Slow draining or blocked shower and bath drains are a common problem that our engineers are called on to resolve throughout London.
Blockages are most commonly caused by clumps of long, tangled hair mixed with grease from soap plus other debris and dirt. The build-up of lime scale can also reduce the flow of water draining from a bath or shower. This can add to blocked shower problems.
Sometimes using a regular plunger can clear whatever’s causing the blockage. Used correctly a plunger will help to dislodge clumps of hair and grease. If the clump of hair has become fixed to the drain cover it may be possible to clear the blockage by hand, either by unscrewing the drain cover, or by trying to hook the hair out. To catch hair before it goes down the drain, invest in a shower screen that rests over the plughole. You can then simply remove the hair that has been caught and dispose of it in the bin.
Slow draining in a shower can often be from too shallow trays. When the shower was installed, the tray may not have been placed high enough. As a result, the gradient that the water drains down isn’t steep enough to allow waste to drain away.