Slow Drain on Shower?

**steamboatwilly** · 28-11-2009, 08:39 AM

Folks,

We've had our new house built for nearly a year now and the showers are getting us down big time. We have 2 en-suite showers which don't seem to drain properly....like this from new.

The showers fill up when in use and you get about a minute before they're in danger of spilling out through the shower doors.
I've been told we have slow traps installed (but why???). We've used drain cleaner (Dam Buster) a few times and there's a small improvement for a while but then it all starts to flood again.

So....what can we do to improve them? The traps are above a large lounge and a dining room ceiling so I don't think we can take a board down and replace the traps.

Any ideas????

**kingkenny** · 28-11-2009, 01:31 PM

is the shower tray sitting on the floor,or on a plinth.
its possible that you could have a backfall on the waste pipe.

**steamboatwilly** · 28-11-2009, 04:03 PM

Hi kingkenny,

I saw them put the shower trays in and they're bang on level with a reasonable run on the drain pipe....not an enormous run but at least in the right direction.

The trays are on the floor not raised on a plinth....unfortunately.

**DAS** · 28-11-2009, 05:15 PM

Hi,

It does sound like a slight backfall..if it is a long run to the SVP then it is possible that the waste pipe could have sagged if not clipped.
Should be possible to investigate by removing floorboards to see the cause.

let me know hoe you get on ;-)

John (DAS)

I saw them put the shower trays in and they're bang on level with a reasonable run on the drain pipe....not an enormous run but at least in the right direction.

The trays are on the floor not raised on a plinth....unfortunately.[/QUOTE]

**kingkenny** · 28-11-2009, 05:38 PM

was this the type of trap used.

**steamboatwilly** · 28-11-2009, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by DAS

let me know hoe you get on ;-)

[/QUOTE]

Hi DAS, no, saw the pipes and they were clipped. Other plumber has said it's the wrong trap not the pipework. Does that sound possible?

**steamboatwilly** · 28-11-2009, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by kingkenny

was this the type of trap used.

Er, don't think so kk....it has a solid silver cap and a kind of grey trap down inside. The grey inner trap has three rectangular slots in the side which let the water through.

**kingkenny** · 28-11-2009, 06:37 PM

that is a standard mcalpine shower trap,the one they fitted could have been supplied with the tray,any idea what make the tray was.

**steamboatwilly** · 28-11-2009, 07:19 PM

I've just had a look at the chrome cap and it says IFLO. I can dig out the City Plumbing invoices to check what they all are.

**steamboatwilly** · 28-11-2009, 07:57 PM

....oh bum....missus says the City Plumbing invoices are down at the accountants for year-end. It'll have to be next week but really appreciate the comments so far.