PigletJohn, would you like to look at this plughole? I'm sure you would.

[FreezerBird]

The shower in our ensuite has been giving us loads of problems with leaking. The idiot person who lived here before us had tiled it straight onto plywood, so we had the whole thing retiled onto a proper surface, and thought that would sort it.

But no.

I was pretty sure that the silicone around the plug had failed, so we've been getting that out as best we can in order to replace, but today having another look I'm wondering if there's a leak at the top of the drainage pipe.

In the attractive photos, you can see a white bar across the plug hole. This moves up and down and does not seem to be attached to the pipe. In one photo it is at the highest it will go, in the other the lowest. You can also see what looks like a black elastic band which looks like it is some sort of seal which has pinged out of place. So now I'm wondering if that's a seal that has failed and is the reason for the leak.

If it is that, how the heck do I sort it out?

Short version of post: all I want is a usable shower! we've been here three years now, how hard can it be?!

[PigletJohn]

I don't recognise it. Shower wastes have a special trap, sometimes with a grot basket so you can clean out the hair and toenails from above. There should be a grille on top to prevent your toe going down the hole.

I can't make out the rubber band, it is probably the seal meant to go between trap and waste.

I think I would have a new one fitted, preferably by a competent plumber. There should be at least one big round flat plastic seal which I suppose lasts about 20 years. If not well-tightened, they will leak. You need to measure the hole, and the space underneath, before buying one to suit. Keep the fitting/cleaning instructions

It is possible to get shower trays that stand on legs/frame (riser kit) and have removable side/front panels so you can get at the plumbing, they are a good idea but not often seen.

[PigletJohn]

here's an example of a good shower waste by McAlpine, but I think your plughole is smaller, so this one would be too big. They do also make smaller ones.

[StonedGalah]

I wanted PigletJohn to answer my plumbing q or anyone tbh, l didn't know l had to put your name in the title!

[PigletJohn]

you don't

A sack of gold works just as well.

[StonedGalah]

Thank you!

[TheCrowFromBelow]

OP have you tried twisting the white bar and lifting? We have a hideous trap in our shower (AKA the grot basket thanks PigletJohn!) which twists and lifts out, there's a removable grille on the top. It's pretty grim, even when I know it's just my hair in it.

[TheUnwillingNarcheska]

That looks like one we used to have years ago, it twists to unlock.

It will have two tiny lugs on the side so that you drop it back into place and twist it to lock the lugs. Keep twisting a little bit then try to lift it out, give it a yank when it is in the highest position. It is just a tube so doesn't have any filter.

If you think the sealant has failed can you not remove the entire thing and replace it or are you struggling to access underneath? All our showers, current and previous, have been on a shower tray with legs so you can get underneath.

[FreezerBird]

Oooh, thank you good people and good piglets!

I fear our shower tray is tricky to access, but haven't looked in detail yet. What really cheeses me off is that if we do need to remove the shower tray, it will mean removing (or damaging) some of the new tiling we had done, because we were pretty sure that that's where the problem lay and I'm not sure the plumber who came to look, and then did the tiling, even looked at the plughole.

Mind you, the tiling really did need doing, but I think we should have investigated further before doing it.