SHOWER DRAIN UNCLOGGING
Although the shower drain doesn’t receive food and grease debris like the kitchen sink drain, it does get hair and soap scum builds up which can clog and stop up a drain line more quickly. With the introduction of water-saving showerheads, there is less water traveling through the drainpipe which allows for build-up around the sides and top of the pipe. Combine this with daily use and you can see why shower drain stoppages are quite common and frequent. A shower drain pan should never have standing water. The plumbing code mandates 2” sized shower drain line and P-Trap which can handle the flow from even the largest showerheads.
If water ever starts accumulating in the drain pan it’s time to call Complete Plumbing, Heating, and Air Inc. to clean the drain. We have all the latest state of the art drain cleaning tools like high-pressure water jetters, sewer cameras and an assortment of drain cleaning cables. We will get your drain flowing properly quickly!
Shower drain tips:
- Pouring a cup of bleach down the shower drain and let stand before rinsing, will help to dissolve hair and soap scum
- Fill shower pan to 1” below top then let it drain. This can be done very easily when standing in the shower and putting your foot over the drain and letting the water accumulate. This will produce a strong vortex and scour the entire pipe.
- DO NOT USE CHEMICALS- even if the product says it is safe for pipes. Southern California reclaims its water for reuse. Poisons and toxic chemicals can be very, hard if not impossible, to remove from the water making it unsafe for human and environmental use.
- Have your drain lines cleaned with high-pressure water or a cable annually.
BATHTUB DRAIN UNCLOGGING
Unlike shower drain lines that are required to be 2” in diameter, bathtub drain lines are only.
1 ½” in diameter which means they are more subjectable to stoppages. Bathtub drains also incorporate a waste and overflow system in case the tub is filled too high. This too can cause problems for hair getting caught in the drain line.
Bathtub drains are a little trickier to clean because there are more parts involved that need to be removed to access the drain line cleanout.
The cable must go in through the overflow parts of the waste and overflow system to access the drain line for proper cleaning. Most of the time the problem is inside the drain P-Trap, however, we recommend running the full length of the bathtub drain line to ensure proper cleaning.
Bathtub drain tips:
- Install a simple hair strainer inside drain inlet for the bathtub to prevent hair from entering.
- Do not use chemicals, besides polluting our water systems sometimes chemicals can react with the metal trim and ruin it.
- To keep bathtub drains clear, pour ¼ cup baking soda and 1 cup white vinegar. Wait for about 15 minutes. Boil water in something that will pour easily and safely directly into a drain.
- Sometimes you can clear the drain with a plunger but you will have to block the overflow.
Please feel free to visit our blog page for more handy tips. Or call us directly 562-697-2070.