Shower Drain keeps backing up

[michaelpenny111]

My wife and I live in a modern house built in Virginia in 2011. I assume it was built according to code because it was inspected and built by professionals. Mostly the house is great, but the shower has been backing up every few months. For about $100 I bought a 20 volt snake, and it helped to clear the drain a couple of times. I have also used baking soda/vinegar to clear it out. That helps too. Sometimes boiling water has helped. I called a plumber a couple of times who snaked it out. Yet still every few months it backs up.
I will say that I practice abhyanga which is a practice of oiling the body, and the excess oil goes into the drain, but it's not that much oil. Maybe a tablespoon a day. Two questions:

First of all, why could it be backing up so easily?

And then, is there some kind of more powerful snake that can power through the clog, wherever it is?

 

[Breplum]

There are many high quality professional snakes on the market. If you have access to the underside of the house, check the plumbing.
Oil is likely a contributor.
Plastic pipe is slippery and normally doesn't tend to be causative for clogging. Cast iron pipe and fittings can be rough and in unlucky circumstance, I have had ongoing clogging at a shower with a cast iron p-trap that was not readily accessible.
Baking soda and vinegar will not do much.
Caustic and dangerous professional chemical drain cleaners are problematic because if they do not clear the clog, snaking has then become a chemical hazard that nobody wants to touch.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

1. With the drain clogged badly, let the drain sit overnight so that what can slowly drain drain. Pour water from a 5 gallon bucket, and estimate how much of the water remains when the drain starts backing up. We can estimate how far away the clog is.

2. In selecting an oil, pick one that stays liquid as it cools to drain pipe temperatures.

3. How far can you snake with your 20 volt snake? I presume the snake rotates as it cleans. Can you tell when you get to a clog place? Does it come up with hair?

4. If you can lift the grill on the drain, try a medium drain bladder pressurized with a garden hose. You can get pressure from an outside spigot, a laundry tap, or an adapter available to replace some aerators at the lavatory faucet.

5. Consider a bigger snake, perhaps run by a drain cleaning specialist.

 

[michaelpenny111]

Thank you so much. I appreciate all your input.

 

[Bannerman]

If you are inserting your snake through the actual shower drain, navigating the 'P' trap will likely limit the diameter of auger that maybe inserted. Is there an accessible cleanout port located downstream from the shower drain 'P' trap, thereby permitting a larger diameter auger to be inserted?

Once drain flow is resumed, consider using a liquid drain enzyme (non caustic) to dissolve remaining oil, protein and soap residue adhering to the interior pipe surfaces. Since enzymes work slowly, nightly applications may be required initially, but once the residue has been removed, then a weekly preventative maintenance application may be sufficient to prevent further buildup.

 

[michaelpenny111]

Great input. Thank you.