Fixing a slow drain???

[Martoch]

Hey everyone, I figure somebody has got to know something about this...

My bathtub is draining so dang slow! It takes over 1/2 hour for the water to empty after giving my son a bath, and I only fill it up halfway! My girlfriend has been complaining about it for about a week now and I've tried all of the Drano's, Liquid Plumbers, etc. that I could find but none of them worked. I was thinking about filling the tub up with a little water, then using a plunger to try to force the clog to clear up...what do you think? Any suggestions? This slow drain is getting on her nerves...and she's on my nerves about it. I really want to clear it up soon! Thanks in advance!

Mike

[brandon184]

If you haven't tried a plunger yet - do so... That's actually probably one of your better bets. But then again, I'm not a plumber.

- Brandon
------------

[Cruez]

Try the plunger..... then if that doesn't work, if you pretty handy with tools... take out the trap under the drain and clean it out.

[NeoStarO1]

I second trying a plunger and also in the drain it naturally catches hair and other debris clean that out then plunge it.

Hope this helps if not might need to use a snake.

NeoStar

[NeoStarO1]

Originally posted by Cruez
Try the plunger..... then if that doesn't work, if you pretty handy with tools... take out the trap under the drain and clean it out.

How are you going to take the trap out of under a bathtub? Unless you go into the crawl space and that is if its visable under the crawlspace.

NeoStar

[capybara]

heres what i do at work. plunge it about 10 times. if that dont work, another 10 toimes, if that dont work another 10 times, if that dont work...
>>>try and remove the trap, and then snake thru the remainder with a 1/4" X 25' hand snake. if its not possible, snake thru it with the trap still there using the kind of snake that you hook up a drill
(batterry powered or electrical drill) to.
>>>if that dont work your choices are both expensive at this point: a thicker and longer snake (for ex 3/8 x 50') or a plumber.
ps - i do this yuckky job daily

[nunyadam]

look for an enzyme type drain cleaner. (uses live cultures to eat at the crud linning the pipe without eating the pipe) to use monthly. I doubt the plunger will do much good it will just blow out the vent and all over you. find yourself a plumbers snake and run it down the drain. It might take a little work to get it past the trap . but what you more than likely have is a hairball down there. once you get it working properly get a strainer to fit the drain. I used to have the same problem, my tub drains in under 30 seconds. (full tub )

nunya

[Martoch]

Well thank you all for you super ideas! I'm handy with tools, but not pipes. I'm going to try the plunger deal first and see what happens (I'll be ready for the junk flying out of the vent Nunya, thanks for the heads-up!). Then I'll go for the snake idea and see how that goes. Hmm...a cleaner with enzyme, any notable names Nunya? I guess I can take a trip to Lowe's...any reason to go to Lowe's is a good reason! My girlfriend hates the place because I drool over all of the "manly" stuff.
Thanks again everyone!

Mike

[Sanman]

My shower drain gets like that every once in a while. A good plunging takes care of it every time. It is probably just a buildup of hair that gets stuck in there. If you can't get it unclogged I can ask my buddy who is a licensed plumber.

[Cruez]

Originally posted by NeoStarO1


How are you going to take the trap out of under a bathtub? Unless you go into the crawl space and that is if its visable under the crawlspace.

NeoStar

Well, you would have to go under the crawlspace, the trap is supposed to have easy access....but that all depends on how old the house is...

If the plunger doesn't work use a small snake on the drain..