Blocked shower Drain

Just wondering if anyone might have some suggestions. En suite electric shower upstairs. Every so often drain becomes clogged with gunk so i usually just have to open little trap and remove build up etc. Always tricky as a u bend so have a thing that you can insert and hook up hairs etc,.. (improvised version would be coat hangar..this same principle but designed for this). Usually works but not this time. No matter how much poking i do i cant seem to free it. I think the build must be further down and i cant manipulate the thing around the lower bend. The shower tray pretty quickly begins to fill up with water. When shower off it drains away, not very fast but is usually gone in a minute or so. So not completely blocked but if having a shower would have to be quick to not let tray fill too much with water. No smells or anything and no indication outside either visually or sound wise of anything wrong. No water marks in ceiling either....so what to do?....short of digging up tray/tiles etc....dont want to start at that!.....Anyone any suggestions before i start calling in plumbers?
Have another shower downstairs but works off immersion/heating so cost wise have to ensure everyone going to take a shower otherwise expensive turning on heating/immersion for just one.....!

Have you tried nasty chemicals yet? I find Mr Muscle drain and sink gel certainly seems to eat its way through gunk.

aido71 said:

Anyone any suggestions before i start calling in plumbers?

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Caustic soda, available from DIY shops, follow the instructions, disintegrates all the hairs and gunge, X amount added to X amount of water, pour it down drain and leave for 30 minutes, then just run the shower for a few minutes, problem solved.

Caution though it is dangerous stuff, causes burns, wear appropriate eye and skin protection, details should be on the label.

Lots of more expensive ready mixed versions also available.

Before you buy the chemical and apply, try using a plunger. Run some water until the drain backs up a little then plunge. The force of the water should shift most blockages.

I have this problem, but not as bad as yourself. Cleaning my trap does the job ok. I think there are liquids you can buy to pour down and they dissolve the blockage. I've never had to use them so I can't recommend any per se.

Going forward, you can also get a little removeable plastic or metal grid you just place over the drain hole, which stops the hairs going down into the drain.

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Shower-Bath-...?pt=UK_Bathroom_Mats_Rugs&hash=item20c1b3c06c

Where my shower outlet pipe flows into the main shore(outside the kitchen window),the outlet pipe touches the metal grate.This gets clogged with hair etc,and stops the shower draining.If your plumbing system is the same,it's worth checking.

If you are using a plunger, and I think this is the best method, check if the waste pipe from the shower is shared with that of the hand basin.

If so, then out the plug in the hand basin and block off the overflow with a cloth.

This will allow the full force of the plunging to impact on the blockage and should clear it.

Would also second Steiner's recommendation of a filter type thing on the shower basin so the blockage is caught in the open.

Most showers have a bottle trap which is easy to clean, just twist turn and pull up with pointy pliers

+1 for plunger

Get some "net curtain wire", strip a little of the plastic coating off the spring and stretch the spring slightly. It can be pushed down the plughole and will navigate most bends. A few turns should snag any hirsute blockages which can be pulled back out!

Thanks for all suggestions..... Have taken out the little twist off trap..... The problem is at the bottom is a small outlet leading to down pipe.... This is actually a ubend pipe and usually the grunge is just trapped there but this time appears further down so very difficult to manipulate all the turns. Unfortunately doesn't exit externally into a grate...... Pipe connects underground. Gonna tackle with plunger tomorrow and go from there. Will let ye know how I get on!!