If your tub’s not draining properly, it’s more than frustrating. It can also be gross! You want your bathwater to flow down the drain, not sit stagnant in your tub. We’ll explore the most common causes and solutions for bathtub drainage problems, so you know when it’s a simple DIY job and when it’s time to call a professional plumber for help.
Ricky Heath Plumbing provides quick, quality plumbing services to residents of Macon, Georgia, and the surrounding areas. We take care to provide our customers with a long-lasting solution, repairing and cleaning your drains so you can enjoy using your bathtub again without worry.
Common Reasons Your Tub Isn’t Draining
If your tub’s not draining, it could be due to one or more of the following causes.
Clogged drains
One of the most likely reasons your bathtub’s not draining is a clog in the drain. Over time, clogs build up as debris, soap, and other substances are washed down the drain. Ricky Heath plumbers have seen it all, but the most common substances we find when a bathroom tub is clogged are:
- Hair: Hair, especially when it’s long or in large quantities, will quickly clog a drain, especially if there’s already debris stuck inside the pipes where it can catch.
- Soap scum: Shampoo, body wash, soap, bath bombs, and other products accumulate and harden, causing drainage issues.
- Hard water: Macon, GA, has excellent water quality, but even the smallest quantity of minerals can build up in your pipes over time, contributing to slow or clogged drains.
- Foreign objects and debris: Even though your tub drain is small, sand, dirt, and objects like razor caps or small toys can wash down and lodge in the drain, causing a blockage.
Damaged pipes
If a pipe connected to your bathtub has collapsed or burst due to damage, it can stop the water from flowing properly out of the tub.
Sewer line problems
Along with a clogged drain, some signs it’s a sewer line issue include:
- Bad smells in the drains or the yard.
- Sewage or wastewater is flowing back up into the tub or other drains.
- Multiple clogs throughout the house.
- Soggy or bright green patches in the yard.
Sewer lines become clogged when:
- You pour wrong products down the drain: Kitchen grease, garbage disposal waste, paper towels, hygiene products, and other foreign objects will block the pipes.
- Tree roots grow into the pipes: In the Peach State, cedar, maple, walnut, magnolia, birch, and holly are common culprits, although any root system will gravitate toward a water and nutrient-rich source, eventually blocking water flow through the pipe.
- They age: Corrosion, ground shifts, and wear and tear might cause a sewer pipe to crumble or clog.
Quick Fixes for a Clogged Bathtub
Sometimes, a slow bathtub drain is easy to fix yourself.
Pour boiling water down the drain
The simplest solution is to boil a large pot of water and pour it down the drain in your bathtub. If you’re lucky, the hot water will dissolve the clogs and help move them down the pipe and out of your plumbing system. Boiling water works best on soluble fats and soap scum. Take care and pour the water slowly to avoid accidental injury.
Baking soda and vinegar
A good home-made solution is the same mixture that kids use in their school projects to mimic a volcanic eruption: baking soda and vinegar. First, pour about ½ cup of baking soda directly into the bathtub drain, and then pour the same amount of white vinegar down. Cover the drain with a wet towel to force the reaction down the pipe rather than back up the drain. Sometimes the fizzing will dislodge blockages. After about ten minutes, flush the mixture down with hot water.
Try a plunger
Plungers only work in bathtubs if you block the overflow drain (the small hole located close to the top of the tub, above the main drain). Put a cloth, duct tape, or an overflow drain cover, then fill the bathtub with approximately one inch of hot water to create a tight seal around the drain. Place the plunger over the drain, and while maintaining a seal over the drain, push the plunger down, then pull it up rapidly, five to ten times in a row. Repeat this process until the drain flows freely.
It’s not a good idea to stick anything down the drain if you’re not an experienced plumber. You risk damaging the pipes or the drain, which will lead to costly repairs in the near future.
When to Call a Plumber for a Clogged Bathtub
If the DIY tricks listed above don’t work, you may need to call a plumber for professional drain cleaning. At Ricky Heath, we serve Bibb County residents, and we will be there when you need help. Some signs your clogged bathtub is a bigger problem than a few hairs and soap in the drain are:
- Backups in multiple fixtures at the same time, like the tub, the sink, and the toilet.
- Gurgling sounds in the pipes which is a sign of trapped air due to clogs or other problems.
- The drain keeps clogging or smells return, no matter how many times you unclog it.
Ricky Heath plumbers are experienced in all types of drain clogs and bigger issues. We’ll use a drain inspection camera to pinpoint the issue, and a motorized auger or hydrojetting machine to thoroughly clean the drain.
If the problem’s more serious, we’ll go over your options with you for repairs or plumbing replacement. With our helpful financing options and expertise, we’ll get your drains flowing correctly again quickly, without breaking your budget.
How to Prevent Future Bathtub Clogs
Once your drains are clear, there are several measures you can use to avoid having the same problem come up again.
Avoid non-bathing activities in the bathtub
Dumping your mop water or pouring other liquids down the drain will increase the likelihood of more clogs in the future. Stick to bath water, soap, and shampoo in the bathtub, and nothing else.
Keep hair and debris out of the drain
Some easy ways to keep your hair out of the drain are to brush your hair before you shower or bathe, and get a mesh drain cover to catch any loose hairs, even when bathing your pet. Clean your hair catcher out after every use to keep the hair from working its way through.
Schedule regular plumbing maintenance services
Plumbing maintenance is the easiest way to know for certain that your pipes are clear and working the way they’re supposed to. Our plumbers check your drains and fixtures for problems, and perform these services:
- Test your water pressure
- Clean your drains
- Inspect your water heater
- Maintain the toilets
- And more!
We make it easy to keep your home’s water flowing. Call us today to schedule your next plumbing tune-up.
Ricky Heath Plumbers Are Here To Help
Contact us today to book drain cleaning or pipe repair with Ricky Heath Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling professional plumbers in Central Georgia. We’ll get your bathtub working the way it should in no time. Our team is available Monday through Saturday, and we accept all major credit cards, checks, or cash, and offer competitive financing to help you manage costs.
