Blocked shower and sink in en-suite, could the waste pipe be frozen?

spinningsheep

My shower in my en-suite is blocked and so is the basin, as they share the same drain. The toilet is fine. I have checked the shower in the main bathroom and all is well. It wasn't draining slowly or anything earlier today but now it is blocked solid. I have put a bottle of that Mr Muscle drain gel down in case it is caused by hair/gunk etc, and a kettle of hot water but I also wondered, could the drain pipe that carries the waste water into the main drainpipe at the rear of the house ( which also serves main bathroom and shower etc and is wide sized) is frozen inside as it's a normal sized sink drain type of pipe? It has been around -6 here all day and down to -12 or so last night, colder tonight so I am wondering if this could be cause? Any advice appreciated.

tony6403

I was called out today to investigate why a domestic power supply had tripped out.
To cut a long story short , it was because a very small leak on a sink tap had overnight caused the drain pipe to ice up forming an approx 10" plug of ice . This stopped the washing machine from draining and it discharged the waste water back up into the sink which overflowed. Some of the water made its way into the backbox supplying the washer and tripped the fusebox.
So , it seems a definite possibility that your shower and sink drain could have iced up similarly. The drain pipe(s) from your shower and sink will be inch and a quarter or inch and a half and will most likely be joined to the main soil pipe with strap bosses.
It is surprising just how much effort is required to melt such an ice plug. Hot water will eventually do the trick but don't expect an instant result. Adding salt to the water should assist. If you can pull the pipes apart outside de-icing is somewhat easier.

spinningsheep

Cheers, as I feared.any ideas how to unfreeze it? I've tried pouring hot water down drain.just backs up.also tried salt in the water too, nothing.reakon it's just a case of waiting until the weather warms up and it naturally defrosts?

tony6403

Now you've got me thinking.
Wonder what effect ( if any ) car antifreeze would have??

Party_Animal

If the waste pipe is falling properly it shouldn't freeze. It would only freeze if it was holding water somewhere. It can take a long time to clear with hot water, depending on the length of the run. I've cleared them with the blowlamp on low in the past.

wallbash

I've cleared them with the blowlamp on low in the past.

Non plastic . i'm guessing .
My tip is tea towel tied round pipe. Then slowly pour boiling water on towel
, repeat when towel cools.

ormus

you can still use a heat gun on frozen plastic pipes. with care of course.
always best to dismantle the pipes first. makes the job easier.

i did one last year. used a long wooden stick/pole to push out a huge slug of ice.

latecomer

ormus wrote: »

you can still use a heat gun on frozen plastic pipes. with care of course.

Perhaps a hair drier might be better just to be safe

ormus

latecomer wrote: »

Perhaps a hair drier might be better just to be safe

perhaps. but i aint got all day to find out.:p
esp outside in these temps.

LeeG

Unlbocked mine today with warm water, cold body and lots of patience, nearly 1 hour of pouring hot water onto frozen outside pipes....Then used a drain unblocker to clean both bath and sink pipes....

muckybutt

Got the same problem -6 here all day -12 last night, just the sink blocked solid by a 42mm plug of ice. It froze through the wall and then froze the u bend as well for good measure, took me half an hour to dismantle and free it all.