How to take care of a shower drain.
Does water build up in your shower and takes ages to drain? You might have a shower drain clog situation on your hands. A number of things could find their way into your drain right from dust and debris to hair, lots of hair! If you don’t unclog your drain regularly, it will spoil your plumbing and also lead to mini-floods inside your shower. Other items that tend to accumulate in your shower drain are lint, residue, and more.
The first steps towards solving a clogged shower drain:
- Remove the obstacles that are clearly visible under your drain cap such as hair, lint, or more. Take the help of a flashlight to make your job easier. Wear some gloves and remove these elements with care.
- The next step is ensuring that your drain is open, and if there’s space for water to flow. Do you have a stopper or anything else inside your drain that is inhibiting the free flow of water?
- If none of the above solves your problem, follow the detailed steps listed down in this article.
Here are some ways you can try to unclog your shower drain yourself:
By hand
Often the culprit of the clog is visible and easily removable by hand. Wear gloves and take out the clog, exerting as much strength as possible. The clog could be a result of hair, residue, lint, dirt, and more. Don’t use anything that might harm your plumbing system.
Drain snake
A drain snake is a DIY plumber’s best friend. It’s basically a flexible tool akin to a drill that is available at hardware stores. Using the hand crank of the snake, you can transport a metal wire down your drain to remove or break the clogging material completely. There are also plastic models of the drain snake without the crank. Always clean after use.
Using a plunger
An alternative to a drain snake, plungers are useful in taking out blockages and clearing clogs. You could try to put petroleum jelly on the lining of the plunger, leading to more pronounced suction and better clog removal. In fact, why wait only until there’s a clog? If you use it regularly, you can stop hair buildup. Try to do this after each shower or at least every alternate day.
Boiling water
In case you can’t see what’s causing the clog, and your drain snake hasn’t quite caught it either, a pot of boiling water is the next step. It keeps your plumbing intact while breaking down buildups such as soap or dust. Drain boiling water down your pipes at least two to three times.
Baking soda and vinegar
If a drain snake, plunger, or boiling water just doesn’t cut it, an easy, homemade alternative is merging baking soda with vinegar. It’s a natural method to unclog your drain and also doesn’t harm your pipes. How do you do this? Get a cup of baking soda and pour it down the drain. After some minutes have passed, pour a cup of vinegar. Within a few hours, the combination should work. Then rinse your drain with the help of boiling water.
Drain cleaners
Choose a drain cleaner, but make sure it’s strong yet doesn’t degrade your plumbing system. Always try to use natural cleaners. Several varieties are available in the hardware store and will be labeled as natural. Chemical cleaners might also compromise your water quality, especially at the source.
How can you prevent clogs?
- A drain cover is a good option. Since hair is the most common reason for shower drains, a drain cover made of rubber or plastic can capture these strands of hair.
- Try not to use body scrubs. While they might feel fantastic, when you rinse them off, the grains and oils harden in your pipe and cause a clog. Use these after your shower.
- Have you cleaned things in your bathtub or shower? For example, a carpet or a dirty bucket. Be warned that the debris from these can find its way down your pipes and cause a clog.
- While entering an annual maintenance contract for plumbing is important, it’s also vital to take care of your drain regularly by pulling out clogs by hand or keeping baking soda and vinegar ready on the side.
DIY or hiring a professional
Certain situations, such as the ones listed above, are easily solvable on your own. You would only need to remove hair, lint, etc, or use a drain cleaner. However, in other situations, it’s pivotal to call a professional. If you don’t see any visible obstruction to the drain, the problem might be deeper within your plumbing.
It’s best not to try to solve this by yourself as you could spoil your entire plumbing system if you make any mistakes. Moreover, if you include plumbing in your annual maintenance contract, such problems wouldn’t occur in the first place as your plumber would have nipped it in the bud.
Why should you hire a professional plumbing maintenance company?
- Professional companies employ plumbers who are qualified, licensed, and insured against unforeseen events. They always use the right tools for both soft and hard pipes.
- Regular upkeep and maintenance of your plumbing solutions prevent clogs. When your plumbing company comes in, they can prevent problems before they even occur, leading to fewer drain problems.
- Instead of waiting for your pipes to break down completely, or reaching a point where you have to replace your entire plumbing system, getting your plumbing checked regularly will save your costs in the long run.
- An annual maintenance contract with a company not only includes plumbing but also the upkeep of other parts of your house such as your air conditioner, painting, and more.
- When you do hire a professional plumbing company make sure to check reviews online and check that they are charging you the market rate. Companies that send handymen tend to be better as these professionals can take care of a variety of issues at home.
Have you learned how to take care of a shower drain?
Regular maintenance on your own can indeed help prevent blockages, however, getting a professional plumbing expert on board makes sure that your drain stays clog-free for years to come. In case you’ve tried everything and your shower drain still clogs, you might be having a problem with your primary sewer line.
Octopus offers professional plumbing services, repairing, maintaining, and treating your pipes efficiently. Don’t leave your plumbing woes for the last minute! Putting plumbing as a part of your annual maintenance contract saves you the time and resources it takes to solve issues on your own. If you try to solve complex issues, it might not go to plan and damage your whole drainage system.
Octopus not only offers plumbing services in our annual maintenance contract packages but also includes air conditioning repair, repainting, and electrical solutions. Consult with our experts! Call our toll-free number, call 8003993.
