My bathtub drain is running very, very slowly. Several years ago I had this same problem and hired a plumber. He cleaned out the drum trap and replaced the cover and charged me lots of money. I'm sure I could do this my little old self if I could only get the cover off! Any sugguestions? The nice new cover has a small allen wrench fitting in the center which I can turn with an allen wrench and the top lifts off about an inch or two. There is then like another cover inside which I don't know what to do with. That's as far as I can get. I don't want to break anything. Help! I'm frustrated!

speedball1

In older homes this trap will be a drum trap which has a removable top. This top often becomes corroded and may be very difficult to remove. Apply penetrating oil to the top and let it set for a few minutes. Then use a large wrench to remove the top. If that fails, a hammer and punch may be necessary to do the job.

After you have removed the trap or the cover check for debris in the trap itself and in the pipes leading to and from the trap. In tub drains clogs of hair and soap are quite commonplace. A pair of rubber gloves might be a good idea here.

After you have removed the clog and resealed the drain, run hot water through the drain for a few minutes. This will allow you to check the operation of the drain and to flush any remaining debris from the drain. Ihave put up some images to help you. Good luck, Tom