Grouted in shower drain clogged up

jgv

jgv

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My shower is not draining fast enough lately. I suspect the issue is a large wad of my daughters long hair down in the drain. You may be able to see from the picture that the drainscreen is grouted in--removing the screws won't remove the screen. How do I go about getting this drain moving. I stood in > 1 inch of water which I hate and can't be good. thanks, jgv/pandora
 

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re-grout?

If I got the drain screen out neatly, should I regrout? or is the mechanism leak free and the grout is for looks? thanks, jgv/pandora
 
I doubt that the grout is holding the cover in.

It may just need a nudge to pop it out.
The grout just around the drain is mainly for looks, so if you have knocked out any grout in the process, I would replace it for that reason.
 
Usually the strainer can be unscrewed and taken out without breaking the grout. If it does come out a little no big deal. Grout is very cheap and very easy to replace.
 
The grout at that spot is just cosmetic; it does not seal anything. If it chips out at all when you pop out the strainer, I might just look for some color-matched caulk to trim it up with when you reinstall the strainer.
 
By the way, in my opinion that is a very good looking tile job. Whoever did that took some time and great care.
 
That is a pretty serious cut and grout job around the drain, isn't it? Love seeing such fine work :)

Often on those drains, the grate is clicked into place - as the other guys said, the grate just gets popped off by prying and when you put it back on it should slightly click or snap back into place without too much effort...
 
I'd take the screws out, then lightly tap around the edge with a ball-peen hammer. I think it would lift out after that. Don't hit the grout. My unprofessional opinion.
 
I'll try your suggestions...

... and let you know how it goes. Thanks.
 
you lead me to where no one should go...

... your suggestions worked great. I scored the grout and tapped a few times. What you didn't do for me was prepare me properly for what would be down there!!! I had to have my husband finish the job cause this aged hairball retrieval was not a ladies' domain!

thanks!
 
Picture

I took a picture and the camera gagged and threw up.
 
Very helpful. I started with the same dilemma but my experience was different.

After hammering a great deal I changed the plan. I had hammered so hard that I thought grout was about to crack everywhere in the shower. There was no sign of the strainer plate being loose.

So I chipped away grout down to the bottom of the strainer plate in one spot. Then I pried the plate up. It came up surprisingly easy. There was a small "pop' when it came loose. I guess the hammering had loosened it, but not enough for the plate to visibly shift in its resting place. This showed me I was wrong in thinking the plate was "glued" in by grout. I found no ground stuck to the edge of the plate. I guess grout does not bind to steel.

After this experience I wonder if you had the right tool ... maybe a rod or stiff wire with a hinged "hook" that fit through a drain hole and hinged open underneath ... you could lift a stuck plate without damaging grout and tiles around the drain. Last year I tried this with a coat hanger but was not successful. But I didn't know to hammer the plate loose first.
 
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