Is your tub starting to pool when you shower? You’re not alone. Tons of people have tub draining issues frequently. It’s so common, there are even quick fixes available at most stores in the form of drain cleaner. However, what most people don’t know is that drain cleaner is really bad for your plumbing. So, let’s check out what to do when your tub won’t drain anymore… and what not to do!
Finding the Cause
The first step to fixing your drain is to figure out the general cause of the draining issue. Generally, there are two branches of things that can cause draining issues: plumbing failures and buildups.
The most common cause is a buildup of stuff like hair and grime. If your tub has gotten worse at draining over time, it’s likely that the drain simply needs to be cleaned of gunk.
Plumbing failures can come in many forms. The best way to assume you’ve got a plumbing failure is if the draining issue came on suddenly. If one day your tub was draining just fine and the next it’s barely draining at all, something is very wrong. A pipe underground may have collapsed, or a break in a pipe may have allowed something (previously) alive to get into your drain pipe.
Clearing Blockages
When it comes to buildups, clearing the drain is easy.
Drain cleaners will try to get you to buy their chemical solution to do away with the buildup by yourself. While it’s true that chemical drain cleaners may work to remove gunk from your drain, they also remove metal. That is, they eat away at the inside of your pipes. This thins the pipes, making them more susceptible to bursting, breaking, cracking, and so on.
Just as easy is using a snake to pull blockages out of the pipes. Reliable Drain & Plumbing can pop over to your home and have your drain cleared in no time at all. Plus, we won’t damage your pipes like chemical drain cleaners will.
Repairing Broken Pipes
If the problem lies in a plumbing failure, drain cleaner won’t do anything to fix the problem. In fact, it will only make it worse. If you’re pretty sure your drain has stopped working because something broke further down, Reliable Drain & Plumbing can get to the root of the issue in no time.
Repairs may require digging to access underground pipes, or removing drywall to access those in the walls. Regardless of where the break lies, we’ll ensure we know where it is before turning your day upside down with extensive repairs. Camera inspection of the drain is an easy way for us to take a peek at where the problem is without getting into the thick of things.
Preventing Future Blockages
If your drain was stopped up because of a buildup, it might be worth investing in a cheap drain guard. These guards can come in many forms. Some of them are just mesh grates, others are a solid piece of metal with holes drilled into it. One of our favorites is the TubShroom, which is inserted into the drain and catches hair before it can go any further. You can then dump the contents in the trash when it gets a bit full.
If your drain isn’t made to accommodate a guard, you can also get regular drain maintenance by giving us a call.
