{"id":6809,"date":"2021-07-25T05:48:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-25T05:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/familytravelfever.com\/?p=6809"},"modified":"2023-03-13T19:53:29","modified_gmt":"2023-03-13T19:53:29","slug":"rv-shower-wont-drain-causes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/familytravelfever.com\/rv-shower-wont-drain-causes\/","title":{"rendered":"RV Shower Won’t Drain: 7 Common Causes And Fixes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NOTE*** The content on this page may contain affiliate links, we may make a commission. And, as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0More information: disclosure page<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Realizing that your RV shower won\u2019t drain can be frustrating. This is especially true if it\u2019s the first time to ever happen to you and you\u2019re left totally clueless as to where to start. Even as a seasoned RVer, this actually happened to me twice this summer! Once, I made an embarrassing mistake that I will tell you about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just so you know, we are generally talking about the RV shower or bathtub not draining. I have a combination shower\/tub so the greywater backs up into the tub in my trailer. From my experience, I can answer: why is my camper shower not draining?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your RV shower is not draining, you may simply have a full gray water tank (maybe from forgetting to open the valve at full hookups), there may be a clog in the shower drain or P-trap, or the plumbing vents may be blocked. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Actually, I can think of 7 reasons why your shower is not draining. We will discuss these 7 common problems and show you the easiest fix. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is my RV shower not draining?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. The grey water tank is full.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. The grey water drain line valve is closed. <\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. RV\u2019s air admittance valve isn\u2019t working properly.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. The drain from the shower or tub could be clogged.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Plumbing vents could be blocked.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. The P-trap below the shower can get clogged.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Your shower drains into the black water tank.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    With the proper knowledge and right materials on hand, you can pinpoint the exact cause and know what to do about it next. With that, I have listed some of the common reasons as to why your RV shower is not draining. I\u2019ve also included their fixes as well as some important tips to keep in mind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    There are a few different possibilities as to why your RV shower won\u2019t drain. The most common one is actually the most obvious as well, which is that your tank is simply full. If this is not the case, though, you can go on and look for any visual traces as to why your shower is not draining. Some of these include clogged drains or blocked vents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you\u2019re still not sure what caused the problem, check the list below for further details and see what seems to best explain your situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    The Grey Water Tank is Full.<\/h2>\n\n\n
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    The shower or tub drain is generally the lowest drain point in your RV. So if the gray water tank is full, the first place you will see the water is the bottom of the shower. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When the RV\u2019s grey water tank gets filled to the brim, the water it has accumulated can start overflowing into the shower or sink where it is connected. This is why your RV shower is draining slowly or won\u2019t drain at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Sometimes, you may even see the water coming up on the lowest drain of your RV\u2019s greywater system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Generally, you can look at the indicator lights to know if your grey water tank is actually full. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    However, the readings on the tank level gauges can sometimes be inaccurate, or the holding tank monitor can be broken.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Honestly, I had this problem when we were not hooked up to full hookups during our summer on the east coast. And the worst part was it took me a while to figure it out:)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Solution:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The easiest solution is to keep your RV hooked up and make sure your indicator lights are working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A good rule of thumb is to always check the gauge first. If you see in the indicator that your tank\u2019s 3\/4 full, go to the nearest dump station and empty it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here is our guide on where to empty waste tanks. <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If the monitor shows that it still has space, try draining the grey water tank regardless to eliminate this as a possible cause. See if this resolves the problem. After that, you can search for ways to fix your tank gauge or look for a professional to troubleshoot it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Pro tip: <\/strong>Make it a habit to frequently check your water tank levels. Do this daily and try not to wait until the tanks become too full. It\u2019s best to dump them as soon as they reach the 3\/4 full mark.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    The Grey Water Drain Line is Closed. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Embarrassingly, this actually happened to me! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I had successfully hooked up the sewer hose to the tank and fastened them tightly. The thing is, I forgot to open the valve for the greywater to drain into the sewer. And so, the water didn\u2019t flow at all and was still left stuck in the tank. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    To make the story short, I was confused as to why the grey water tank still seemed full and wasn\u2019t draining properly. It took me some time to realize why I wasn\u2019t able to successfully drain it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Solution:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Always ensure that the grey water tank valve is securely connected to the sewer hose before anything else. <\/strong>Once fastened properly, the valve must then be pulled to open. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I generally leave the gray tank valves open when hooked up and stationary for a while in a warm place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    To know when the tank\u2019s empty, you can listen closely to see if you still hear liquid coming through. Once it has gone silent, your tank should be successfully drained. Make sure to completely close the valve after draining to avoid any leaks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Pro tip: <\/strong>You may have heard of some RV owner leaving the grey tank valve open for it to drain continuously in the sewer. While this may sound like a good hack, you may want to reconsider if you have any of these problems:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n