Shower drains very slowly

[PlumbingNoob]

Disclaimer: I know very little about plumbing and most attempts at fixing plumbing problems in the past haven't worked too great.

Here is a picture of the tub:

I know for sure that hair is the problem for the incredibly slow draining as my sister's hair frequently clogs up the cover on the drain. Draino and plunging did not help. I went and bought a pipe snake but the pipe snake cannot fit through the drain cover and the cover does not appear to be removable (easily anyway):

Naturally, the next course of action was to try and remove the tub drain stopper since it's connected to the drain. I removed the cover that turns to stop the drain and encountered this:

Using a wrench, I was able to get to this which does not seem easily removable nor can the snake fit into:

Am I going about this in the proper manner? And how do you remove the drain stopper to get access to the pipe so that it can be snaked? Thank you in advance for any knowledge you can impart upon me!

 

[phishfood]

For a hair clog, this little doodad might be worth a try:http://zipitclean.com/

I am a plumber, with a selection of power snakes, but this is what I use to clean my own tub drain when it gets hair in it.

 

[PlumbingNoob]

For a hair clog, this little doodad might be worth a try:http://zipitclean.com/

I am a plumber, with a selection of power snakes, but this is what I use to clean my own tub drain when it gets hair in it.

I tried a zip-it before I bought the snake, but they are also too large to fit through the openings in the drain. Any ideas how to remove the drain stopper or drain opening so that it can be zipped or snaked?

 

[IFIXH20]

There appear to be hair in your tub shoe/strainer ( the drain in the bottom of your tub). Here is a little trick to try using a wire clothes hanger. pull the hanger apart to a stright piece, bend one end into a small hook, fish hook side through drain in bottom of tub while turning clockwise, push it in as far as it will go, then pull back (Keep turning hanger going in and coming out) . this should remove the hair in your tub shoe/strainer. Repeat process until all hair is removed.

 

[PlumbingNoob]

There appear to be hair in your tub shoe/strainer ( the drain in the bottom of your tub). Here is a little trick to try using a wire clothes hanger. pull the hanger apart to a stright piece, bend one end into a small hook, fish hook side through drain in bottom of tub while turning clockwise, push it in as far as it will go, then pull back (Keep turning hanger going in and coming out) . this should remove the hair in your tub shoe/strainer. Repeat process until all hair is removed.

Worked like a charm! The hanger was small enough to make it through the openings in the drain and I was eventually able to pull out the hair that was sitting somewhere in-between the drain and pipe connected to the overflow pipe. Thank you

 

[havasu]

Excellent recommendation IFIXH20! I just can't believe that the diameter of the Zip It was too large to fit in the opening, but a coat hanger was the right size. I have used both, and appeared to be the same diameter, I thought?

 

[IFIXH20]

Plumbingnoob, I only put down a few words, you did all the work. Good job. come vist us again. we ( this community) will be glad to help.

Havasu, I do not know the size of a zip-it ,but i will next week. I am Picking one up to put in my arsenal

 

[johnjh2o]

Plumbingnoob, I only put down a few words, you did all the work. Good job. come vist us again. we ( this community) will be glad to help.

Havasu, I do not know the size of a zip-it ,but i will next week. I am Picking one up to put in my arsenal

There about the size of a large zip tie.

John

 

[havasu]

Very good size analogy John.

 

[IFIXH20]

There about the size of a large zip tie.

John

Thanks John -- I picked up a few today, some for the shop and one for my wife, maybe i can get her to do P.Maintenance on her pop-up.

 

[johnjh2o]

Thanks John -- I picked up a few today, some for the shop and one for my wife, maybe i can get her to do P.Maintenance on her pop-up.

They work on popups very well. I have a ongoing stoppages with mine. But I'm the problem because I clean my electric raiser out in the sink. Don't tell my wife.

John