Non-Draining Shower

[Hopey79]

Good Morning Fellow Ab'ers. I am hoping that one of you can help. I live in a four storey town house, that is quite old (built in 1901). We have a shower on the top floor, that is not draining. We have tried all sorts, cleaned out the plug hole, put various unblock soloutions down the plug, but to no avail. Can anyone on here suggest anything else that i can put down it, or could it be something to do with the outside drain? Any advice would be gratefully recieved. TIAx

[4getmenot]

check with neighbours to see if theirs are blocking as if they arent its your drain. If theirs are, do you have a maintenence company for all the flats? You will need to check outside gully and manhole. If blocked get a quote from drainage company to jet it. If it then keeps blocking you will need cctv down drain to see if old clay pipes have collapsed.

[andrew1707]

Have you tried a sink plunger on it? My shower has the same problem now and then and a plunger does the business!!

[wolf63]

Mr Muscle stuff is good too - I have just put some down my drain.

[IggyB]

If the sink in the same bathroom is draining fine then its just a local shower problem rather than the drains proper. Happens to me quite a bit and as Andrew suggests a go with a small plunger has always sorted it for me

[andrew1707]

You can't beat a bit of elbow grease, though, Wolfie. And do you really want to have dangerous chemicals in the house where your babies can get at them?

[4getmenot]

working in the drain business many years ago some of the thicker drain unblockers can corrode your drains. They clear, just not in a good way

[alavahalf]

If you are on the 4th floor and have no problems with drainage on the lower floors, then more than likely your problem lies localy with the shower waste.
The first thing to do is plunge it with a proper plunger. A Monument bell shaped one is best and really gives it some preessure (£6-7)
Then try a long spring for waste cleaning ... they start at about 6' long for around £5

Can you remove the shower trap and associated waste pipes, as they are often bunged up with hair and grease.
If you cant get access to the trap, then I'd suggest a much stronger cleaning solution. But I must add that some of these are "for experienced users only". The one I use will take the chrome off bathroom fittings (Spirit of Salts).
Most hardware stores will have it in the store room , but not on the shelf.
You must wear gauntlets and eye protection and vacate the room as soon as it is applied. I'd rather you did'nt use this, as I only use it as a last resort. If you do go down that road, dont store it in the house when finished... dispose of it. I'm afraid it is scary stuff and burns instantly..!
More often than not, plunging and the spring usually get the job done.

[woofgang]

If it turns out to be local to the shower, I have had great success with one of these
Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[johnk]

Most probably the trap is blocked. It will be under the floor somewhere, if you can get at it strip it down and clear it out.

[gingejbee]

...however, anybody who *does* have a problem with an outside shared drain/lateral sewer should contact their water supplier. They are now responsible for unblocking/ maintenance of these things - no need to call/pay a private company.

[Hopey79]

Thanks for all your answers, hopefully some of these will help, we do use a plunger which will clear it for a bit, but then it soons get blocked again, With three girls in the house, we did think that maybe it was full of hair, but i have put a wire down the plug hole and its bringing nothing up. The bath and sink in the same bathroom, don't seem to have the same problem, so i might see if i can find out how to get to the trap. - i have no idea how to get to this, and i am assumeing the pipes are under a slate layed floor as i can't see any. - might have to get a professional out! Will talk to the Landlord. (he is my Housemates dad!!!) Thanks for all you help. x

[woofgang]

Do you live in a hard water area? It maybe that the pipes are narrowed with limescale which would explain how the plunger helps but doesn't cure it.

[Hopey79]

According to Anglian Water, we live in a Hard -to Very Hard Water area. - What can i put down, that might get rid of a limescale buildup then?