Basement shower smells like sewage when upstairs shower is used.

[Toni Candela]

Anyone ever run into this? Lower level shower drain releases a sewage smell when anyone uses the upstairs shower. All toilets, sinks and showers drain well. There are no wet areas in the yard. House was built in 1983, we purchased 2 years ago. Old owner had no knowledge of septic replacement so it is probably original to the house. We used the Dr. Pooper drain accelerator—one treatment last month and one a year ago.

 

[Twowaxhack]

If this just started then I would suspect a drain that’s filling up and air is being displaced. This displaced air can relieve itself through another fixture, like your downstairs shower.

Monitor the downstairs drain while someone takes a long shower upstairs. See if it burps and bubbles.

 

[CT18]

I agree with Two for what its worth. I remember when i first got into the design side of the trade. I worked a 40 plus story building in Chicago. They had to put several huge shock arrestors on the sanitary to absorb the slug of air that the moving water created.

 

[Toni Candela]

If this just started then I would suspect a drain that’s filling up and air is being displaced. This displaced air can relieve itself through another fixture, like your downstairs shower.

Monitor the downstairs drain while someone takes a long shower upstairs. See if it burps and bubbles.

Thank you, what would be the solution to this?

 

[Toni Candela]

I agree with Two for what its worth. I remember when i first got into the design side of the trade. I worked a 40 plus story building in Chicago. They had to put several huge shock arrestors on the sanitary to absorb the slug of air that the moving water created.

Thank you, is there a way to fix in a residential application?

 

[RS]

If the downstairs shower hasn't been used for some time the water may have evaporated out of the trap. Pour a quart of water into the shower drain and see if it fixes it.

 

[Ed O'Connell]

Good for RS. Probly a trap-priming issue. One 'o my guys got a $100.00 tip just for getting a glass of water and filling up the trap in a downstairs shower that was rarely used. 3 other "plumbers" gave large estimates take out sheetrock and look for holes in vents ... which can happen with old c.i. or galv., but almost never with ABS or PVC DWV. // Total charge from us was $225.00 <- Guy was ecstatic, even commented he didn't mind payin' for our knowledge, i.e: plumbers who actually knew what they were doing ... + reviews from this customer went thru the roof! // It be too dammed easy to get licensed in Kalifornikrazy.

 

[Ed O'Connell]

Forgot to mention we got anoter $1800.00 for other plumbing issues we found during our madatory whole-home plumbing inspections. <- Many think w.h.i's are ripoffs until they realize they're done for PROTECTION of the customer HEALTH, SAFETY, & COMFORT. It's a great industry when you can accumulate wealth by being of service to you community ... & yep that was a mini-rant, so deal with it.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Good for RS. Probly a trap-priming issue. One 'o my guys got a $100.00 tip just for getting a glass of water and filling up the trap in a downstairs shower that was rarely used. 3 other "plumbers" gave large estimates take out sheetrock and look for holes in vents ... which can happen with old c.i. or galv., but almost never with ABS or PVC DWV. // Total charge from us was $225.00 <- Guy was ecstatic, even commented he didn't mind payin' for our knowledge, i.e: plumbers who actually knew what they were doing ... + reviews from this customer went thru the roof! // It be too dammed easy to get licensed in Kalifornikrazy.

Forgive me if I don’t believe that 3 other plumbers gave estimates at the jump to remove drywall looking for a cracked pipe. That’s just not believable and I don’t believe it happened.

That wouldn’t be protocol for anyone much less three different plumbers.
Sounds like a Facebook story from a handyman.

 

[Ed O'Connell]

Passionate answer following: I don't mean to be at all argumentative, & respect almost every post on this forum, but the mis-diagnosis happened, and I knew fer sure that them that the "plumber" giving it were "legal" in our community because I was on our local PHCC board and the Kalifornikrazy State Board so knew that the 3 previous plumbing "companies" were licensed. // I certainly don't speak for other locations around this great country of ours, but any owner in our state can put ANYONE in the field under their licenses and call 'em plumbers with little or no training ... so, welcome to California's world of "right to work" laws and the resultant decrease in union training. // "Right to work" may "seem" progressive, but it ultimately hurts folks using our profession by keeping them unaware of the gravity of what we plumbers, along with hvac types, do for them, like: Protect 'against all kinds of diseases; keep our neighbors safe from cross-contaminations twixt our potable and sewer water; constantly check for carbon-monoxide poisoning possibilities; test for natural or LPG gas leaks; or even keep little critters from crawling out of siphoned traps. The list of how valuable we are is endless, and, just like doctors or other health PROFESSIONALS, we should be paid accordingly, as much for what we know as well as for "simply" turning wrenches. // Other states make it a law to have plumbers tested & licensed, most with a minimum of 2 years of experience before they can work unsupervised, and I whole-heatedly agree with that system. // I like this forum but will always to my best to advise handymen & DIY's to double-check any work they do with a plumber or local building inspector. // Example? Google water-heater explosions & see the result of failing to follow codes. Heck, I'll do it for you:

https://www.google.com/search?sca_e...QIHfWAKuEQtKgLegQIFhAB&biw=1920&bih=929&dpr=1

& here's just one pic:


Again, most of the time it's perfectly reasonable to help DIY's on this forum, and most advice is spot-on; and, yep, there are a LOT of handyman type plumbing jobs that can be done safely to save folks $$$$, but PLEASE, all of us should be careful with how we dispense that advice!

 

[Twowaxhack]

I simply don’t believe three different plumbers came out to the man’s house and all three happened to suggest the first course of action is to cut walls.

Maybe the dumbo customer asked for quotes to cut walls and look for a leak and the plumbers did what he asked, provided the quotes. But it’s almost mathematically impossible that all three plumbers came up with the same wrong course of action in writing.

That’s all. Thanks for reading.