What's Really Behind a Slow Tub Drain

A slow drain is easy to ignore. Water backs up a little, drains eventually, and you tell yourself it'll work itself out. It won't. What starts as a minor annoyance almost always turns into a full stoppage if you let it sit long enough.

Here's what we're usually dealing with when we get the call - hair, soap scum, and buildup that's been collecting inside the drain line for months. It packs together tight, and over time it completely chokes off the flow. No amount of drain cleaner from the hardware store is going to break through that.

We use a drain snake to go in and physically pull the clog out. You can see exactly what came out of this tub drain - a dense, compacted mass of hair and debris wrapped around the cable. That's what was sitting in the pipe, and that's why the water had nowhere to go.

Once that's cleared, the difference is immediate. Full drainage, no standing water, no gurgling. The tub works the way it's supposed to.

Tub stoppages are one of the most common drain calls we handle. If your tub is draining slowly, don't wait until it stops completely - it's a much easier fix when we catch it early.