Does Your Blocked Bathtub Drain Leave Standing Water? Find Out How You Can Fix It
Posted on: 14 March 2016
A clogged bathtub drain is not something you want to have in your home. What's even more frustrating is a bathtub drain that is blocked with standing water. When a bathtub drain blocks with standing water, you will have the level of water reaching your feet, and sometimes it can even go higher, forming a mini pool in your tub. It's important to deal with this kind of blocked drain because standing water can be a source of other problems in your house. For instance, standing water can be a breeding ground for insects such as mosquitoes in your house. Standing water can also lead to the growth of mildew and mould. For these reasons, here are tips you will find useful to solve the problem.
Gather The Things You'll Need
Before starting on your task, it's important to know and get ready some of the things you will need for the project. To help you, here are some of the materials you should have: rubber gloves, plunger, screwdriver, plumber's snake, a bucket, and some rag or piece of cloth.
Start By Removing Any Visible Blockages
Things such as shampoo and soap residues and hair are often the main causes of clogs in your bathtub drain. You can easily locate these things by looking down the drain. Therefore, put on your rubber gloves and try removing any visible gunk by simply pulling them out with your fingers. When you have removed as much gunk as possible, try running the shower to determine whether the drain has been unclogged fully.
Put Your Plunger to Use
After removing as much dirt as you can see, it's time to plunge the drain. Before you start plunging, ensure all the standing water has been removed. With the help of your screwdriver, remove the overflow cover that's often found under the faucet. You will see an opening after removing the cover. Using the rag or piece of cloth, jam this opening and make sure it fits well to eliminate any chances of air escaping during plunging.
With the rag in place, apply an even downward pressure on your plunger. Repeat this process a couple of times and dislodge any materials that the plunger brings up into the bucket.
Use The Plumber's Snake
With the overflow cover still removed, insert the plumber's snake into the overflow opening. As you feed the snake further into the hole, you will meet some resistance, which is often caused by the accumulated gunk. To unclog the drain, try moving the snake down the drain or attempt breaking the clog using the snake. You can also try pulling the clog out with the snake.
If these methods don't work and you still have blocked drains, contact an experienced plumber for help.
Share