Why is my shower not draining?
Water pools around your feet during a shower and drains slowly or not at all afterward.
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Key takeaways
- This is usually not an emergency, but it does not fix itself and it gets worse if you leave it.
- Most likely cause: Hair and soap scum in the trap.
- Do this first: Remove the strainer and pull out the hair mat with a drain tool, not your fingers.
- Call right away if sewage rather than gray water is coming up through the drain.
- The repair starts with: Clear the strainer and trap.
What it is
Shower that won't drain A shower that won't drain means water is pooling in the pan or tub during and after use because hair, soap residue, or debris has built up a blockage in the drain line.
It is not urgent, but standing water can seep past the drain seal and damage the subfloor if it is left unresolved for long.
The short answer
A shower that will not drain is usually blocked with hair and soap scum within the first two feet of the drain. Pull the strainer and clear what you can reach before anything else. If it drains slowly rather than not at all, the blockage is further down the branch line. If the tub or toilet nearby also backs up when the shower runs, the problem is the main line and clearing the shower drain will not fix it.
What it usually means
These are the causes we find most often, ranked from most likely to least.
- 1
Hair and soap scum in the trap
Most likely
The classic shower clog. It builds a mat right below the strainer.
- 2
Buildup along the branch drain line
Common
Years of soap and hair narrow the pipe until flow stops.
- 3
Blocked or restricted vent
Common
The drain cannot breathe, so it drains slowly and gurgles.
- 4
Main sewer line blockage
Less common
Multiple fixtures involved. The shower is just the lowest point.
- 5
Collapsed or bellied drain line
Occasional
Repeat clogs in the same spot usually mean a structural problem in the pipe.
What to do right now
- 1Remove the strainer and pull out the hair mat with a drain tool, not your fingers.
- 2Flush with hot water once the visible blockage is out.
- 3Skip the chemical drain cleaner. It rarely clears a hair mat and it damages older pipe.
- 4Check whether the tub or toilet also backs up, which changes the diagnosis.
When it is an emergency
- Sewage rather than gray water is coming up through the drain.
- Water backs up into the shower when the toilet is flushed.
What the fix involves
A trap level clog clears with a hand auger. A branch line clog gets cabled, and heavy soap and grease buildup gets hydro jetted so the pipe is actually clean rather than just punctured. Repeat clogs in the same spot get a camera inspection to check for a belly or a break.
- 1Clear the strainer and trap.
- 2Cable the branch drain line.
- 3Hydro jet where buildup coats the pipe wall.
- 4Camera the line when the clog returns.
What drives the cost
Every job is quoted before work begins. These are the factors that move the number on this kind of repair.
- Trap clog versus branch line versus main line
- Cabling versus hydro jetting
- Camera inspection and locating
- Access to a cleanout
Related problems homeowners ask about
Why is my drain gurgling?
Bubbling or glugging from a sink, tub, or toilet, often when a different fixture drains or a washing machine empties.
Read this nextWhy are multiple drains clogged at the same time?
Toilets, tubs, and floor drains back up together, water rises in the lowest fixture when an upstairs one is used, and drains gurgle across the house.
Read this nextWhy is sewage backing up into my shower?
Dark water or waste rising in a shower pan or tub, often when a toilet is flushed or a washing machine drains.
Read this next
Read more on this
This page is for triage and dispatch. These guides go deeper on how the work is done and what shapes the price.
Licenses, credentials, and company proof
- Colorado Master PlumberLicense MP-18927
- Colorado State Plumbing ContractorLicense 2110
- Family Owned & OperatedServing Denver since 2006, 20 years
- Better Business BureauAccredited Business, A+ rating
- Angie's List Super Service Award2012 through 2017
- Serving Denver since 2006Residential and commercial properties across the metro
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Straight answers on what shower not draining work costs, how fast we can get out, and what stands behind the repair.
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