Shower Drain Backing Up...

[Don Ro]

when I drain the kitchen sink almost full of water.
No other source that I've found...not the toilets. I've flushed both a few times running from one bathroom to the next.
Where's the blockage, gents?
I poured half of this super nasty chemical unplugger down the kitchen sink, waited an hour and poured in a couple of gals. of boiling water and it all just came back up in the shower drain.
.
Do I continue with this strategy or call a plumber to have the main line hogged out?
Thanks.

.
Instant Power 67.6 oz. Hair and Grease Drain Opener-1970 - The Home Depot

[look 171]

Don,

Sounds like your shower is down stream from the kitchen sink. Have a plumber come out and snake it from the shower. At the same time, have him snake the p- trap in the kitchen also.

[look 171]

If that stuff from Home Depot doesn't open it, then its not the trap. Instant Power works great at opening up p-traps. Are the drain pipe ABS or cast iron?

[Don Ro]

"Are the drain pipe ABS or cast iron?"
~~~~~~~~
Dunno.
But say more, please.
Thanks for the info.

[Don Ro]

Oh, wait.
Drain pipe under the kitchen sink is ABS.

[look 171]

Reason I ask is that ABS (the big 4" drain) usually do not clog up because its plastic and nothing grows on it. Cast iron has all kinds of rust and calcification to catch all type of toilet paper and hair causing clogs. Drain pipe under sink is not a big deal but we usually install all that with ABS to make sure there will never have any chance of leakage. PITA, but worth the effort. How old is the house? ABS is only popular in the past 30-40 years around here.

When you fill the sink or does the shower drain slowly after water is allowed to sit for some time? If that happens, you have a blockage that narrowed up in the pipe only allowing a small amount of water to drain through. If Instant Power doesn't open it, its time to stop messing around and call the big guns in to get that out.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

Oh, wait.
Drain pipe under the kitchen sink is ABS.

Your kitchen is not clogged, neither is your shower. It is down there beyond the shower. Maybe in the branch line going into the main line?

[Don Ro]

Ought I dump some Instant Power into the shower drain?
Of course, after it drains that black crap out.

[GWN7]

Cast Iron can rust internally. Looks fine from the outside but can be badly blocked inside.

"Sounds like your shower is down stream from the kitchen sink. Have a plumber come out and snake it from the shower. At the same time, have him snake the p- trap in the kitchen"

[Don Ro]

The reviews on Amazon and Home de Pot say to leave it for many hours...6 - 7, so that it eats what ever is in there.
I guess I can always run a snake into the shower drain...I have one somewhere.

[Don Ro]

Interesting that I don't use that shower.

[look 171]

Instance Power has something that's acidic and that it should not be left in there for no more then 15 -20 min. it will burn all the bio "stuff" out within that time. Maybe this is a weaker product? I wouldn't leave it in there for that long, but then I haven't used that particular one you mentioned. These solutions are really only good at opening up P-traps burning away hair.

There is no magic solution here. If your pipe (depending on what it is you have down there?) are clogging up, that only means there are narrowed areas elsewhere. Maybe a root has gotten into the steel pipe. Call your roto-rooter and nipped it in the butt.

[Don Ro]

"...does the shower drain slowly after water is allowed to sit for some time? If that happens, you have a blockage that narrowed up in the pipe only allowing a small amount of water to drain through."
~~~~~~~`
Still the 4" of dirty black water sitting in shower stall after two hours of backing up.
OK...I guess you're right...call in the big guns.
Thanks a bunch.

[look 171]

Lots of trees? Is it a slab or raised foundation?

How old is the house. Maybe its time to have the whole thing snaked?

[Jim Bremner]

pour in 2, 2 liters of coke. let it sit over night and flush.

[Don Ro]

Two huge Orange trees on the side of the house where my master bedroom is...bath/shower is in my master bedroom.
Trees are a good ten feet above the roof and big enough to shade 80% of that side of the house.
.
Slab.
.
Built in early '60's.

[Don Ro]

"pour in 2, 2 liters of coke. let it sit over night and flush."
~~~~~~~~~
Any Rum w/that?

[pmax]

Sounds like your mainline is clogged.

Call the plumber.

[Don Ro]

I guess so, eh?
I'll look tomorrow for some discount on plumbing services.
The good news is that the standing water doesn't stink.
.
Thanks gents for the participation.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

I guess so, eh?
I'll look tomorrow for some discount on plumbing services.
The good news is that the standing water doesn't stink.
.
Thanks gents for the participation.

Yeah, that's all your water, not your neighbor's. Call a roto-rooter guy. They have all the right tools whereas a regular plumber might have a small snake, well many of them are snakes too. Some of them have the portable waterjet if necessary. Good luck, let us know how it goes.