Clogged shower drain confusion
I have a shower with a center drain. Taking off the grill/cover shows a water line approximately 10 inches below the tile surface. I have snaked the drain approximately 15-20 feet in (I think to where the pipe hits a 90 degree corner but I'm not sure), and have cleaned out everything substantial that seems to be in the way up to that point. However, that visible water line hasn't moved significantly if at all. This wouldn't concern me on its own (although maybe it should) but there is a smell in the shower that isn't fully going away even when I clean everything that is visible.
Am I being stubborn and I should snake the drain further, or is there something I'm missing? I've never had to snake a drain more than 5-10 feet before. Any tips to reduce the smell or address the problem in any way are very much appreciated!
Posted Dec 5, 2021, 7:02 PM UTC
Pretty common to have hair clogging a shower drain, esp if there are people with longer hair. And yes a mass of hair and soap and stuff can smell to high heaven!
One solution is to pull it out; there are long plastic barbed things ( couple bucks at the hardware or big box store) that let you pull that stuff out.
Another trick is to pour a big pot of freshly boiled water slowwwly down the drain. It can melt the soap scum that's helping to keep all that stuff hanging on. Learn first whether your plumbing can handle the temperature.
Water 10 inches down sounds OK, that's where the trap is.
Thanks for the reply. I have a drum auger and have used that as described in the post. I was thinking to follow up the snaking with baking soda and vinegar followed by hot water.
How do I determine whether my plumbing can handle the temperature? The trap at least is PVC. I presume the entire house is based on what I know about it. Unknown thickness but it was likely re-piped in the past 10 years.