Drain clogs take a long time to develop. Once they do they can cost you time and money to fix, but many people are unaware that there are more safe and less costly solutions than a bottle of drain cleaner, or hiring a professional. The culprits are usually hair, scum, and soap, but with a little know-how, you can learn how to fix a clogged bathtub drain.
The first thing you should do is check how badly your drain is clogged. If the water is still able to drain down slowly, running hot water for several minutes will often do the trick. Water might just be enough to unclog it of common causes like hairballs or scum, but will not be enough to dislodge metal and plastic.
If using a plunger, a more efficient method, use a rag to stuff the overflow plate. If you have difficulty or the overflow plate itself has build-up lodged around it, remove it and its components, and wash thoroughly. Then stuff the hole. Push water down the drain with the plunger. This should push the clog on through. You can then screw the cover plate back onto the bathtub. You can also plunge the drain, and the rag in the overflow hole will prevent the suction from escaping out it. If you see the clog, try to pull it out.
If this does not work, you have more methods to try. Unwind a coat hanger and insert it into the bathtub drain. You can use any other flexible wire that is strong enough to push the clog through. Jiggle the wire back and forth and push it as far as it will go to dislodge whatever is blocking your drain. Another option is getting into the drain pipe through the overflow hole.
Yet another inexpensive and effective tool to use is a cable auger, otherwise known as a plumbers stake. The tip is inserted into the drain hole. Then the binding screw on the snake is tightened and twisted to latch onto the clog and remove it. Plumbers stakes can reach deeper into your drain pipe, up to 2 feet.
Chemical drain cleaners are able to reach further than any other do-it-yourself method. The chemicals present in them are caustic and are hazardous when mixed with either water or other chemicals. If you must resort to them, wear gloves and safety glasses, and read the instructions on the back of the bottle carefully. You can not use them if your bathtub is backed up. Wait 30 minutes and then run hot water.
If all fails, your clog is likely too deep down for home methods to reach, and you should call a plumber. This will likely be expensive and time consuming, so if the clog is not deeper than 3 feet, these solutions might be more viable.
Of course prevention is the always the best option. Make sure the grate is in place and clean the drain hole often, and it is recommended you remove it entirely to clear it of scum trapped in the screen and directly under it. But if you do need a quick fix for a clogged bathtub drain, try these simple solutions.
Get the low down on the best ways to clear a clogged bathtub drain now in our complete overview of easy plumbing solutions on http://magicplumbing.com/