You are not alone if your tub is draining slowly. The same cause causes clogs in most bathtubs. Additionally, the process takes time. Regular drain cleaning will prevent significant clogs from developing in the future. The great news is that fixing most drain issues is straightforward. We'll check your ability to do that. Let's first examine some of the typical causes of bathtub clogs.
What Leads to Slow Bathtub Draining?
Knowing what causes bathtub drain clogs can help you prevent more issues. The following are the main causes of bathtub clogs:
- Hair: The most frequent cause of bathtub clogs is hair. Most of the time, hair comes out in little bits after taking a bath. Some of them fail to pass through the drain. They become trapped inside the pipes by soap scum and tiny particles. As the hair builds up, your drain slows down and eventually clogs.
- Soap scum: When soap combines with the calcium in the water, a white mark known as soap scum is created. In hard water, it is more prevalent. These stains could be seen on the walls of your bathroom. The drain pipes may become clogged by the same stains that can collect there.
- Hard water: Calcium and magnesium are among the minerals found in hard water. These minerals collect inside the drain pipes when the water is heated, forming scale. Scaling accumulates over time and begins to entrap hair and other debris. The pipes become thinner and the drain water moves more slowly if you don't clean them.
- Solid materials: Sand, tiny particles of soap, and other solid objects that are flushed down the drain can all cause clogs.
How to Improve Slow Drainage in a Tub
Although not all bathtubs function in the same way, most do. Before calling a plumber when you notice that your drain is slow, give it a closer look. It can be a simple issue that you can solve. So attempt to stick to these instructions and see if you can get your bathtub's slow drain to work again.
Step 1. Remove The Drainage Knob
You may drain the water from your bathtub by turning a little knob inside the tub. To remove the top piece, use pliers. The interior screw can then be removed with a screwdriver. To view the cross-section within the drain pipe, remove the complete drain cover.
Step 2: Hand-Remove Big Debris
It is simple to reach the cross-section directly below the drainage knob with your fingers. Therefore, manually remove any substantial debris lodged in this area.
Step 3: Use A Fishing Tool To Pull Deeper Materials Out
You are unable to place your hands beneath the cross-section. Get a drain snake, then. If you don't have one, cut a sharp hook out of a coathanger and use that instead. In the drain pipe, dip the wire. Rotate the wire while scratching the pipe walls to see if you can capture something. Utilizing the wire, remove all the components you can.
Step 4: Test The Drain With Water.
Try flushing a couple gallons of water down the drain to see if it helps. If there is no progress, the blockage is out of your tool's reach. You may require a longer tool or use an alternative strategy. The P-trap may be the source of the issue because the majority of drain snakes are lengthy enough to get to it.
Step 5: Soften Soap Scum with Hot Water
It can be difficult to empty the P-trap with a fishing tool. So, pour hot water into the bathtub. Then let it go so it can go into the drain. Use a plunger to pressurize the drain once the water has helped to dislodge the soap scum.
As an alternative to the hot water, you can instead use baking soda and white vinegar. Pour one-half of a cup of baking soda down the drain. After adding a cup of white vinegar and waiting five minutes, the mixture should be run under hot water for about a minute.
You might consider calling a plumber if you don't see any change in your bathtub's drain. Avoid any delays because they could make the situation worse. If the plumbing system is damaged, it can also end up costing you more in the long run.
Let Us Aid You
If you notice that your bathtub is draining slowly, act right away. To unclog the drain pipe, adhere to the methods mentioned above. If you haven't cleaned your pipes in a while, you could require professional help even if it's just a little issue that you can fix in a few minutes.
Do you require the assistance of a qualified Long Island plumber to clear your clogged drains? For all of your plumbing needs, contact Order a Plumber Inc., your one-stop shop. Your drain pipes can be thoroughly cleaned and inspected with our assistance, making them as effective as they should be.