Clogged Shower Drains in Calgary

Unclogging a Slow Shower Drain

Everyone has had that moment: standing in the shower, washing your hair, when suddenly, water is up to your ankles. A drain clog! Hopefully not as bad as our picture above. Typically, a buildup of hair, by itself or combined with bath product gunk, is to blame. In this situation, many reach for the Drano. Instead of turning to harsh chemicals that might damage the finish of your tub or eat away at your pipes, try looking to some simpler (and possibly more effective) solutions first.

Before any tools or concoctions make an appearance, try sticking your fingers in the drain. If the hair is up near the top, this might be all it takes to fix the problem. You’d be surprised at how effective fingers can be as a hair removal apparatus. I doubt it if it will be as obvious as below!

There are two tools you can try if you can’t fix the problem that way, one of which you already own, and one that you can buy at the hardware store for under ten bucks. The first is a plunger. Try using it just as you would on a toilet, and see if the clogging culprit comes to the surface in the drain. The second is called a Drain Claw, and it is essentially a piece of wire with barbs on the end for catching hair. Stick one down the drain, twist it around a few times, and pull it out. Repeat until you stop pulling out hair, and run some water to test whether the clog is gone. You can even try to make your own out of a metal clothes hanger and go do some fishing.

If the clog persists, it might be time to move on to a homemade clog-busting concoction. Pour one part baking soda down the drain, and follow it with one part vinegar. That’s right- the same as your kid’s model volcano. Wait until the foaming subsides, and follow that with boiling water. This method is effective when bath product gunk, rather than hair, is the problem.

I’ve added some pictures of typical plumbing system so you visualize what’s happening under the floor.

Whatever you do, don’t add nasty chemicals that can potential melt your pipes or destroy appliance finishes.

After all this, if your shower is still not draining properly, it’s probably time to call in the pros. Baker Plumbing can handle any clog you throw at us, quickly and professionally.

Give us a call at 403-279-7554 or book online.