Smell in new bathroom

It’s a very simple but clever device, silicone flap seals when no water flowing through (keeping drain smells away), but fully opens when water flowing through. Not sure why they’re not used more really, also act as a filter catching hair and grime etc and easily washed under tap.

 

I know DIYers can get slated on here, but this is a problem we customers often face - you pay £6k to a bunch of so called professionals and you still end up on Screwfix to get the job completed !!!

Good tradesman are so hard to find, once you have one then it’s a blessing !!! Problem is all the decent guys here are not near enough for myself to use them !!!

 

Luxury installers usually just means the bosses drive big expensive cars while expecting the tradesmen to jump through hoops for £100 a day

 

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I have a similar problem. Pretty much the exact same set up, with a low profile shower, and that exact shower trap, in a new ensuite. There was no smell previously.

The smell is not as bad as the previous poster described, but it’s there. It’s definitely coming from the shower drain. I am not missing a part in the trap, because I suspected it initially, and went and got a new cup, and chrome top, but there is still a smell. There is water in the trap too....

I had the plumber that installed it come and look at it.

He checked all the traps, but could not see any issues.

He checked outside, and said that I needed to get rubber seals around my manhole covers, as they are old metal covers. But again, there was no smell previously from the other old shower/trap.

Does it make sense that manhole seals could be causing the issue due to airflow or something like that? I would have thought the trap should stop any smell regardless.

 

As previously mentioned put something over the shower waste (plastic bag or old wet towel) and leave it overnight, if the smells stop then you can guarantee that it’s coming from the waste and it needs sorting. Maybe something has not been installed correctly or something missing.

 

I did that a few weeks back. The smell is 100% coming from the shower P trap.

 

Is it possible to replace the trap with a good quality one like a mcalpine? Some of the cheap traps have poor quality seals

 

I think that's the next step....luckily I will be removing the ceiling downstairs, as there was a slow leak in the old ensuite.

It's the whole 'if you seal the manhole outside, that will fix the problem' that is confusing me. I don't know how that might help.

 

If I have a 90MM shower waste....does it matter which trap I pick up? I see some of them have different dimensions listed in the product details of the 90MM diameter ones. I assume as long as it says it’s for a 90MM diameter shower waste it should be fine. I have access through the ceiling below, and there is enough depth.

I am 99.9% sure this is the one that is in there at the moment, it’s definitely a cheap one that looks exactly like this, because they gave me the replacement for free in the plumbing place. - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Clean-show...MHX87V5MGP5&psc=1&refRID=7BYPQKV37MHX87V5MGP5

So I assume if I get this McAlpine model, it should fit - https://www.ie.screwfix.com/mcalpine-shower-trap-chrome-effect-90mm.html

At the risk of getting annoying….

What exactly are we saying the McAlpine offers that the cheaper model does not? I assume it’s the quality of the seal under the chrome top? On the cheap model I can see that the rubber seal is pretty thin, and I assume the McAlpine will be better….

To test the cheap model, I really wedged in the chrome part of the cheaper model last night (it seems to have sealed well), but there was still a bit of a whiff, although it might have been a residual smell. I left a window open, and will check later. I might use some plumber tape around the seal to check is that improves it….

 

Yeah any 90mm shower trap should fit , the cheap ones are usually free with the shower tray so that's why many installers use them. Mcalpine are just a good quality product, most plumbers on here including myself would have fitted different brands over the years and I bet every one of them would choose mcalpine. Probably the main differences are good quality seals, the threads, thicker plastic etc. I agree they do cost a lot more but at least it's peace of mind once you've replastered the ceiling

 

I don't mind paying a few extra quid for a decent product and peace of mind.

I went to a reputable supplier today, and was told by two different reps that they needed the shower tray name/make, in order to give me the proper 90MM trap. I don't really understand why another trap wouldn't work as long as its 90mm. I asked about the McAlpine, and they were both pretty adamant that they needed the tray make.
I don't know if I just met an incompetent dynamic duo, or if its policy to stop people like myself picking up incorrect gear..... I'll humor them, and see if they can get me something better.

Good news is that the current cheap trap seems to be performing better after being beat into the hole, the seal seems to be holding up. But I shouldn't have to use that much force to get it to seal. I'm going to change it anyway to avoid any future problems.