Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Need help with clogged bathtub drain

I have a sixty year old house and the bathtub drain has always been slow but now it is almost completely stopped up. I have used all the different drain cleaners, hot water, and such to no avail. I have also used a hand auger to no avail. The hand auger pulled out a bit of funk and then will not go further. When you turn the handle the snake eventually just coils backwards and will not advance. It also doesn't pull up any funk either. I have attached a picture of the plumbing. All advice would be appreciated. If I need to cut this out I will and would appreciate suggestions for that too. I know calling a plumber is an option and I might resort to that but I'd like to try and fix it myself if possible. Thanks for the help, -tnscouter

The Republic is swirling the chitter today and you want tips on how to unclog your bathtub?

jfc.

I’m no plumber but when I cut that old style pipe from my grandparents home you couldn’t see light through it. Just full of rust and associated soap scum hair etc. I realized then how futile my attempts with drain cleaner etc were

Wait for more experienced opinions but I’d plan on cutting it out and replacing it with pvc

Quak may be on to something. 60 year old cast iron is a problem might have to replace with PVC.

Sorry, about that first post, it has been a passionate day.


Drop an M-80 in the drain...

Get a good legit plunger...Completely seal the vent tube.. no skimping here and plunge it like you mean it.


Mike

Is there a cleanout plug here. Have you tried to open it?

I bet that old chit is tuberculated all to hell.

Power auger.

Same cast Iron pipes in my 100 year old house. Need that extra power force it through the angles.

Try Auger down vent pipe. As well is that a cleanout on the end of that Y sweep on the ground?

Sometimes it's easier to move.

Is the other pipe a vent going through the roof? If so, go on the roof if it’s not too steep and run your auger/snake down the vent. It will get you past where you couldn’t make that turn from inside

Pics on web show folka using snake through overflow vent.
Get nowhere on mine like that.
Unscrew the stopper assembly ( and grill or whatever the fug it is ) and go that way.

Works on mine, 3 daughters w long hair.
I have to do it quite often.
For the soap and hair product gunk, the baking soda and vinegar worked better than commercial liquids

Thanks for all the responses. I appreciate the help.

Now for follow up:

a) Yes, that is a clean out plug and I have not tried to unscrew it yet. I'm assuming the clog is in either the p-trap or where it bends into the vent so I wasn't sure how that clean out would help.
b) The other pipe is a vent pipe that exits the roof. I thought about running the snake down that but again I'm assuming the clog is in one of the bends since the water backs up so quickly even after sitting empty for many days.
c) I don't know if the pipe is tuberculated (I had to bing that) since it is all drainage and I can't see inside of it. Being 60 years old it probably is.

thanks for the help. -tnscouter

You could give one of those C02 drain blasters a try before taking anything apart.

CO2 Drain gun

No disrespect intended, but that made me laugh at the end of this day.
To the OP take apart until you find a massive ball of hair gunk most likely. Long hair daughter here sheds like a Black Lab

In my case the co2 drain gun worked but was a temp fix...it had to be cut out after a couple months.

Good news is that it’s not as bad as it sounds and it’s a 1 time fix

You may be able to use a rubber bulb, the small one, it hooks to a garden hose, the water pressure inflates the ballon to seal it to the drain and pressurizes the clog. You would have to pull the tub strainer to insert it. Most hardware stores will carry these.

Try this.

Fill drain with water til it pools to top of shower drain.

Use wet vac with a tight seal to drain. Size of wet vacuum hose is usually about perfect. Suck water and clog UP and into wet vacuum. Water in drain is the key as it creates seal for suction to work. Clog will be caused by hair and soap scum.
Sometimes pushing or flushing it down only moves the problem down and harder to clear.

Works like a charm.....sometimes.

As a Union plumber for over 25yrs the best advice I can give you is to quit taking baths ... problem solved