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hedcase · May 10, 2006, 05:14 PM

When I take a shower, after a couple minutes, the water slowly accumulates at my feet and stops draining out. Then after the shower is off, it slowly drains out. Also, when we run a load of laundry, both bathtubs/showers on the floor back up with "lint-filled" water. Now I know that the washer expels a lot more water than the shower or toilet. What I'm trying to figure out, is if I can run a snake down the pipe to clear this out, or where to access the pipe from. Should I stick the snake down where the washer drains into? My home is a three level townhome,both bath tubs and washer are on the top floor, and there doesn't appear to be any issues downstairs. Please help, I want to stop having to clean my shower everyday!

letmetellu · May 10, 2006, 09:46 PM

I would think that you need to run the snake down the vent pipe that goes from the washer drain to the roof. If you try to go through the pipe that the washer drains into you will hit a P-trap and it would be very hard to run a cable as far as needed. How far is it from your washer drain to the nearest commode? That is probably about how far you will have to run the snake to clean out the line completely.

Now I think the water in the shower as you take a bath is another problem. I think there is a partial stoppage in the line going from the shower itself. Take the strainer plate off the shower drain and shine a flashlight in it to just see what you can see, you may see a bunch or hair and goop that you can remove with some type of tool. If you don't see anything then run your snake through the drain as you are running water. If the water builds up in the floor that is good as lond as you don't let it get over an inch or so deep, then as you are running the snake through the l;ine and the water suddenly goes away you will know that you have reached the spot where the clog is or was. Continue to twist the snake and pull back a foot or so and then back in, do this several times as the water is running to wash the clog all the way out of the line.

speedball1 · May 11, 2006, 05:34 AM

I agree with everything letmetellu has said with one minor exception.
You say, " When we run a load of laundry, both bathtubs/showers on the floor back up with "lint-filled" water. Now I know that the washer expells a lot more water than the shower or toilet. What I'm trying to figure out, is if I can run a snake down the pipe to clear this out, or where to access the pipe from."
Let me advises going down the washer vent. While this would get it you would be putting out more cable then you have to. Since the partial block is obviously downstream from the fixtures that are backing up wouldn't it make more sense to send your snake down the pipe that vents the fixture that backs up farthest down stream? Just a suggestion on my part. They wouldn't let me post a comment but I wanted to say. " Great advice Letmetellu, you're a real asset to the plumbing page." Regards, Tom

hedcase · May 11, 2006, 04:44 PM

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm going to try some things this weekend and repost with an update!:D

letmetellu · May 11, 2006, 09:59 PM

Thanks Speedball 1 for the compliment. I read a lot of your comments and answers to questions and I think they are great and you go into a lot of detail where I try to make it as simple as I can because I think a lot of the people that ask these questions do not understand a lot of the techinal language. One thing I refer to it the comment about: ((((Since the partial block is obviously downstream from the fixtures that are backing up wouldn't it make more sense to send your snake down the pipe that vents the fixture that backs up farthest down stream?))))) I am not sure the average guy would know what you mean. But keep doing your thing you are great about telling what things look like and sending sites to visit or jpg to reference to. And thanks again for the good words about me, maybe together we can save the world.