How to Fix a Slow Bathtub Drain

It's time to clean out your bathtub drain if your tub drains slowly. Your bathtub may drain slowly if there are clogs or other obstructions, so it is crucial to clean them often. But even with routine drain cleaning, certain jams are more difficult to clear than others. Clogged bathtub drains are simple to repair on your own.

What causes slowly draining bathtubs?

Your bathtub drains slowly for a variety of reasons. A clog in your pipes is the most frequent cause of a slow-draining tub. Fortunately, there are a few quick fixes for it that might save you from needing to hire a plumber.

Any of the following pairings (or all of them) might cause a sluggish bathtub drain:

• an absence of routine drain cleaning
• a hair accumulation
• a buildup of body oil, soap scum, and other bathroom beauty products

Wait to use the caustic store-bought chemical drain cleaning if this sounds like your problem. There are more efficient (and secure) methods to clean your bathtub drain manually.

A Slow Bathtub Drain: Solutions

It's easy to repair a tub that drains slowly. You must first remove your drain stopper to get access before you can physically empty your drain.

Drain Stopper Types and Removal Instructions

Different kinds of drain stoppers may be used to restrict the flow of water into your tub. No matter what type of bathtub drain stopper you have, you must remove it before you can remove debris. To remove your particular type of stopper, follow these steps:

Drop Stopper

This is among the most popular varieties of bathtub stoppers. The drain may be opened and shut using a little knob on top of it. Remove the stopper cap and the screw from this stopper to remove it. Thanks to this, you can now reach any material lodged in the drainage crossbars. Any hair and debris obstructing the drain may be removed once you access it.

Levered Bathtub Stopper

This is often seen in older houses in Elizabeth NJ. An overflowing plate, also known as a drain overflow panel, may need to be removed before removing this kind of stopper since it has a lever connected to it. To guarantee that any remaining material is flushed down the pipes after cleaning this kind of stopper, it is preferable to apply a hot water flush.

Push Stopper

Because there is no obvious method to remove it, this stopper is often regarded as the most difficult to deal with. Unlike a drop stopper, this stopper cannot be withdrawn or unscrewed.

To effectively remove it, you can grip the base while removing the stopper. You will have access to any debris after the stopper is removed. The base may easily be unscrewed if you want to reach a deeper level.

Use one of these five tools to clear your drain after cleaning it.

How to Fix a Blocked Bathtub Drain

After removing your drain stopper, you may need to reach farther down the pipe to unblock sluggish drains. You may complete the work using the methods and natural cures listed below.

Bent Wire

If you still need one, you can make your drain snake out of a long metal wire. To reach inside pipes and remove clogs, use a rigid wire with a hook twisted into one end, like a clothes hanger. However, using a wire or a plumbing snake, do not force the obstruction into the pipe, as this might exacerbate the blockage.

Hot Water or Homemade Flush

After clearing the drain of hair and other debris, flush the pipes with hot water, vinegar, and baking soda solution. The substances obstructing your pipes may be removed by baking soda and vinegar. Both techniques may be as efficient as many common store-bought chemical cleansers while being safer.

Toilet Plunger

This is a simple gadget that each household needs to acquire. Many slow drains may react to the suction of a plunger, so trying this simple fix may help your slow drain problems, mainly if the culprit is a minor obstruction.

To plunge a bathtub drain effectively, add a few inches of water to the tub before lowering the plunger into it at a little angle. The plunger cup should barely fit over the drain hole to form a closed seal.

Hold the plunger handle with both hands and move it up and down firmly enough to begin things going but gently enough to prevent breaking the seal. After roughly 30 seconds of repetition, remove the plunger. Before giving up, if you use a plunger and nothing happens, check sure you have adequate water.

Drain Auger

A drain auger, or an electric pipe snake, may be used on a tub to reach deep into your pipes and remove several obstructions. Even if you may have one, you need to know how to utilize it correctly to avoid more harm to your lines while attempting to remedy your sluggish drains. If you don't already have one, your neighborhood hardware shop likely offers short-term rentals of electric pipe snakes.

How to Address Slow Drains in Your House

If you attempt any of the aforementioned solutions and your home's drains are still sluggish, or if your toilet and sink are draining slowly, it may be a sign of something more severe than a simple blocked pipe.

It can be an indication of a damaged sewage line, necessitating the assistance of a skilled Elizabeth NJ, plumber like Elizabeth Plumbing and Drain Service. Tree roots that encroach into your pipes, obstruct water flow, and produce other materials to clog your sewage pipes may lead to broken sewer lines.

Trenchless sewage line repair and replacement is our area of expertise and is less intrusive than conventional digging techniques.

Although the sewage pipes in many older houses in Elizabeth NJ may be a bit older, shifting ground, wear, and inadequate maintenance may have a negative impact. These pipes were built to endure for many years and were constructed of clay, cast iron, Orangeburg, or PVC. However, nothing lasts forever.

Contact Elizabeth Plumbing and Drain Service so we can assist you in cleaning your pipes so water flows freely once again if your best efforts to remove the clogs in your home's sluggish drains have been ineffective. For any of your domestic plumbing issues, contact us right now.