# Black water in tub



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

A few more details, please.

Why is there standing water in the tub? Is the drain backed up?

If so---you need to clear the clog---with a tub, the drain snake is inserted by removing the over flow cover.

More details needed--------


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## Ghostmaker (Mar 2, 2013)

Drains blocked. Call a plumber or try to do it yourself through the overflow cover with a 1/4 inch rod and a power drill.


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## gjax (Nov 21, 2015)

oh'mike said:


> A few more details, please.
> 
> Why is there standing water in the tub? Is the drain backed up?
> 
> ...


 
Mike not to be a wise gal but wouldn't that be the only reason why there would be standing water in the tub? (the drain to be backed up)???? I don't have an over cover flow. Just one of those things to keep the water in or release it....we tried draino, vinegar/baking soda...we just purchased the "drain king" which will be here tomorrow and hoping that works. I just didn't know what was causing black water to come up when we plunge.


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## Wildbill7145 (Sep 26, 2014)

gjax said:


> Mike not to be a wise gal but wouldn't that be the only reason why there would be standing water in the tub? (the drain to be backed up)???? I don't have an over cover flow. Just one of those things to keep the water in or release it....we tried draino, vinegar/baking soda...we just purchased the "drain king" which will be here tomorrow and hoping that works. I just didn't know what was causing black water to come up when we plunge.


Be careful at this point. Now that you've got draino down in a clogged drain that can be dangerous when you're plunging or using one of those rooter things. Sometimes things get a little splashy. The draino is now dilluted in the water to an extent, but if you've ever had that stuff splash in your face or eyes you'll remember what it feels like for a very long time.

The black stuff is just gunk and crud that builds up on the walls of the drain pipe. Now you're dislodging it and the plunger pulls it out. It's pretty gross to see what gets stuck down there.


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## gjax (Nov 21, 2015)

Wildbill7145 said:


> Be careful at this point. Now that you've got draino down in a clogged drain that can be dangerous when you're plunging or using one of those rooter things. Sometimes things get a little splashy. The draino is now dilluted in the water to an extent, but if you've ever had that stuff splash in your face or eyes you'll remember what it feels like for a very long time.
> 
> The black stuff is just gunk and crud that builds up on the walls of the drain pipe. Now you're dislodging it and the plunger pulls it out. It's pretty gross to see what gets stuck down there.


 Wildbill do you think maybe I should wait a few days then to use the "drain king" I've read where people are talking about explosions and all, now i'm nervous....thank you for any advice you can give :smile:


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## Wildbill7145 (Sep 26, 2014)

gjax said:


> Wildbill do you think maybe I should wait a few days then to use the "drain king" I've read where people are talking about explosions and all, now i'm nervous....thank you for any advice you can give :smile:


I actually can't really provide you with any more information than what I already have. I'm a painter, and in general I don't touch anything that could flood or burn my house down.

I'm not sure if waiting a few days will have any effect on the draino that's down there. I honestly don't know if it loses it's strength over time.

Now that the subject has been bumped up though, I'm sure someone with plumbing knowledge will be along to answer any questions.


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## gjax (Nov 21, 2015)

Wildbill7145 said:


> I actually can't really provide you with any more information than what I already have. I'm a painter, and in general I don't touch anything that could flood or burn my house down.
> 
> I'm not sure if waiting a few days will have any effect on the draino that's down there. I honestly don't know if it loses it's strength over time.
> 
> Now that the subject has been bumped up though, I'm sure someone with plumbing knowledge will be along to answer any questions.


 I thank you for your honesty. I hope that someone soon can help me with this matter. we put an 80oz bottle of draino down the tub and boy does it stink in the house now ugh.


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## Wildbill7145 (Sep 26, 2014)

gjax said:


> I thank you for your honesty. I hope that someone soon can help me with this matter. we put an 80oz bottle of draino down the tub and boy does it stink in the house now ugh.


Probably a bunch of hair/crud getting burnt up chemically. If you do end up having to hire a plumber, be sure to tell them you put draino down there and how much. That's really, really important.


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## gjax (Nov 21, 2015)

Wildbill7145 said:


> Probably a bunch of hair/crud getting burnt up chemically. If you do end up having to hire a plumber, be sure to tell them you put draino down there and how much. That's really, really important.


 
Oh i'm sure this house is over 100 years old. I don't think that the pipes are the original? We may end up calling a plumber, something I wanted to so avoid. Thank you so much again but now i'm scared lol


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## tstex (Nov 14, 2014)

Few questions:

1. Is this a tub only or tub w a shower head?

2. What was the process of the drain not properly removing the water? ie, did it take longer ea time you used "the tub" for it to drain, or did it stop up completely as it is now all at one time?

3. How often is this "tub" or tub/shower used?

4. Do you have a lot of girls w long hair using this "tub".

To reiterate, when you plunge any stopped drain and there is standing water, the suction of the plunger if not able to release the clog, the fluids [and debris thereof] on the suction side of the plunger come up. 

Finally, you should only use drain-o [to be fully effective] after the water has drained below the drain itself and enough of the tub down-spout is free of water = to the vol of drain-o you administer. Drain-o floating around in your tub is a waste. As clogged as most drains get, if you leave them for 24 hrs, 95% of them will drain to the p-trap.

Post back w the answers to the above ques's


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## gjax (Nov 21, 2015)

tstex said:


> Few questions:
> 
> 1. Is this a tub only or tub w a shower head?
> 
> ...


 
I would like to start off by saying that we had a plumber come in in September to install a new toilet and 3 shut offs. 1 for the toilet and 2 for the sink. It wasn't till after is when we started having this problem....the tub is combined with a shower. I live in a 2 family and I am concerned with the 2nd floor bathroom (my brothers) he lives alone and he is the only one who uses the tub/shower (he has very short hair) Mom has be gone 9 years and Dad 5 and they both had short hair (if any of that matters.)

My brother did add the draino when the water was only covering the drain area, between he and I we bailed most of the water out except for what was in the drain..if that makes sense... We started off with Mr plumber and that didn't work. Then I added baking soda and the vinegar, still nothing, and then the draino...now here is a stupid question...when people talk about an explosion are the referring to the tub blowing up? lol...I mean that is not funny but I am embarrassed on asking that question.

Right this moment we have a tub full of black water. I don't mean just skimming the bottom of the tub...sorry for rambling on here as you can tell i'm not good t explaining things. BUT I do wonder if what the plumber did had any affect on all this because it seemed fine up to him coming in.UGH


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## jmon (Nov 5, 2012)

Seriously doubt its anything the plumber did. Nothing to worry about you have a clogged drain.

Reread posts 2 and 3. Best advice is right there.


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## tstex (Nov 14, 2014)

I would buy a hand-cranked snake by Rigid. Wearing the proper PPE for eyes, face & hands, remove all the water in the tub. Then wait until water recedes past drain, remove drain cover, carefully insert head of wire snake into and past drain, then start cranking it. It's important to crank forward 75% of time, then 25% back [ie 40 cranks forward, 10 backwards, etc]. Do this until all of the snake is inside your pipes. Make sure you work it back-and-forth.

Once this is done, get the liquid gel drain-o, pour all of it down the drain if it goes or stop if it starts to top off at the drain....wait 30 minutes if it starts to drain, then pour hot as you can get 3-4 gal of water. If the drain-o does not go down at all, wait over night, but make sure you vent [open window] the room or turn-on exhaust/ceiling fan if you have one.

I cannot diagnose the timing of this w the plumbers installs, but if something when down the toilet flange during toilet install, your toilet more than likely would be backing-up too. How is it doing?

There is an answer, let's find it.


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## Ghostmaker (Mar 2, 2013)

Cover your eyes with protection gear if you plan to snake that drain.


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

One thing I didn't read while skimming through. Do you have a p trap or drum trap on the tub?
If the latter then a plumber may be needed to replace the drum. I only ask this because you mentioned the house is 100 years old.


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## gjax (Nov 21, 2015)

tstex said:


> I would buy a hand-cranked snake by Rigid. Wearing the proper PPE for eyes, face & hands, remove all the water in the tub. Then wait until water recedes past drain, remove drain cover, carefully insert head of wire snake into and past drain, then start cranking it. It's important to crank forward 75% of time, then 25% back [ie 40 cranks forward, 10 backwards, etc]. Do this until all of the snake is inside your pipes. Make sure you work it back-and-forth.
> 
> Once this is done, get the liquid gel drain-o, pour all of it down the drain if it goes or stop if it starts to top off at the drain....wait 30 minutes if it starts to drain, then pour hot as you can get 3-4 gal of water. If the drain-o does not go down at all, wait over night, but make sure you vent [open window] the room or turn-on exhaust/ceiling fan if you have one.
> 
> ...


 
The toilet and the sink next to the tub are all fine. Toilet flushes well and sink water goes down with no problem. Just the tub, its a mystery ...thank you.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

The tub drains through a 'trap'--then into the main drain that the toilet uses--

If the toilet is flushing fine, then the tub line or the trap is clogged.

In the old days ,when your house was built, 'Drum traps' were uses---those have a removable cap so they can be cleaned out---after 100 years that cap is no longer removable--and a modern drain auger (snake) will not go through the drum.

You may need a plumber---you might be able to find and open the barrel trap---but that is not likely---look for an access panel behind the tub--


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## gjax (Nov 21, 2015)

oh'mike said:


> The tub drains through a 'trap'--then into the main drain that the toilet uses--
> 
> If the toilet is flushing fine, then the tub line or the trap is clogged.
> 
> ...


 Ya know what Mike, under the new vanity there was a round thing on the floor with a cap on it and I believe the plumber mentioned something about it being a trap. In September we had a new sub floor/vanity/toilet put in and I think that they put the floor over the trap. I mean we never had problems before with anything so we told him to do that. BUT, if the trap should have stayed exposed wouldn't the plumber have known that? OMG we may need to have it all done over again :vs_mad:....I am sooooooo confused.....thanks for your input, by George I think we've gotit hmmm i'll keep ya posted :vs_OMG:
.


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## gjax (Nov 21, 2015)

TheEplumber said:


> One thing I didn't read while skimming through. Do you have a p trap or drum trap on the tub?
> If the latter then a plumber may be needed to replace the drum. I only ask this because you mentioned the house is 100 years old.


 There was a round thing on the floor next to the tub and I believe the plumber said it was a trap. but when we had a new subfloor put in they went over the trap....now what do we do?:vs_worry:I mean this plumber was a young man so I guess he didn't know what a trap was for?????? one would think so though....I don't know what to do now ....this is going to be costly


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

gjax said:


> I mean this plumber was a young man so I guess he didn't know what a trap was for?????? one would think so though....I don't know what to do now ....this is going to be costly


Sounds like he knew, but perhaps he didn't explain it to you what is was. :wink2:

Google drum trap and compare the images to yours. If they're the same then you need to remove it and replace with a p trap.

Home owners do this repair often, but first you need to verify that is what you have


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

You might be better off opening up the ceiling below the trap/tub drain---if replaced, you can do it from below just as easily---------


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## gjax (Nov 21, 2015)

TheEplumber said:


> Sounds like he knew, but perhaps he didn't explain it to you what is was. :wink2:
> 
> Google drum trap and compare the images to yours. If they're the same then you need to remove it and replace with a p trap.
> 
> Home owners do this repair often, but first you need to verify that is what you have


 He explained what it was BUT, the old floor was over it and so when we had the new floor put down he did ask if we wanted to keep it exposed or have the new floor put over it and we chose to have the floor put over it grrrrrrrr....I googled and YES that is exactly what it looked like.:vs_OMG:...now what do we do? we NEVER had this problem before or we would have told him to go around the trap and not over it. I wish he would have suggested a P trap :vs_mad: these young ones make me nuts lol...thank you, now I need a stiff drink !! haha


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## tstex (Nov 14, 2014)

Here's a video on "How to remove a drum trap lid/cover". 





 
Hope you have access to your plumbing from a basement or crawl-space....

good luck, tstex


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## gjax (Nov 21, 2015)

tstex said:


> Here's a video on "How to remove a drum trap lid/cover".
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV3Jhr-FGIQ
> 
> ...



Thank you. That is the problem it is on the second floor and there is no access. we will have to have the new floor torn up I guess to get to it again. I mean that is how we found it in the first place, when they tore up the old subfloor. cha ching cha ching, ...thank you for the video that was kind of you. calgon take me away !!


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## gjax (Nov 21, 2015)

I just wanted to thank everyone for your suggestions/advice. This is a job for the plumber I guess. Happy Thanksgiving to all and I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year !! may 2016 be better for us all...HUGS!


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