DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hi guys, i have an issue with my bath/shower. Every 3 or 4 days i need to plunge it as the water starts to drain very slowly. Is there likely to be some sort of blockage in the pipes below and should i dismantle them. Its really strange because its only me (man with receeding hair and my son that use this shower, so not lumps of hair going down the drain) but it tends to block quite frequently.
Also i just recently had lamenent flooring laid and the sink was disconnected and put back. However, the cold tap is now the hot tap and vice versa.I can get the plumber back if required but if its an easy fix im sure i could manage myself. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

I'm afraid I don't know about the drains. The simplest way to fix the taps would be to swap the tap tops. Often there is a cap on the top part of the tap which can be levered off with a small screwdriver and a screw underneath which removed the head. This will mean the hot and cold may be the wrong way round in which case get the plumber back and tell him to fix it. You've paid for the job to be done so there's no reason it shouldn't be done correctly.

Thanks AC Simpson. I'll try to swap the taps over. I can always get the plumber back but if its a simple job then i will have an attempt at it myself. Thanks for taking the time out to reply

"Hi guys, i have an issue with my bath/shower. Every 3 or 4 days i need to plunge it as the water starts to drain very slowly. Is there likely to be some sort of blockage in the pipes below and should i dismantle them. Its really strange because its only me (man with receeding hair and my son that use this shower, so not lumps of hair going down the drain) but it tends to block quite frequently."

Not just hair - soap scum is the worst culprit. Stick a chemical waste cleaner down it. The simplest if you don't want to buy a branded product best is caustic soda and a kettle full of very hot water.


"Also i just recently had lamenent flooring laid and the sink was disconnected and put back. However, the cold tap is now the hot tap and vice versa.I can get the plumber back if required but if its an easy fix im sure i could manage myself. Thanks for taking the time to read this."

If you have flexi connections he's just swapped the tails. Turn off the isolating valves and swap the flexis over - simples. However, convention has it that the hot tap should be on the left and the cold on the right. If they were previously the other way round he may have swapped them deliberately.

Cheers