Discovering that your shower won’t drain—and that the water is backing up into the pan—is frustrating. If it’s the middle of winter and your bathroom is on an exterior wall, the likely culprit is a frozen P-trap.
If the blockage is ice, chemical drain cleaner will simply pool on top of it. When it eventually thaws, you’ll have a highly corrosive liquid surging through your pipes—dangerous for you and potentially damaging to old metal plumbing. shower p trap frozen
Bottom line: Be patient, use gentle heat, and never rush to pour chemicals into ice. Discovering that your shower won’t drain—and that the
Here’s what you need to know to fix it safely. use gentle heat