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10-22-2009, 05:25 PM
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#1
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Registered User
Trade:
Interior Remodeling, kitchens and baths
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 6
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Bathroom Odor?
I recently finished remodeling a bathroom for a client and he has noticed a pungent odor. The bathroom has a walk-in shower, no tub. Floor and walls are tiled in honed limestone. The bathroom has been used daily (including showers) so all drains are primed and it also sits over an unfinished basement so I know there are no leaks. I have also run a camera thru the vanity drain to make sure I didn't leave a cap off a vent or something and everything appears to be perfect. I have never smelled anything in this bathroom and I am confident it is not sewer gas. Any clues?
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10-22-2009, 05:40 PM
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#2
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BLDG Inspector, G.C
Trade:
BLDG Inspector, G.C
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: N,Calif. Between Sacramento & San Francisco.
Posts: 156
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChicagoBaths
I recently finished remodeling a bathroom for a client and he has noticed a pungent odor. The bathroom has a walk-in shower, no tub. Floor and walls are tiled in honed limestone. The bathroom has been used daily (including showers) so all drains are primed and it also sits over an unfinished basement so I know there are no leaks. I have also run a camera thru the vanity drain to make sure I didn't leave a cap off a vent or something and everything appears to be perfect. I have never smelled anything in this bathroom and I am confident it is not sewer gas. Any clues?
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When I use my bathroom sometimes It has a pungent order   
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10-22-2009, 05:46 PM
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#3
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Pro
Trade:
General Contractor
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Chicago's North Shore
Posts: 438
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When exactly did you do the bath? Did you install new drywall? Do you know where your drywall came from?
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10-22-2009, 06:04 PM
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#4
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Registered User
Trade:
Interior Remodeling, kitchens and baths
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 6
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New greenboard on walls only. cement board in shower surround. drywall was purchased at homedepot (sheetrock)
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10-22-2009, 06:13 PM
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#5
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Pro
Trade:
General Contractor
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Chicago's North Shore
Posts: 438
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChicagoBaths
drywall was purchased at homedepot (sheetrock)
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Tip: Don't say that around here, you are likely to get bashed for shopping at the big box stores.
My point is that, is it possible that it is defective Chinese drywall? I personally haven't dealt with it yet but they say that it has a strong sulfur odor. If your customers are describing a rotten egg type smell you may want to do some more research on whether Home Depot got mixed up with any of the defective drywall problems. I don't know the answer to that but maybe someone else here knows.
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10-22-2009, 06:22 PM
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#6
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Registered User
Trade:
Interior Remodeling, kitchens and baths
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 6
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it is also possible that my client is just inventing issues. he was very picky and has refused to make final payment until smell issue is resolved. convenient for him but I cannot fix an issue that may or may not exist.
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10-22-2009, 06:28 PM
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#7
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Pro
Trade:
General Contractor
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Chicago's North Shore
Posts: 438
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Of course that's possible. I am just trying to help you by providing you with alternatives.
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10-22-2009, 06:30 PM
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#8
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BLDG Inspector, G.C
Trade:
BLDG Inspector, G.C
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: N,Calif. Between Sacramento & San Francisco.
Posts: 156
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How old is the house ?
Sometimes old houses can produce a sulfur odor from the water.
Well water is like that where I live.
I still have galvanized pipes in some parts of my house and I get
a little sulfur odor once in awhile. Just a thought.
I still don't really know if it's just my well water.
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10-22-2009, 06:51 PM
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#9
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Registered User
Trade:
Interior Remodeling, kitchens and baths
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 6
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house is relatively new, less than 20 years. all piping is copper or pvc. we only switched out about 2 sheets of drywall. anyone ever hear of limestone retaining odors? doesnt make sense to me but if there is no water leakage there shouldnt be any mildew or mildew smell. this job is bumming me out. i am going to try pouring bleach down the drains and placing a few charcoal bags in the joists below
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10-22-2009, 06:54 PM
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#10
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Member
Trade:
Carpentry/Remodeling/Superintendent
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Labelle, Florida
Posts: 92
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spdtrx
How old is the house ?
Sometimes old houses can produce a sulfur odor from the water.
Well water is like that where I live.
I still have galvanized pipes in some parts of my house and I get
a little sulfur odor once in awhile. Just a thought.
I still don't really know if it's just my well water.
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This is exactly what I was thinking.
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10-22-2009, 06:55 PM
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#11
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Internet Creep
Trade:
Kitchen/Bath Remodeling, Tile
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Will County, Illinois
Posts: 1,190
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChicagoBaths
it is also possible that my client is just inventing issues. he was very picky and has refused to make final payment until smell issue is resolved. convenient for him but I cannot fix an issue that may or may not exist.
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Did you smell it? Does he know you cannot smell it? Maybe a 3rd party sniffer is in order?
__________________
"If you're good at something, never do it for free."
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10-22-2009, 07:00 PM
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#12
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Registered User
Trade:
Interior Remodeling, kitchens and baths
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 6
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i agree. i finished the punchlist about 3 weeks ago and just needed a break from this guy. i did not smell the odor. sending a 3rd party over there is a good idea to break the tension on both sides. could be just the placebo effect i need.
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10-22-2009, 07:18 PM
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#14
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Starving Tile Artist
Trade:
Carpentry, Flooring & (UGLY) Tile installs.
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 1,124
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Did we insure there are no dead animals behind walls, in vents?
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10-22-2009, 07:19 PM
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#15
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Registered User
Trade:
Home renovation and repair
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 86
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I know this is going to sound strange, but a few years ago we started noticing a very pungent smell which appeared to be coming from our shower drain. Called a plumber who snaked the drain and checked everything including vents. Everything looked good but we still had the smell.
Long story short, it ended up being a foaming bath wash that my wife had been using ( think it was Oil Of Olay). Evidently the foam would stay in the trap after rinsing and would start smelling after staying there overnight. It was very pungent, like sewer gas or somthing. We discovered it when she ran out of the foam. Tried it again to prove it was the cause and it was.
Just something to check.
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10-22-2009, 07:30 PM
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#16
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Registered User
Trade:
Interior Remodeling, kitchens and baths
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 6
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not yet. the smell the client describes is more of a basement musty odor. he says that he can smell it more strongly towards the entry to the door (aways from the shower drain but close to the vanity) and that the smell comes and goes throughout the day. i have asked for how this smell relates to usage, after a shower or use of the faucet but havent heard from him.
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10-22-2009, 07:50 PM
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#17
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Pro
Trade:
GC - Home repair
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Virginia
Posts: 105
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Had one, one time, could not find the source.
Ended up being the vanity sink overflow. Alot of crap can grow in there and it never gets washed out unless you overflow sink.
Sprayed in a bunch of foaming bathroom cleaner in the overflow hole. Problem was solved.
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10-22-2009, 08:11 PM
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#18
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Remodeling Professionals
Trade:
Remodeling Contractor
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: South Jersey Shore
Posts: 893
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Here ya go, problem solved.
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11-18-2009, 10:01 AM
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#19
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New Guy
Trade:
Bathroom remodeling
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Ohio Valley
Posts: 20
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tell them too flush?
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11-18-2009, 10:13 AM
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#20
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Pro
Trade:
Building/Remodeling
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: OKC, OK
Posts: 101
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Pitch them the finished basement fix. "Well sir after carefull consideration the only way to get rid of that smell is to finish the basement". But then again he will probably not want to pay your final on that either. Good luck with that one..........he sounds like a PITA
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