What’s the first thing you do when you move into a new house? You take a shower. And how does that shower drain work out for you? Probably not too well. If your shower drains slowly or doesn’t drain at all, it might be time to fix them! Here are 8 steps on fixing shower drain plumbing!

Fixing Shower Drain Plumbing

Step 1. Preparation

You first need to prepare your workspace. First, open up the ceiling to expose any plumbing that is above it.

You may have a “T” joint in which case you will need to remove them from both ends and clean all of the debris out of there as well as clear off some space on the floor for easy maneuvering around while working under the sink or wherever you are working.

Step 2. Remove the Drain from the Shower Pan

In order to remove a drain from a shower pan, you will have to turn off the water supply and then disconnect your pipeline that is underneath it. Turn on both hot and cold faucets in order to empty all of the water out of there first before doing anything else so as not to flood yourself!

Once done, use an adjustable wrench or channel locks pliers for this step since it can be very tight under those types of fixtures. Then loosen up any screws down below if necessary but make sure they do not fall into the piping further inside, which could cause problems later if found difficult enough to get out again without taking everything apart once more. Make note, though, that you will have to re-install the screws later.

Step 3. Clean out Debris from Drain Pipe

Now that the drain is off, it’s time to clean out all of the gunk and other build-ups inside the pipe. You can use a shop vac for this or just pour some hot water down there and let it sit for a while before trying to flush it out with cold water. Doing so may help soften any hardened substances so they are easier to remove.

Step 4. Install New Drain Assembly

Once everything has been cleaned up, it’s now time to install your new drain assembly using either plumber’s putty or silicone caulk as your sealant material (depending on what type of drain you buy) to prevent any leaks.

Then put everything back together and turn on the water supply line before testing your drain to see if it works properly by turning off both faucets again once there is some draining done.

Step 5. Replace Grout & Re-caulk Shower Pan

If you have a fiberglass shower pan, then go ahead and replace grout but remember that silicone caulk does NOT stick well to this type of material so only use plumbers putty for this step instead!

If not, make sure after replacing your drain assembly that you re-caulk around the edges in order to seal up any spaces where moisture may come through over time which could cause problems with mold or mildew growth later. Also, check the screws that you reinstalled in Step Two to make sure they are tight and will not come loose over time.

Step 6. Check for any Water Leaks

Now is a good time to do a final walk-through of your work and look for any water leaks that may have been created from installing the new drain. If so, go ahead and fix them before moving on.

Step 7. Put Everything Back Together

Once everything has been checked for proper function, and there are no more leaks, put everything back together in reverse order of how it was taken apart. Be careful when tightening screws, as too much force can strip them or crack plastic fixtures.

Step 8. Finishing Touches

Finally, give everything a final cleaning and then go ahead and replace any grout if needed or towel rods that were removed. You can also re-caulk around the base of your shower walls (if fiberglass) for added protection from moisture build-up, which could cause problems down the road.

Then you will be ready to turn on the water supply line again and have yourself a nice hot bath! Finish by replacing all of those items you had to take off during this project such as doorknobs, toilet paper holders, etc. Once done with that, sit back and finally relax after an hour or two at most depending on how large your shower is! Good Luck!!

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