Table of Contents
Can you snake a clogged tub drain?
Luckily, it’s not difficult to snake a tub drain. To clear a clogged bathtub drain, you’ll need a plumbing snake, some work gloves and some basic cleaning supplies. Be sure to put the screws where they won’t fall into the tub drain, then pull the stopper from the drain, which should be connected to the overflow plate.
How do you unclog a bathtub when a snake doesn’t work?
If the auger still doesn`t work, call a plumber. If you can`t remove an obstruction in a sink drain by using an auger inserted into the drain, tackle the clog through the U-shaped trap under the sink. Set a bucket under the trap.
How do you unclog a drain with a snake?
The basic process is as follows: Push the end of the snake into the drain opening and turn the handle on the drum that contains the coiled-up snake. Keep pushing more of the snake into the drain until you feel resistance. Rotate the snake against the blockage until you feel it feed freely into the pipe.
How do you snake down a bathtub drain?
Insert the tip of the snake into the hole usually covered by the overflow plate. Crank the handle and extend about 30 inches of snake cable into the pipe. Continue to crank the handle, and press the snake forward and down into the drain. Crank and press until you feel the snake meet the obstruction.
Can you plunge your bathtub?
Steps for unclogging tub drain with a plunger: Remove stopper from the tub drain. Pour hot water into the tub. The hot water will help loosen up the blockage. Pump the plunger up and down about 5 times in each direction to force water down the pipe and hopefully dislodging the blockage.
How do you unclog a main drain without a snake?
Combine 1 part baking soda and 1 part vinegar, then pour it into the sewer cleanout opening. Wait at least 1 hour before flushing it with hot water. The baking soda and vinegar will start reacting and fizzing immediately. Pour it into the pipe as quickly as possible.
What do you do when drain cleaner doesn’t work?
If you didn’t use a chemical drain cleaner, try pouring a gallon of hot (almost boiling) water and a quarter cup of Dawn dish detergent (or any de-greasing dish detergent) down the clogged drain. The hot water and de-greasing agent may break up the clog.
How do you fix a bathtub drain that won’t drain?
Here are the ways you can try to unclog a bathtub or shower drain on your own: Put on gloves and remove any visible blockage (hair, etc.) Plunge the bathtub or shower drain with a plunger. Use a plumbing snake to try to dislodge whatever is in your drain. Try dissolving clogs without hazardous chemicals.
What can dissolve hair in a drain?
Combining baking soda and vinegar is a natural way to dissolve hair clogs, without resorting to harsh chemicals. Pour a cup of baking soda down the clogged drain first, and then after a few minutes add a cup of vinegar.
Can a plunger make a clog worse?
Somehow, the force of the plunger had actually made things worse. Whereas the water had been draining ever-so-slowly before, it now wasn’t going anywhere. I tried running more water into the tub, thinking that if I could get a better seal around the plunger, it might provide enough force to push the clog through.
Can snaking a drain make it worse?
If you have a clogged pipe, a drain snake is a simple and cheap tool you can use to fix it. These are advertised as devices that anyone can use to unclog a drain. But if used improperly, drain augers could make the clog worse. You could jam the obstruction in there tighter, or worse, do damage to your pipes.
Why won’t my snake go down the drain?
So, why won’t your drain snake go down the bathtub drain? The answer may be that you are either using the wrong kind of drain snake, or you are trying to force it through a P-trap, or you are forcing the snake cable through the pipe too quickly or the clog is just too darn big.
Can snaking a drain damage pipes?
When a drain snake is inserted into a pipe, the end may flop around, scratching the pipe. A drain snake used with too much force being can scratch a zinc pipe and damage the coating. This can lead to cracks or rusting in the pipes opening the door to a major problem in the future.
Is it safe to snake your own drain?
For smaller clogs, snaking your own drain is possible. Routine, minor sink clogs from hairballs or food remnants are typically located in the u-shaped trap directly below the sink or only a few feet deeper in the drainpipe. They may be cleared by using a light-gauge, hand-operated auger.
Is it bad to plunge a bathtub drain?
The water entering the overflow drain goes into a pipe that feeds into the main tub drain. This presents a problem when you need to plunge the tub. Plungers work on suction power, and the overflow drain (which doesn’t close, for obvious reasons) acts as a big air vent that kills the suction.
Is it bad to plunge a shower drain?
However, if no drain cleaning products seem to be working, then the plunger can save the day. A plunger will force pressurized water in both directions, which will help to effectively loosen whatever is clogging your shower drain.
How do you get rid of standing water in the bathtub?
What you will need to do Pour 1 cup of water down your drain. Put the half cup of baking soda down the drain. Mix in the vinegar with your second prepared cup of water. Pour in the vinegar/water mixture down the drain with the added baking soda – Things will begin to bubble/fizz, this is good, it means things are working!.
