# P trap placement



## Jesse Benson (Dec 6, 2006)

My dad has some issues with smell in his bathroom. The P traps are downstream quite a ways from the shower and sink and that is what he thinks is causing the problems. Neither of us are plumbers or claim to be but he would like to get an idea of what the problem could be as he has already had one plumber out and the problem still persists. Any ideas? Would moving the traps closer even make a difference. Thank you for any help.

Jesse


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## shed-n-deck (Sep 25, 2007)

Try replacing the wax ring on your toilet. I would suggest that you have P-traps installed at the fixture. I don't know that it would make any difference, but, it seems a bit odd that they would be installed a distance away from the fixtures. I'm not a plumber either.


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

That could easily do it! Bacteria builds in the standing water that is left in the pipes ahead of the trap(s). Rather than re-plumb, try a healthy dose of bleach (2 cups) every time it starts to smell. Run the water at about 1/3 of normal, add the bleach and then turn off the water for about five min., next go full flow to flush out all of the chlorine.


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

Teetorbilt said:


> That could easily do it! Bacteria builds in the standing water that is left in the pipes ahead of the trap(s). Rather than re-plumb, try a healthy dose of bleach (2 cups) every time it starts to smell. Run the water at about 1/3 of normal, add the bleach and then turn off the water for about five min., next go full flow to flush out all of the chlorine.


The only standing water is in the trap itself, and any odor would vacate on the vent side of the trap, away from the room.


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## Bill (Mar 30, 2006)

I would check the shower drain, there may not be a trap on it. I remodeled a bathroom at a house once owned by a man who worked for Home Depot, he installed the shower drain with no trap at all and could not figure out why he always had a smell.


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## Grumpyplumber (May 6, 2007)

*Another common source of odor, the overflow space inside lav basins.*
*Try cleaning it out with some bleach if none of the above works.*


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## Bill (Mar 30, 2006)

I tell you what else may cause it is improper venting. Toilet may be sucking water out the traps too


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

Sounds like do-it-yer-self-ers may have been involved here. I did a gut redo, couldn't understand how they lived with the smell. Turned out the whole bath was vented thru a jambed up 20+ yr old stutter(sp) vent behind the drawer stack in the vanity. Sometimes stuff you'd never dream of in your worst nightmares.


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