Smelly en-suite

6 replies

Whatames · 03/03/2023 12:26

We moved into a house a year ago. Thr en-suite reeks. It settled down over the winter (maybe from the temperature) but has just started re-appearing. It isn’t the toilet but I think perhaps water from the shower/sink. Perhaps not draining fully and standing. It smells like rotting turnips! We are going to get a new en suite but I’m worried that it will still smell. We had a plumber out to look when we first moved in but it didn’t get fixed . Has anyone had anything similar and can offer any advice?

OP posts:

Ilovefishcakes201 · 03/03/2023 18:59

It MIGHT be one of the shower or basin is syphoning the other trap.
Try changing the basin trap and add an AAV. Will cost about £20 but cheap fix that might help?
McAlpine Anti-Syphon Basin trap
And an AAV

Shitfather · 03/03/2023 19:28

I had this. Let the shower tap run and pour bleach down it. Stopped the smell from mine as the pipes were dry I think. This was a tip from a plumber when I had it investigated.

Surplus2requirements · 03/03/2023 19:28

As @Ilovefishcakes201 says. Most likely the sink siphoning the shower trap but if the toilet is too far from the main vent pipe it can siphon both

Lightninginabox · 03/03/2023 19:31

Are you using the en suite? As I had this in a hall bathroom with a spare shower and bath (yes bizarre) and it was I believe what is called the p traps drying out - running a good load of water down helped a lot.

Original poster

Whatames · 04/03/2023 12:42

Thanks everyone. We are using the en-suite and it is definitely better after running and then comes back during the day. Can I ask what you mean by the sink siphoning into the shower? Are the supposed to drain separately but can drain into each other. Thr good news is you have all said this is a small rather than a large problem and will hopefully be solved with a new en-suite when we get around to it. I will try and get it sorted in thr meantime. Would a plumber be the right tradesman or could a handyman fix it

OP posts:

Surplus2requirements · 04/03/2023 12:55

For example of siphoning imagine pulling the plug on a sink full of water, the water rushes down the wastepipe.
If the sink and shower wastes are joined and the water fills the pipe it can suck air (and water in u bends) behind it.

If the u bends aren't full then when the waste pipes are empty you can smell the sewers.

It's more often caused by toilets because it's a much larger volume of water.

Partially blocked pipes can increase the risk of it happening.

Flip