Water Draining

[facecard]

I have a tub/shower combo in the downstairs bathroom. Obviously there is a toilet and sink there too. Any time someone takes a shower the water is not draining out of the tub fast enough to keep up with the water pressure. Another words the water is backing up in the tub and you are standing in water. The water does slowly leave the tub but it may take a half hour or longer depending on how much water is in the tub.

I have the type of tub/shower system that you have a hot and cold knobs and in the middle is a knob to control the water out of the shower. At the bottom, I have the facet and the lever.

I did tried Drano or a similar product but that didn't help. The lever that goes up/down is not moving. I can't move the lever up. I think the lever is stuck and that is what is causing the water to back in the tub.

How do I fix the lever issue and get it to move freely?

 

[havasu]

Drano will just complicate and corrode your drain levers. you need to remove the lever linkage and find out why it is binding. I will go out on a line and say that human hair is bound up in the linkage and making the drain mostly stopped up.

 

[facecard]

@havasu- Thanks for the reply. How do I go about loosening the drain lever? Something is preventing it from moving up and down. What is the best way to loosen it?

 

[Twowaxhack]

Remove the two screws and the face plate along with the barrel/linkage should pull up and out.

Hopefully it’s not seized in there……

Once you have the linkage and barrel stopper out you can lightly clean the stopper and apply some silicone grease.

Also you should probably replace the face plate. Available at any hardware store or massage parlor.

 

[facecard]

Remove the two screws and the face plate along with the barrel/linkage should pull up and out.

Hopefully it’s not seized in there……

Once you have the linkage and barrel stopper out you can lightly clean the stopper and apply some silicone grease.

Also you should probably replace the face plate. Available at any hardware store or massage parlor.

Well, that is precisely the problem. After I remove the faceplate, the linkage doesn't want to move. I can't get it to budge to pull it out . I think the barrel is stuck down inside which would cause the water to back up.

How do I loosen the barrel?

 

[Twowaxhack]

Well, that is precisely the problem. After I remove the faceplate, the linkage doesn't want to move. I can't get it to budge to pull it out . I think the barrel is stuck down inside which would cause the water to back up.

How do I loosen the barrel?

Spray some penetrating oil all in the overflow and let it sit over night. Spray Plenty to make sure you get enough where it needs to go.

You can also access the piping from the rear. Simply cut the wall and take the overflow pipe out.

 

[facecard]

When say "oil" any specific kind of oil? The oil will loosen the barrel? What if there is sediment or

 

[Ludington]

You really should get that loose, but that probably isn't going to fix your trouble.
One other low tech method. Fill your tub up so it's close to the top of a plunger. And plunge the crap ( literally) out of it , pushing down and sucking back up. And I mean plunge for a while 5 minutes or more. Good hard plunges . The pipes should hold. It may just clear your clog. And the suction will pull gunk back up into your tub.

 

[Twowaxhack]

When say "oil" any specific kind of oil? The oil will loosen the barrel? What if there is sediment or

Penetrating oil, just like I said.

 

[sawsaw]

You really should get that loose, but that probably isn't going to fix your trouble.
One other low tech method. Fill your tub up so it's close to the top of a plunger. And plunge the crap ( literally) out of it , pushing down and sucking back up. And I mean plunge for a while 5 minutes or more. Good hard plunges . The pipes should hold. It may just clear your clog. And the suction will pull gunk back up into your tub.

Pull up just as hard as you plunge!! Sucking backwards loosens the clogs.

 

[Ludington]

Pull up just as hard as you plunge!! Sucking backwards loosens the clogs.

Yes sir , I agree.

 

[TomFOhio]

Be careful as it could loosen the pipes too.