Unclogging the drain in your bathtub may prove to be quite expensive if you are not aware of do it yourself techniques that may help you resolve the plumbing issue that you are experiencing. There are many items around the house and chemical based clog cleaners available in stores that can be used to clear a troublesome bathtub drain. In this do it yourself plumbing guide, I will provide some basic steps to assist you in resolving this type of complication.
Basic Drain Construction
As a homeowner, it is important for you to learn about the basic construction of your bathtub drain. The bathtub drain has a small trap section that is generally referred to as a "P" trap. This particular section of the construction serves two distinct purposes
. The first purpose is to trap some of the water that is discharged from the bathtub within the drain line area. The second purpose is to prevent the gases that are contained within the sewer from being emitted through the drain into the home. Over time, particles such as hair and the residue from soaps and shampoos used during bathing may block the trap section.
The Blockage
If you discover that your bathtub drain is moving water from the tub to the sewer slowly or not at all, you will need to look down into the hole and see if you can pinpoint an exact culprit. If you are able to identify the problem, you may open up a wire clothes hanger and put it down into the drain in order to remove the obstruction. If a clothes hanger is a bit awkward, you may want to consider using a pair of pliers. If you are unable to identify a culprit, you will need to obtain a plunger and use it over the drain. In order to optimize the performance of this tool, pour some hot water over the drain prior to plunging. Once you have a sufficient amount of hot water over the drain, plunge.
Once you have plunged the drain, run a bit of water to determine if the issue has been resolved. If you find that it is still not draining appropriately, it is time to use a plumbing snake. This is a cable that is typically composed of steel that has a handle that twists and turns. You will need to slowly push the cable through the drain. Do not do it hard because it could damage the "P" trap. As you push the cable into the drain, be absolutely certain that you twist the handle. If you feel tension, it may indicate that you have hit the obstruction. At this point, you may want to run some hot water over the drain as this will help in pushing the obstruction through and clearing the drain.
Reducing Future Clogs
Once you have eliminated the obstruction from the bathtub drain, you will want to take certain steps to ensure that this issue is not experienced in the future. One of the best measures that you can take is purchasing a device that is called a "strainer" and installing it over the bathtub drain. This will help catch debris that may prove to be troublesome in the future such as hair and small sections of soap or even the residue from the soap. You will need to clean the strainer unit regularly, but it is much less troublesome than coping with a clogged bathtub drain.
The next step to ensuring that your drain does not experience any type of troublesome blockage is to ensure that a pitcher of extremely hot water is poured directly in the drain at least once a week. This will help to remove obstructions in the drain. If you want to optimize the performance of the hot water, you should pour in about a quarter of a cup of baking soda and a quarter of vinegar to the water and mix it thoroughly. This will clean the drain and leave your bathroom smelling clean.
Conclusion
If you experience a clogged bathtub drain, you may feel the need to call a professional. However, this is a job that can be easily resolved without the need for professional services. If you follow the steps highlighted in this do it yourself plumbing guide, you will discover that your drains can be cleared quickly and easily.
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