ever-clogging tub...

[saintb]

Every few months I have to use long tweezers to remove hair (and gunk) from our ever-clogging drain. I have never had this issue with @ other residencies and am wondering if this tub and drain hardware is to blame.

http://a491.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/42/l_9fdafc2c80da310b1e220827c3e571aa.jpg

Could I replace the drain pipe without replacing the tub? Is it worth it?

thanks

saintb

[markts30]

Are you handy with tools???
Are you on a slab? over a crawl space? on a second floor? have a basement?
the answers to the above will directly affect how this question is answered...

[saintb]

i am handy with tools. Not a plumbing master, but have been remodeling the rest of my house for the past year (framing, elec, masonry, french drain, etc)

this tub is on the 1st floor. I can access it from underneath... but I was planning on drywalling the basement ceiling over the next few weeks, so I wanted to ask this question now.

saintb

[markts30]

If you have that easy an access to the tub bottom, take a quick pic of it and post it - you will get answers as how exactly the replacement should be done - Replace the drain with a new one - the old one is trapping everything and is rusty and corroded...
Mark

[hj]

If you are lucky the drain will unscrew and you can insert a new, and different one.

[saintb]

well it appears that I am not so lucky... and the drain spout cannot be accessed easily from the floor below. It was easy at one point, but since then I have covered that area with a soffit, pipes, and an a/c supply line... ughhh.

http://a281.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/97/l_0b4768a74f5ac2c881b1fc32f5f9be60.jpg

here is the side view of the tub (notice the square access hole I cut).

http://a268.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/10/l_57f859a6972e0a15d94450d09299880b.jpg

here is behind the wall where the pipes meet (thru the hole I cut)

http://a742.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/99/l_7015ae10c65135efc612b07c3da2e6dd.jpg

closer up

http://a20.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/67/l_6cbcc829123200d2672badd67b4c26b3.jpg

any ideas? There is not a lot of room in the wall... most of the opening behind the drywall is filled by our brick foundation.

thanks saintb

[leejosepho]

I have always had the same kind of trouble with drains that were not plastic. Metal might be far better for a variety of other reasons, but hair seems to get snagged in metal drain baskets and shoes.

Leaving the overflow and trap in place, you would only have to remove one nut and the drain basket in order to install a new plastic pipe and a new basket there, and you could probably even re-use that nut!