Shower not being used, seems to be losing it's seal

[RandyMarsh]

Hi All,

Have a customer, who's just moved into a house, and have discovered they have a bad smell coming from their upstairs shower (which never gets used, it's pretty much a spare bathroom).

We've tried drain cleaner but that doesn't seem to be working, well, the smell does disappear, for a week or so, but then it comes back. This made me think the shower must be losing it's seal. I flushed the toilet and looked at the water in the shower trap and it definitely seemed to move. Didn't get sucked out completely, but definitely seemed to fluctuate. Trap could be losing it's seal over time. Which is weird because the main stack is right there, and the basin, shower and toilet all run into it, and that's vented through the roof and outside, so SHOULD be all good?

How can I prevent the shower trap losing it's seal? There's no room for a durgo, and anyway, the stack it right there so it shouldn't need one? Should it?

I was thinking maybe an anti-siphon trap on the shower? ...but that would mean cutting a hole in the ceiling below t get it in (shower tray is right on the floor and the bathroom is tiled. And anyway that's not really solving the problem is it.

Any other suggestions before I start cutting ceilings open?

Cheers

 

[Al-Glasgow]

try a plug in the unused shower tray.

Then you will know if smell is coming from shower waste.

 

[RandyMarsh]

Hmmm, yeah I'll try that. Just to make doubly sure it is the shower before I start cutting ceilings etc.

Thanks!

If it is the shower, what would you reccomend? A Hep VO Trap on the shower waste pipe maybe?

 

[PlumbGas]

if you can fit the hepvo trap fit it, surely though that still requires ceiling below to be cut out ?

 

[RandyMarsh]

yes it does, still quicker and cheaper than pulling tiles and shower trays up innit?