Drain Cleaning: 5 Common Reasons Why Your Bathtub Is Clogged | RIchardson, TX
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Has this ever happened to you? You turn on your shower only to find that the water is not going down the drain. You slowly watch as the water level rises more and more, as if you’re taking a bath.
Or, imagine this. After you’ve taken a bath, you find that the water level doesn’t drop much even after you try to drain the tub. In fact, it doesn’t even appear that the tub is draining at all.
Both of these situations can be quite stressful and can really take the relaxation out of a nice shower or a bath. When these things happen, it’s an indication that you need to call a plumber for drain cleaning services.
But, first, let’s explore why your bathtub even gets clogged in the first place. Let’s look at 5 of the most common reasons why this happens.
#1. Hair
The most common reason why your bathtub might be clogged is because hair is getting stuck in the drain. When you bathe or shower, your hair will eventually go down the drain and just get stuck to the sides of the plumbing. Your hair was slowly built up overtime and attached to other materials, like soap scum, that also went down the plumbing. If you have long hair, the problem will be much more apparent. It will also be much more severe, as your hair will be able to twist around and become a major blockage.
When this happens, you’re going to need drain cleaning services to unclog your tub. You can prevent hair from clogging the bathtub by cleaning it regularly. You can also install a drain basket that will collect the hair before it goes into the plumbing. This will do wonders for your drains.
#2. Hard Water
Many homeowners don’t realize that the mineral content inside the water can also pose a huge problem. Hard water is water that contains a lot of minerals, usually calcium or magnesium. If the water area is quite hard, it can clog your bathtub.
You can’t really tell the difference between hard water and soft water. There isn’t a visible physical difference. However, you may feel the difference when you’re showering or bathing. Hard water seems to leave a sort of residue on the skin and hair. The minerals in hard water can cause your drains to require more drain cleaning. In fact, those who live in areas with hard water may need to get your drain cleaned every year or several times a year, depending on the mineral content of the water.
These tiny minerals will collect on the sides of the plumbing and build up overtime. Any other tiny debris or dirt that enters the plumbing will further worsen the clog. One solution for this is to install a water softener. You’ll notice a difference to your skin and hair almost immediately. Soft water seems to feel more nourishing.
#3. Soap Scum
Another very common reason for why your bathtub may be clogged is because soap scum has accumulated in the plumbing.
Have you ever taken a shower and noticed that there’s white stains on your shower walls afterwards? If you touch the stains, you notice that it’s made up mostly of soap. It’s slippery and feels like hardened soap. That’s soap scum. Like hair and minerals in hard water, soap scum will collect in your plumbing overtime.
Once it enters the drain, it can solidify and stick to the plumbing. It will then clog the drains up and prevent water flow. Removing soap scum can be very difficult, which is why most people will leave this job to a professional drain cleaning service.
#4. Dirt, Dust and Other Debris
If you enjoy outdoor sports or if you have a pet and constantly wash my hair in the tub, dirt, dust and other debris can be easily washed down the drain. If your bathtub or shower doesn’t have a particularly strong water flow, this can become a huge problem, as the dirt, dust and debris will begin to accumulate inside the plumbing as well. As these things slowly accumulate, you’ll find yourself faced with a severely clogged bathtub that requires extensive drain cleaning services.
The best way to prevent this is to rinse off before going into the shower. For example, if you’ve recently been to the beach, you should consider rinsing yourself off with the hose outside before taking a shower or a bath. This way, most of the dirt, dust and debris will be washed off by the time that you enter the bathtub.
#5. A Combination of the Above Four Things
Last but not least, the main reason why most bathtubs get clogged is not because of just one of the factors above. In most cases, multiple factors will combine together in order to clog the bathtub and prevent it from draining properly.
Hiring a professional drain cleaning service will be the easiest way of unclogging the bathtub. Professional plumbers can also access your situation and recommend solutions that will prevent this from happening again in the future.
Call bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas for Drain Cleaning Services
Is your bathtub clogged? Is the water not flowing down the drain at all? If so, you’ll want to get drain cleaning services in Richardson, TX immediately. There’s nothing more annoying than having to shower and a big pool of water.
If you neglect to take care of the problem, it also gets worse with time. You’ll find that the drains will be even harder to unclog.
bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas offers drain cleaning services in Richardson, TX. Our licensed plumbers are well-trained and able to offer timely and affordable services. We’ve tackled even the most difficult clogs in the past and will be able to solve the problem that you’re facing with ease!
Give us a call today for more information. Or, simply go online and schedule an appointment if you’re ready to get the clog fixed!
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