Blocked shower waste + awkward pipework

Hi All,

My shower waste keeps blocking & after more times than I can remember clearing temporarily with chemicals & prodding and poking with some very long plumbers snakes, I'd like to get to the bottom of it. I think this means exploring from the other end. The picture shows where the shower waste (the white one) attaches to the soil pipe. It's an awkward arrangement with solvent-weld joints. The top elbow is very close to the wall, so if I cut it off I don't think I'll be able to re-fit a new similar elbow. The bottom of the arrangement is also just about uphill, so ideally I'd like a different layout.


Can anyone suggest any tips for how to take this all apart and reassemble?

Thanks a lot,
Adam

cut and cap off the pipe - then using swept bends, like the grey pipe re do it going into a new strap boss. You do have enough out the wall to get another solvent fitting. By the look of it.

Looks like the pipe goes into the strap boss with a rubber bung gasket ? If so you should be able to pull it out and redo the run.

What's it like inside? How many bends are in there, if any?

As @Nige F suggests, cut out and fit in swept bends where possible. Make sure there is enough fall on the run too as a lot of showers may not have a large flow of water to aid in self cleaning. Also employ a regular cleaning regime with boiling water.

Thanks all, that's really helpful. I'll give it a go this weekend. (~5m straight run inside)

I'd cut top bend off as tightly to the fitting as possible to leave maximum length of pipe available. (Be careful, as pipe may have become brittle from weathering, you want to cut it, not shatter it!) Carefully clean out waste run, advise eye/face protection, long sleeves and stout rubber gloves as a minimum, any chemical still present in the system will melt skin and tissue without a second thought.

Once you've got it clear, repair and add option for future cleaning access. I'd glue on a Tee, with the swept branch socket pointing downwards. Fit a access plug in the horizontal open end, giving you future access along the run internally, then rejoin to existing boss using bends as required.