How A Plumber Clears A Clogged Bathtub Drain And Steps You Can Take To Prevent Another Clog

Posted on: 11 February 2021

A clogged bathtub drain is frustrating when you take a shower and the water rises above your feet and ankles. Tub and shower drain clogs are common since hair and soap go down the drains. When your bathtub has a clogged drain, a plumber might clear it with a drain snake. Here's how a drain snake works and two things you can do to reduce the risk of another clogged drain in your bathtub.

How A Drain Snake Clears Clogged Drains

A plumber has options for opening a clogged drain, but a drain snake is usually a good choice for a tub drain. However, the plumber may want to know where the clog is located first. It's possible the clog is deep in the plumbing or even in the sewer line. A snake can be used on those clogs too, but if the problem causing your bathtub backup is roots in the sewer drain, a hydro jet might be a better choice for drain cleaning.

Many times, bathtub drains clog in the upper part of the drain or in the trap due to hair. These types of clogs are easy for a snake to clear. First, the plumber removes the grate over the drain or the overflow plate so the snake cable can be pushed down. Then, the cable is fed in the drain until resistance is felt.

The cable might have blades that cut up the hair, or the cable might have grooves and ridges that trap hair and pull it out of the drain. Either way, the snake bursts through the clog and the plumber runs water down the drain to wash away any hair and soap scum left behind.

How To Reduce The Risk Of Tub Clogs

While a bathtub clog may not be serious, it's an inconvenience, so you want to prevent clogs if possible. Try placing a screen in the drain that catches hair while letting water flow through normally. This way, you can pull hair off the screen rather than let it go in the drain and cause a clog.

Another thing you can do is buy an inexpensive drain cleaning tool made to snag hair clogs. You could even try a bent metal clothes hanger if you don't want to buy a tool. Use the tool occasionally to pull hair out of the drain before it gets pushed deeper in the drain and causes a clog. Fortunately, using one of these tools is easy. You just push the tool or bent hanger in the drain and move it around to snag hair. If hair is in the drain, you can pull it out and keep the drain clear. 

Contact a clogged drain service for more information. 

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