Showering in ankle-deep water isn't ideal, and is usually a sign of something wrong with your plumbing. If you are taking a shower, and suddenly the water is up to your ankles or halfway up your legs before you finish your shower, it is a sign that there is a clog. Chemicals, snaking and a call to the plumber may be in order, and it will certainly slow your morning to a grinding halt. The biggest cause of shower drain clogs is hair, and there are steps you can take to prevent stopped up bathtub drains in your home.
Stop the hair from getting into the drain
In order to prevent a hair clog, it makes sense to stop hair from reaching your drain. There are several drain strainers on the market. They are usually plastic, though you can probably get your hands on a stainless steel one too. They are inexpensive, and made to fit a standard bathtub and/or shower drain. They fit just over top of the drain and collect hair while letting the water flow through and down the pipe. After showering, remove the drain strainer and tap the hair into the garbage. Don't rinse the hair out at the sink, because that will just transfer your clogged drain problem to a new location. Make sure the strainer is reinserted after cleaning, because this works best if it's used every time the shower runs.
Maintain a clear path
Another preventative measure would be the use of boiling water down the drain. Use at least a kettle full of boiling water, and run it down the drain straight off the boil. This boiling water can help loosen and remove gunk from the sides of your shower drainage pipes. Shampoo and soap residue can build up on your pipes just like they can on the sides of your tub or shower. Follow that up by running water from the bathtub or shower down the drain, to keep pushing the gunk out. If your drain was slow moving already, there is a slight chance that this action will cause the gunk to ball up even more and create a clog further down the pipe. You may need a plumber for that. This preventative measure works best with a free flowing drain. While hair, body debris and product usage are the main culprits of clogged drains, be aware that other items, especially small toys dropped by small children can cause the clog. If in doubt, call a company like A Absolute Plumbing & Heating.
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