Dealing With An Emergency
Did you know that our team is available 24/7 to help in an emergency? We know plumbing emergencies often happen at the absolute worst time. If the shower in your guest bathroom is clogged right before hosting a family friend or theres water pooling on your bathroom floor, dont hesitate to call us right away. Well send one of our expert plumbers over as soon as possible to defuse the situation and get your plumbing back to normal. Also, did we mention we never charge for overtime? Your safety and peace of mind is always our top priority, so we honor our regular pricing even after hours or on holidays.
Before You Unclog The Shower Drain
You may have to try more than one method to for unclogging a shower drain. The blockage could be caused by a build-up of hair, grease and soap. Other possible causes are a build-up of dirt or minerals from your water or tree roots growing through tiny cracks in your underground pipes.
To access your drain, you may need to remove the drain cover. Some covers can be unscrewed with a screwdriver. Others may need to be pried off. Pry carefully to avoid scratching the shower around the drain.
Safety tip: Be safe and wear rubber gloves as you figure out how to unclog a shower drain using these methods. Some drain openers also require eye protection.
Need Help With Your Clogged Drain Get In Touch With Suburban Plumbing
We hope this article helped you figure out how to fix a clogged shower drain. As we mentioned, some clogged drains are simply too difficult to handle without the help of a professional. So how do you find a plumber that you can trust?
If you live in Orange County, then look further than Suburban Plumbing. Weve been serving the California community for over twenty years.
During this time, weve developed suburb customer relationships and reasonable rates that keep us in peoples contact lists. Not convinced? Contact us today and find out how we can help with any of your plumbing needs.
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How To Clean A Shower Drain With A Toilet Plunger
Your first line of defense for a clogged shower drain is an old-fashioned toilet plunger. Fill the tub or shower stall with enough water to cover the rubber bell of the plunger. Place the bell over the drain opening and plunge away. The force of the pressurized water should dislodge the clog and allow the standing water to go down. If the shower doesn’t drain or drains slowly, try again.
Sewage In Cleanout And Floor Drain
Sewage in the sewer cleanout is another sign that there is a problem with the main drain. You can find the sewer cleanout outside your home with a round cap. Sometimes, it is covered with a rectangular cap. Sewage in the floor drain is also a sign of the main drain problem. It means that the wastewater in the pipes is about to come up to the second drain. You can smell the sewage as well and you need to take action right away.
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Raid The Pantry For Vinegar And Baking Soda
A favorite method for many of us, cleaning with baking soda and vinegar can work just as well as using products you get from the hardware store to unclog a shower drain.
Sprinkle two tablespoons of baking soda in/around the plughole, rinse with vinegar until all residue is dissolved, and finish with a quart of boiling water. This powerful mixture should dislodge any collected substances, leaving a free-flowing drain once again, says Tina Simpson.
Knowing When To Call A Plumber
Sometimes the clog isn’t because of hair or debris. It’s part of a bigger issue. In this case, you need to call a plumber to get your drain professionally cleaned and checked. While knowing when to call a plumber isn’t easy, if your drain is clogging even with proper maintenance, then it might be time. Additionally, if you’ve tried all the methods listed above and have no luck, call a plumber.
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Insert The Drain Snake
Wearing rubber gloves, run the cable on a small drain snake down into the drain opening until it meets resistance. Tighten the cable clamp, then begin to rotate the handle slowly to spin the cable in the drain opening. The cable should begin to auger itself down further into the drain. Do not force it too vigorously or the cable may double back on itself.
The Spruce / Kevin Norris
Art Plumbing Air Conditioning & Electrics Professional Drain Clearing Solutions
While regular maintenance can help prevent blockages to an extent, sometimes a professional drain cleaning is the best way to keep your drains in tip-top shape. And, if your shower drain keeps clogging, it may be a sign of a blockage in your main sewer line, which if left unattended to can cause serious damage to your home and sewer system. Art Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electric offers a range of drain clearing and cleaning solutions. We use hydro-jetting technology and rooters to clear out blockages, depending on the severity of the blockage. We have years of experience in dealing with drain maintenance, drain cleaning, and main line sewer blockage repair.
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How To Clear A Shower Drain With Boiling Water
Sometimes you can clear a clog in metal pipes by simply emptying a kettle of boiling water down the drain, a little at a time. You can pour the water down the drain without removing the shower drain cover.
Do not pour boiling water down PVC pipes, which can be damaged by the heat. This simple fix may or may not work, but it’s worth a try. After the boiling water goes down the drain, run some water in the shower to see if the clog has cleared.
Use A Coat Hanger Hook To Clear Debris
One of the oldest, yet most effective, drain clearing methods is the coat hanger. If you tried removing the blockage by hand but couldnt quite reach it, the next method to try is the bent coat hanger. Bend the wire so that it can fit down the plughole easily. Leave the hook at the end to fish out the debris and you have an easy solution to your blocked drain problem.
Dislodge the blockage by pushing the coat hanger into the pipe until you feel it hit against the blockage. Then, gently twisting the coat hanger, you should be able to hook the blockage up and out of the drain.
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How To Fix Annoying Clogged Shower Drains
It feels disgusting when you are standing inside a pool of accumulated water whenever you take a shower. You are essentially standing in a puddle of your own dirt, yuk! Either your water is draining slowly or it isnt draining at all. This is a sure sign of a clogged shower drain.
There are various causes of a clogged shower drain, such as a minor blockage or an obstruction in the main sewer pipe. It is crucial to find out the main cause of the blockage before its too late.
Once you find out the source of the clog, thats when you will know if you can fix this issue by yourself or do you need to call in the professionals. The majority of the times, clogged showers are minor issues you can fix yourself.
We will show you how to unclog your shower drain, saving you money and the hassle of having to call for professional help!
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High Potential For Structural Damage
We briefly mentioned above that clogged bathroom drains could cause structural damage to your home. However, it deserves to be mentioned again! When your shower drain is clogged, the water has to go somewhere.
Clogs can lead to water seeping into the foundation of your home. This can lead to you inadvertently weakening the structural integrity of your home. This can be an unnecessary and costly issue to repair when dealt with too late.
Clogged Shower Drain Replacement:
Are you experiencing problems quite often with your drains in your shower? Then, perhaps it is about time to have them replaced. It may not sound to you very friendly in a financial way but there is one thing for sure. It will be quite a while until you will have to go through all that again. You will have not to worry about leaking or clogging issues with your drains. However, you are going to need to hire a professional for this job. Even if you have a small idea with the drains it will be not easy for you to do it. You are going to need to remove the bathtub and probably damage the tiles. Therefore, if you are planning to make a renovation in your bathroom, replacing the drains with new ones is going to be a perfect option for you.
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Reasons For A Clogged Drain
We have heard about a huge variety of reasons for clogged drains. Beginning with hair and mud in a shower or bathtub up to fat and food leftovers finding their way into the kitchen sink. Also if you have animals like cats or dogs at home this might cause lots of trouble for your sinks. Not that just humans may loose lots of hair but animals definitely do. Dog hair for example is a well known reason for a clogged drain in your very own household.
Other reasons might be stubborn stains deriving from high limescale concentration in the water that runs through your water pipes. If you do not use certain sinks or tubs regularly the water evaporates and the only leftover in the drain will be that chalky limescale in your plumbing system.
Useful tips that helped most of our readers:
- You may have heard about ways to clear clogged drains but are all of them useful? Did they help …
How To Prevent Clogging In The Future
There are numerous ways to prevent future clogging, and they only require a slight tweak of your habits and keeping some extra tools handy.
*Not too much paper Obviously, you can monitor your own use but if you have children, you may need to watch theirs as well. If the situation calls for lots of paper, flush before wiping instead of adding all of it to the bowl at once. This allows the toilet paper to break down and not cause a blockage.
*Get a drain cover Youve probably seen these in the hardware section, but they never made an impact on you before. This round grid collects hair and other debris so it doesnt go down the drain. All you must do is clean the cover regularly. If soapy residue is clogging your shower drain, you may want to research other products. Try a liquid body wash or a nontraditional soap bar for reduced buildup in your drains.
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Clogged Shower Drain When To Call A Plumber
Is your bathtub or shower beginning to drain slower than normal? Chances are, there is a small blockage in the drain that needs to be taken care of immediately before it worsens. The consequences of leaving a clogged shower drain can lead to unpleasant odors, mildew and potentially even mold. Consider contacting a professional if you notice any of them.
Simple Tips To Avoiding A Clogged Shower Drain
A clogged shower drain can be a pain. This is especially true when you have to call a plumber to get the problem fixed. To avoid this issue, you can try out a few different tips to keep your drains clear and running smoothly.
- Use a plastic cover on your drain to collect hair. Hair is a major contributor to clogs.
- Rinse your drain weekly with boiling water to avoid gunk buildup.
- Avoid using body cleaners with oils that can build up in the drain.
- Rinse the drain with baking soda and white vinegar every few showers to keep the drain clear.
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Tools Youll Need To Fix A Shower Clog
If your clog proves to be a bit stubborn, having some tools on hand can help you get a bit creative in your problem-solving. As you prepare to tackle your backed-up drain, consider having these readily available:
- A screwdriver. A screwdriver will help you remove the drain cover if your shower has one. Depending on the drain, though, you may need to search around a bit to find the screws. At the same time, unscrew the stopped plate, which is located on the wall of the tub right above the drain. This covers the drain that helps prevent overflowing.
- A wire coat hanger, wire or wire pipe cleaners. These can help you reach even a bit further down the pipe. Use the end of the wire as a hook to lock through the clog.
- Pliers. Pliers can help you grab onto something solid, like a small object that has fallen into the drain.
- Plunger. This can be used similarly to how its used with a toilet.
- A drain snake/drain auger. A drain snake allows you to reach even further down into the pipe to grasp hard-to-reach clogs and get them loose. Once you make contact with the clog, crank the handle counterclockwise to pull it up.
Is My Main Drain Clogged
You will know if your main drain is clogged if you see murky water backing up your drain or toilet. You will also know that it is clogged when the water starts to slow down creating a pool of water on your sink or shower area.
When you experience it, the first thing you need to do is to remove the excess water that back flowed on your sink or floor. You can use DIY drain clog removers such as baking soda and vinegar. If you have store-bought drain clog remover, you can use it as well.
They can solve the clogging problem. If it works, it only means that the clog is just within the sink or the floor. It can be hair or grease that clogged the pipe.
To avoid this problem, avoid dumping materials that can clump up in the drain. Throw coffee grounds in the bin as well as food particles. Dont flush the toilet with paper products that can cause clogging.
On the other hand, if the problem still occurs, the next step you can do is to use a plunger. If it doesnt work then you can start to conclude that the main problem is in the main drain. It is important to take note that backing up water and pooling of water are among the signs that there is a drain problem.
But there are several factors you must check to ensure that the source of the problem is the main drain.
To learn it more in-depth, Ill reveal the ways to know if it is the main drain is clogged or not.
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Check Your Shower Drain Is Clear
If you have followed some or all of these steps, the shower drain should be running freely. The best way to check this before you risk a repeat flooding incident is to simply leave the shower flowing at full power for just a couple of minutes. Watch the water around the plughole the shower tray should not hold the water for any length of time.
If the levels start to build up, it is time to admit defeat and call in the professionals. We do not recommend disconnecting the shower drain, shower pan or any pipework without appropriate training.
Ottawa Shower Drain Clog Removal Service
Wherever you have lived, at one point or another youve probably experienced a clogged shower drain. Picture taking a nice long shower the suddenly uh oh! youre ankle-deep in water. Your shower has turned into a shallow bath.
A clogged shower drain is a nuisance for any homeowner to deal with. Its a stubborn drain to clean. Like everything, the best cure for a clogged shower is prevention.
However, if its too late to prevent a shower blockage, weve got some advice that may help, and were always happy to provide you with shower drain cleaning services!
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Why Is My Shower Drain Not Draining
There are several reasons your shower may not be draining. Most likely it is because there is a clog in the plumbing that is holding up the water. The clog can be caused by a blockage in the drain located near the drain opening, farther down in the plumbing system, or at the end of the plumbing system near the main line or septic.
Other issues, like freezing pipes or roots breaking the pipes, can also be causing your shower drain to clog.
Identifying the primary cause of the clog will help you with your solution. For example, if you find that your roots have broken through and split your pipe, then pouring cleaning solution down your drain wont solve the problem and youll continue to have a shower backup.