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How to
Unclog a Tub Drain
Tips for Unclogging a Bathtub Drain
By
Mark J. Donovan
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If you have a bathtub that is
draining slowly and gurgles when the water goes down, simply put you’ve got
a clogged tub drain. To unclog a tub drain there are a number of
off-the-shelf chemical solutions that you can use, however before resorting
to them or calling a plumber, it’s best for your drain pipes and your wallet
to first attempt yourself to unclog the tub drain manually.
First remove the tub stopper, or drain cover plate at the base of the tub.
In addition, on the front side of the tub, remove the overflow plate cover
that sits just underneath the tub spout.
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Next, pull the tub drain linkage out via the overflow hole, and inspect the
tub drain linkage for hair and soap build up. If you see any, remove it and
rinse the linkage clean in a bucket of water.
If you have a hand-snake, or drain auger, close by run it down the overflow
hole to remove any additional hair or soap build up that may still be stuck
in the tub drain. If you do not have a drain auger you may alternatively be
able to use a length of coat-hanger to function similarly to a hand-snake.
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As you push the
hand-snake down into the overflow hole pay attention for resistance. If you
feel resistance, twist the hand-snake a bit to try to catch onto the hair
and soap build up and then remove the hand-snake. Repeat this process a few
times.
With the hand-snake removed, reinsert the tub drain linkage and reattach the
tub drain and overflow cover plates.
Then turn on the bathtub faucet with the tub drain held in the open
position, and allow the water to run for a bit to clear out any small debris
that may still be in the tub drain pipe.
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After running the water for a
couple of minutes, and not seeing water accumulate in the bathtub, close the
tub drain so that water can collect in the tub. After a couple of inches of
water are in the tub, turn off the water and then open the tub drain. With
any luck you’ve successfully unclogged the tub drain.
If you still have a clogged tub drain, then try a chemical tub drainer
cleaner. However make sure to follow its directions precisely as drain
cleaners are very caustic to both you and the environment.
If the chemical tub drain cleaner does not work, then call the plumber. It
is possible the tub drain clog is further down the drainage pipe and beyond
where you were reaching with your hand-snake.
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For information on how to install a new
faucet, See HomeAdditionPlus.com's "Installing
a New Faucet Ebook". It provides in-depth, easy to
understand, step-by-step instructions and pictures, on how to install a new
Faucet.
Related Information
Additional Home Plumbing Resources
Bathtub Drain Tools and Accessories from
Amazon.com
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