What is a Shower Drain?
A shower drain is a plumbing fixture positioned between a shower enclosure and a drainage pipe that captures water and funnels it into the sewage waste water system. Unlike a tub drain – where you may find a shower installation also – a shower drain does not normally incorporate a levered fixture which blocks the drain in order to allow water to fill the tub. Every shower drain includes a grid, strainer, vent and trap. The grid has an arrangement of holes or slots that allow water to freely flow through them. The strainer is immediately below the grid and prevents objects large enough to clog the drain or waste pipe from entering the drain. The trap is a u-shaped pipe that traps water in order to block sewer gasses from escaping back up the drain into the bathroom. The vent is a pipe that provides air pressure in the system. The challenge for shower drains, and all fixture-to-waste junctions, is to perform the task of moving water from one to the other without leaking and without allow