Dealing With A Backed Up Shower Drain

Find yourself standing in a pool of water every time you take a shower? Here are some tips on how to fix the problem so you don’t have to learn how to swim!

There is nothing that will ruin a shower quicker, and put an end to your happy singing in the shower fest, than a clogged shower drain. If the shower drain is operating properly, it should be able to remove the water as quickly as it flows from the shower head. If it seems to be running a little behind the flow, it is easy to ignore. However, like many similar problems, and ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If the drain is slow, consider it clogged. It will be easier to remove a small clog than a larger one later.

The most common culprit in a clogged shower drain is hair. Since it is almost impossible to dissolve a hair clog, the best solution is to remove it. The first thing to do is check the strainer. Often times this is all that is needed as the perforations on the strainer become clogged. If you clean them completely, and the back up continues, then remove the strainer. Some will pop out with the use of a screwdriver while others are held in by a couple of screws.

Once the strainer is removed, use a flashlight to look down into the drain. You should see the water level a few inches below the mouth of the drain. If you can see the clog, use a wire to reach down and snag it. A clothes hanger, unraveled, works fine. Be careful not to push the clog deeper into the drain.

If you cannot see the clog, the next step is a plunger. A plunger works best when you get a good seal. You can coat the rim of the rubber cup with petroleum jelly to get a tighter seal. Place the plunger over the drain and pour enough water into the shower enclosure to cover the rubber cup. Then you plunge the plunger. Move the handle up and down rapidly until the clog breaks up and the water drains cleanly.

If the plunger fails to clear the drain, the next step is a snake. A snake is a tightly wound piece of spring steel with an auger tip on one end and a crank handle on the other. Insert the coil until you reach the clog. Then turn the handle, moving the auger tip back and forth until you have snagged the clog and can pull it up from inside the drain. If the snake fails, it is time to call a professional drain cleaning contractor.