Ask Me Help Desk - Shower won't drain

Shower won't drain

Hi just wondering if I can get some advice.6 months ago we got a brand new bathroom done with new pipe work .the bath basin and toilet drain fine but the shower won't drain it just fills with water. The drain is not the standard 40 or 50 mil drain it an imported drain I think.could the sise of drain be the probleb?or could you healp what might be the problem thanks

Could it have not been installed properly or never completely hooked up to the other plumbing?

Don't think plumber installed correctly as there is a s trap connectes straight to another s trap I not sure if this is problem or not

Can you run a snake through the traps? I would start by trying that. It might be creating some sort of air lock? Can you unhook it easily to make only one trap? I can't quite picture the situation, but it seems like one of the traps would be sufficient, and the double might be causing a problem?

We asked the plumber if the drain was suitable and he kind of um and said yeah 2000 dolllar bathroom job and can't even use shower .the plumber has not even supplied certifficate of compliance or supplied any reciepts I have asked for for our proof of payment .I rang the comistion board of plumbing which now this plumber has told a few stories one of them we have not paid him.although he was paid 2 days after laying base work down and not finished job.so I hope you are right and it is the double s trap causeing the problem

Sue the plumber!! "S" traps are outlawed in all the states and Canada as is double trapping a fixture. Take your receipts to court, proving that you paid him, and use the money the court awards you to tear out his work and do the job right. Keep me in the loop on this and let me know the outcome.
Oh! And another reason the shower won't drain is t6haqt thye4 tile man didn't close off the drain when he did the mortar and let some dowm into the trap where it's now blocking the flow. Good luck and let me know, Tom

Ty but only 1 problem takeing him to court .e never supplied us with recieps. I asked and asked he said I will drop around next night. Still to this day I have seen no reciepts or certificate of compliance .so really I a bit stuck.I live in australia victoria so is double s trap illigal?

Quote:

Originally Posted by roach79

ty but only 1 problem takeing him to court .e never supplied us with recieps. i asked and asked he said i will drop around nex night. still to this day i have seen no reciepts or certificate of compliance .so really i a bit stuck.i live in australia victoria so is double s trap illigal?

If you have a building department complain to them. If they inspect plumbing jobs in Australia ask for a inspection and inform them who did the work. You have two violations that I know of,( and God knows how many that I don't)
1) If "S" traps were legal there would be no need for vents. A "S" trap produces a vacume as it drains and that vacume could lower the trap seal allowing sewer gas to enter your home. Sewer gas is harmful to your familys health and is dangerous because the methane content's explosive.
2) I can't believe this one. Double trapping will also lower the trap seal but this is the first time ( in over 50 years in plumbing) that I have ever heard of a double "S" trap.
Your plumber in not only incompetent but he's a danger to the health of the people that hire him. Haul him into court and sue the pants off him and use the noney to get the job done right. Please keep me in the loop on this. Plumbers like him make me ashamed to call myself a -plumber.. Good luck and keep me informed. Tom

Hi ty .my husband said he will fix himself .but was wondering if you can give us advice on what parts we need. We want to take the drain that's in shower out .and put a 51 mill drain in so there is only 1 trap.the drain that's in at the moment has a inbuilt trap. And the plumber connected another trap to that . Do we need any more pipeing for the new drain or do I just hook the existig trap to the new drain ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by roach79

hi ty .my husband said he will fix himself .but was wondering if u can give us advice on what parts we need. we want to take the drain thats in shower out .and put a 51 mill drain in so there is only 1 trap.the drain thats in at the moment has a inbuilt trap. and the plumber connected another trap to that . do we need any more pipeing for the new drain or do i just hook the existig trap to the new drain ?

If the drain already has a trap then cut out the second one and hook the remaining one to the drain line. Along with the botched job did the plumber vent any of his work? Please explain, in detail, what you hgave installed now. You do knon the difference between a "P" trap and a "S" trap, (see images) don't you?
Regards and good luck, Tom

Hi tom bathroom is completed the only item that isn't functinoal is the shower .whats been installed in bathroom is the basin vanity .bath.toilet.and the shower. The plumber has put a vent conecting to the main sewer line I think