sound in this situation would be air being sucked back through the drain into the unit preventing the condensate from draining properly. These type of drains require a P-trap or sufficent U shape in the drain line so that condensate water will pool in it and prevent air from being sucked through the drain line. Look for this drain line and be sure it has a P-trap in it, if it doesn't then it isn't installed properly. If it does have a P-trap it likely just needs to be primed (filled with water). Turn the AC off periodically for short periods including the indoor unit fan to allow the condensate water to drain and fill the P-trap. Once it is filled the gurgling will go away. Chances are during the winter the water/condensate in the P-trap evaporated and the indoor air handler pulling air back through the trap is preventing it from priming by itself. Additionally if it has trouble priming by itself you can open up the coil access panel and empty a large glass of water into the coil condensate pan.
Bad smell coming from shower after using toilet.?
I just moved into a brand new condo and have noticed a serious problem with one of my bathrooms. After i "use" the toilet and flush it you hear a big gush under my sink. it turns out i have an Oatey sure vent installed. I compared it to one of my neighbors and theirs isn't nearly as loud as mine. Also when i flush, it sounds like the water is going through the shower drain, its very wierd. Is this the cause of the smell?? the smell can be described as almost a really bad mildew/sewer smell. that lasts for hours after it is "used" Please HELP!!!! Thanks in advance!!!