Constant shower drain backup

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trw888

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The house: early 1950s on slab in Tucson with the original clay sewer lines.

Problem: Shower floor drain shower keeps backing up. It’s been doing this for about 1.5 years. For the first year, it was about every three or four months. It was never a full blockage, but a serious slowdown. I would clear it with a hand snake and it would be good to go another three or four months.

In November, I had a license plumber (independent, in business since 1940s, no “rooter” in the name. You guys would approve) clear the drain thinking that would take care of it once and for all. He snaked out 40 feet and said he didn’t find much except some hair. Two weeks later, it backed up worse than ever but I was able to clear with a hand snake again.

About a month ago, and on the advice of my father-in-law, who’s a retired plumber, I did a treatment of Drano Buildup Remover (this one surprised me b/c he’s always taken a dim view of liquid drain cleaners, but may the buildup remover is different?). Now, the drain backs up almost immediately when we turn on the shower every other day. But two to four hits with a floor plunger clears it.

So the bottom line is every time I do something to fix the problem there’s either no effect or it gets worse. Any thoughts?

We’re not having any other problems and the P-trap in the shower was replaced in July, 2008.

Thanks, Tim
 

FullySprinklered

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You're on a slab and you replaced the P-trap as part of putting in a new shower, I'm guessing. Did the shower drain move any from the original location?
 

trw888

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You're on a slab and you replaced the P-trap as part of putting in a new shower, I'm guessing. Did the shower drain move any from the original location?
Thanks for the respond. The p-trap was replaced because the original had rotted out after 55 years or so. It has not moved
 

trw888

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Nope. Sorry. Nothing. Nothing has changed about that drain and shower since the p-trap was replaced in 2008.
 

cowdough

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Nope. Sorry. Nothing. Nothing has changed about that drain and shower since the p-trap was replaced in 2008.
I'm having a similar issue with my shower. Its in my shop. I spend a lot of time there so when I got the building I framed a shower put in a fiberglass pan and plumbed it into the existing sink drains. It worked great til I did a few dishes in the sink. Now it backs up and fills the pan. Plunging does nothing. Liquid fire does nothing. I took it all apart and snaked it and that did nothing. Bath sink drains fine. Toilettes fine and sinks by shower drain fine but cause water to come up shower drain if faucets are turned on to high. Am I missing something?
 
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