There
are some push-pull tub stoppers that simply unscrew. Try
grabbing the body of the stopper (when it is UP) and turning
counter-clockwise. I have never seen a tub stopper that wasn't
removable from the tub side of the plumbing (i.e. you should never
have to tear into the wall to remove a tub stopper). Stoppers need
to be removable so a drain "snake" can be pushed down
the drain. Therefore it stands to reason that there is an easy way
to remove the stopper.
Also, you might find it simpler
to use some serious drain cleaner to dissolve the hair clog. I use
plain old crystal Drano. Just follow the instructions... a couple
of tablespoons of Drano followed by a cup of cold water. A good
idea is to cover the drain with an inverted plastic pail to keep
the sputtering and bubbling Drano from splashing back.
There are also some serious
professional-grade liquid drain openers, many of which are based
on strong sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid will dissolve almost any
organic matter such as hair, soap residue, mold and fungus... all
of which are often the ingredients in a drain clog. BUT... these
professional-grade products are VERY strong and must be used
strictly according to their instructions. When I worked in hotel
maintenance we used some pretty dramatic sulfuric acid drain
opener products. There is a very real danger of splash-back caused
by the heat generated from the chemical reactions. The water in
the drain can literally boil as the acid is poured in, so with
these products you MUST place a pail upside-down over the drain
after you pour in the chemical.
Once the clog is removed and
flushed with plenty of water, the acid becomes so diluted that it
no longer poses a safety or health risk. I believe that the
environmental risks associated with sulfuric-acid drain openers
are minimal, because the diluted acid won't affect beneficial
bacteriological action within septic tanks or wastewater treatment
plants. There are chlorine-based products that probably kill off
beneficial bacteria downstream.
Bruce W. Maki, Editor.
