En suite shower drainage issue

[DIYSOS2018]

Hi all

Bit of a random problem I’d appreciate some advice with

Every couple of days when turning on our en suite shower the water begins to accumulate and not drain away. The drain has a hair catcher in it, which is never congested with hair, and once I remove this so the drain is bare the water still remains accumulated.

When I reach into the drain and agitate the drainage hole which is at a 90 degree angle and horizontal at the bottom of the drain, the water then drains away fine. Whilst agitating the drain I don’t feel any obstacles or debris so I’m at a bit of a loss as to why this problem keeps occurring.

Equally any advice to help resolve would be welcomed

Thanks

 

[foxhole]

It’s blocked. Try some drain cleaner.

 

[dilalio]

Hard to tell without knowing the waste run.
You may have a bit of a backfall on the drain or there might be gunge in the pipe.
Check downstream for any rodding points and get a drain snake to try and clear any oily residue which is notorious with shower wastes, due to all the showering products which contain natural oils these days and water and oil don't mix

 

[JaimieH]

Give it a good plunging, it's surprising how simple but effective it can be.

 

[Madrab]

Sounds like the trap outlet is catching air, and it's getting airlocked and that's holding back the water, agitating breaks that and allows it to flow properly.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Its air-locking sometimes, not enough fall or the fall isn't consistent. Maybe the pipe has a dip in the middle.

 

[DIYSOS2018]

Why would an air lock appear, after 2 1/2 years being in the house?

 

[Madrab]

The waste pipe/trap gets furred up over time, small restrictions from soap build up in bends, fall in the pipe run horizontal or close to it etc and that's just enough to slow the water down enough where the push from the air in the pipe has similar resistance to the weight of water coming from the tray & it's just enough to hold it until you break the seal with your finger.

It can't be anything else really with the symptoms and cure that you describe.

 

[DIYSOS2018]

Thanks, so what’s the longer term solution?

 

[dilalio]

Thanks, so what’s the longer term solution?

Depends on how the waste is run and what access you have to it.

Else, regular Maintenance of the trap and waste. Try some detergent down it and failing that, some dilute acid on a schedule.