What you therefore tend to do is turn on the faucet and step out of the bathroom to do other things as the tub fills. A telltale whoosh will let you know that the obstruction has been pushed down the drain.The thing about bathtubs is that they take quite long to fill up. Listen as the vent fills up with water, then listen again after the water is turned off.Then put the end of a garden hose down the vent and have someone turn on the water for several seconds.If one exists, do your best to pull the debris up and out with your snake. Get up on the roof, shine a light down the vent, and see if you can spot an obstruction. If you suspect that a clogged vent is causing household plumbing to drain slowly, you can investigate just like a plumber would: Blockages can also occur because of insects or animals. Because a vent pipe is open at the top, it can be clogged by sticks, leaves, and other debris. Vent pipes extend through the roof and are open to the atmosphere, equalizing pressure in drain lines so that a vacuum effect won’t disrupt drainage. If a tub continues to drain slowly even after the basic cleaning described above, the problem might be caused by a clogged vent pipe. Then vigorously pressurize the drain line, use a plumber’s plunger.To clear it, plug the overflow hole with a rag and fill the tub drain with hot water, which will help to soften and loosen soap scum. If your snaking session yields plenty of hair and soap scum, but still leaves you with a slow drain, there’s a good chance that the P-trap is still obstructed.If the water drains quickly as it should, you can put everything back together and call it a job well done. After pulling the snake free and removing the goop, pour some water down the tub drain and see if you’ve cleared the clog.Here your goal is to make the snake travel farther, past the tub drain, and into the P-trap, where there’s probably more debris to clear. Then work the snake down the overflow tube the same way, twisting as you push. Pull the snake free and remove the messy stuff you’ve snagged.The snake won’t go very far you’ll hit the overflow tube pretty quickly. To get at it, insert the tip of your snake into the tub drain and push through the drain line, twisting the snake as you go. These two disassembly steps will probably reveal a tangle of hair and soap scum.(Hold onto the cover plate screws many have been lost down an open tub drain.) Carefully withdraw the stopper linkage up and out of the overflow tube. Next, unscrew the cover plate for the tub’s overflow tube, which also includes the stopper mechanism.This will prevent a dropped tool from marring your tub, while also preventing loose screws from falling into the drain. Depending on the configuration of your drain, you’ll need a screwdriver and/or a pair of pliers to do this. To begin, remove the tub’s drain cover or drain plug. This proactive strategy will prevent soap scum and hair from accumulating. Even if your tub doesn’t have a slow draining problem, it’s good practice to clean out the tub drain once a year or so. The tub’s drainage assembly feeds wastewater to a P-trap, which can also be a clog location. The tub’s drainage system consists of an L-shaped assembly that includes the tub drain, the overflow tube, and a stopper mechanism that is raised and lowered inside the overflow tube. Tub Drain Anatomyīefore you get started, it’s smart to familiarize yourself with the anatomy of a typical tub. It can enable you to clear clogs in toilets, sinks, and shower units. A plumber’s snake-even an inexpensive one-is a good tool to have. A hand-powered snake may also be called a drum auger if you are doing a product search. Professional-grade plumbing snakes can cost hundreds of dollars, but you can buy one powered by a drill or by hand for $25 or less. You don’t have to call in a plumber to investigate and fix this issue, and the only special tool you need is some sort of plumber’s snake, which you can buy at any hardware store or home center. Let’s address the most common cause first: a clog at the shower drain, or in the P-trap just below it. There are several possible causes for a slow-draining shower.
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