Shower drains slowly
Urgency
2/5
Honest verdict: you can likely DIY this$0–$350Typical repair cost
Likely causes, most common first
- Hair + soap plug in the first foot of drain — the 90% case
- Partially blocked trap further down
- Whole-house slow drains: a main-line question, different league
Do this right now
- Pull the cover and use a $5 plastic hair snake — gross, effective, done
- Follow with hot water + dish soap; skip chemical openers (they cook hair into cement and eat old pipes)
DIY or call a pro?
If snaking the first foot doesn't fix it, or MULTIPLE fixtures drain slow (that's the main line talking), stop DIY-ing and call — repeated chemical attempts make the eventual pro fix worse.