The drum trap has a threaded cover with a nut head mounted on it. If you can get at the drum trap, you can remove the cover with a wrench. Turn the wrench counterclockwise. As you remove the drum trap cover you will see it has a large rubber gasket. If the gasket seems worn, or just about falls apart in your hands, get a replacement.

You will see two pipes coming into the drum trap, at opposite ends, with one pipe higher than the other. The lower pipe connects to the tub; the higher one to the drain. Because the drain is lower than the tub, water cannot return via the pipe connected to the tub. Instead, water will fill the trap up as far as the drain opening. This provides an effective water seal.

Cleaning the drum trap means just reaching in and getting rid of all the materials caught in the trap. Clean the trap thoroughly, using a bit of scrap cloth after you have removed all the gunk. If you feel squeamish about reaching in with your hand, then use an old teaspoon. Bend the spoon portion up a bit and then it can work for you like a miniature shovel that is bent out of shape.

After you have cleaned the trap, open the cold water faucet of the tub to let a small amount of water go down the drain. If, however, no water or very little water coming into the trap, then the clog exists in the drain pipe between the tub drain and the trap. Close the water and dry the tub.

To get rid of this clog, insert an auger into the drain pipe via the drum trap, and turn the auger slowly until the clog clears. The tub drain makes a right angle bend as it goes up into the tub and so this is a possible location of the clog. Keep turning the auger until you feel the clog giving way. Pull the auger out of the pipe, clean the auger head, and keep repeating the process until you can get no more material out of the pipe. Then turn on the water in the tub once again and watch the drum trap. This time the drum trap should fill with water and you should be able to see some of it going out of the drum into the exit pipe.

How to Cleana U Trap

If your bathtub has a U trap, you might try using a sink plunger to see if you can clear the clog. Fill the tub with water to a depth of about 2 or 3 inches. Above the tub faucets you will have a small handle for opening and closing the drain. Set the handle to its open position and then use the plunger.

If this method doesn’t work, empty the tub using a sponge and a pail. Get as much of the water out as you can. Remove the strainer that covers the drain pipe and then pour in a chemical drain cleaner, following the same procedures as those described earlier in connection with sinks. Let the chemical remain in overnight and then check the following day to see if the clog has cleared.

As a final alternative call a erie plumbers, but be sure to let him know you have a chemical drain cleaner in the pipes.

An Overheating Hot Water Tank

Two symptoms, coming singly or together, indicate that your hot water tank is overheating: a rumbling noise in the tank and or hot water coming out of a cold water faucet. The pressure caused by overheating can possibly cause the hot water tank to burst. The first thing to do is to shut off the burner for the hot water tank. If the heater is electrically operated, turn off the switch associated with the burner, If you cannot find this switch, go to your main fuse box and remove the fuse for the wiring for the hot water tank, or turn off the switch if you have a thermal reset type of box. The interior of the tank has corroded or rust may have accumulated. Call a plumber.