It’s been a long, sweltering day and you’re feeling tired and sticky. A cool shower is just the thing to make you feel fresh and revitalised.
You get out of the shower and notice the water still in the tray, out comes the plunger.
We share why your showers or baths get blocked, what signs to look for and how we can help solve ongoing problems.
What Causes a Blocked Shower or Blocked Bath?
You’re not alone. Most people experience blocked showers or baths drains. It can be caused by several things, including:
Residue build-up: When soap and shower gel get washed down the drain, they leave a sticky residue that can build up. This blocks all the debris that is regularly washed away. This can gradually start stopping water from draining away and then the bubbling and gurgling starts.
Hair blockages: One of the most common causes of blocked baths and showers we see is due to hair collecting in the pipework. Combine this with residue build-up, and this can cause some major blockages.
Outdoor Debris: After a long day on the beach or a day of outdoor activities, showering off the sand, mud, grass and other dirt from the day can easily collect inside pipes, adding to potential drainage issues.
Hard water: In West Sussex and Hampshire we have hard water. Hard water deposits can build up and restrict the flow of water.
What Are the Signs to Look out for?
If you can recognise the signs of potential drainage problems early, you can save yourself the stress of a more serious and costly blockage. If you think you might have a drainage issue, these are the questions you should ask yourself:
- Is my water slow to drain away?
- Is there standing water left in the bath or shower tray?
- Can I hear strange gurgling sounds coming from the drain?
- Does my drain smell?
Top Prevention Tips
Drain maintenance and taking preventive measures is the best way to avoid drainage problems occurring. We recommend you:
- Remove hair and debris after every shower or bath
- Use drain covers to catch any debris before it washes down the drain
- Regularly clean and use hot water to flush the system through
Solving a Shower Blockage in West Sussex – Customer Case Study
When we got a call from a customer concerned about a potential blocked drain in West Wittering, our team went straight to the property to assess the situation.
On arrival we could see the customer was worried. They had three grandchildren coming to stay for the school holidays, but the shower was taking around 15 minutes to fully drain away.
Keen to help solve the issue, we started by lifting the manhole cover to find the drain was full of foul waste and the level was high in the chamber.
We then used a high-power water jet to break down the waste, clearing all the hair and soap build-up. After this, the bath was still low, so we then used a CCTV drain camera to look at the runs from the bath and toilet to the main drain. This is where we found the cause of the original blockage!
What was it causing the problem? A clip-on air freshener! After accidently being flushed away, it travelled along the run and wedged in the line causing everything to stick and build up.
After removing the clip-on air freshener, we jetted the line and the blockage was cleared! Another happy customer.
Is It Time to Call our Drainage Professionals?
If you have a new or recurring drainage issue or just feel that something might be wrong, give our experts a call. We can help you diagnose any issues, and have the knowledge, tools and equipment to fix these problems – fast.
Call us today