After using a small sink plunger on our shower drain about every week for a while, I finally ran a small snake a few feet down the line. When I pulled the snake out, there was a plastic funnel looking piece stuck to the end of it that I had pulled out from somewhere. It is about 4 inches long and looks kind of like a vacuum cleaner attachment. It has some text inscribed on the side that says "outside of finish wall between these two lines"

What is this thing? Did I just cause the need for an expensive repair?

What is this thing?
I don't know but it shouldn't have been there. You didn't break anything, you have probably solved your drainage problem.

I don't know but it shouldn't have been there. You didn't break anything, you have probably solved your drainage problem.


Thank you. That makes me feel better. In case somebody can identify the object (maybe used in construction and left in the pipe by mistake?) I have included a picture this time.

47122

Looks like a plastic protective cover for a tub or shower faucet stem.

Looks like some kind of guide that came with the tub and shower valve. Would have been used to properly position the valve when installing.
It is hard to judge size from a picture but if it is as big around as I think it is (between 1 and 1 1/2") it would have had to have gotten in the drain pipe before the tub was hooked up.

Congratulations, you have solved you drain problems.

Harold nailed it. Somebody dropped it into drain during construction. Good you were able to pull it out as it would certainly keep clogging your drain

Milo