Walk-in tub Draining

27 Mar 2012 | No Comments | posted by editor | in BC Senior Safety Services Blog

Walk-in tub Draining

How long does it take to drain a walk-in tub? The same amount of time a regular tub takes to drain, except you need to wait until this happens before exiting. The standard tub drain and p trap is 1 1/2″. The p trap is plumbed into the main sewer drain. Gravity and a 1 1/2″ tub drain will only allow so much water through it regardless how many holes are drilled in the bottom of a tub. You could increase the diameter of the p trap and drain going to the larger waste line, but unless the work is easily accessible, plumbing costs and repair likely wouldn’t make it practical.

Optional Quick Drain technology offered by some distributors will come with a disclaimer because they have the potential to cause damage to drains and p-traps.  A home’s drainage is made up of series of pipes, glue joints, and rubber couplings, all well suited for naturally vented drainage.  An electric water pump forcing more water through drains than they were designed for has the potential of causing mechanical connections like rubber couplings to come loose.  It can also push water out of  p-traps allowing waste gases to enter into a home.

Here is one such disclaimer:

Although American Standard® has taken reasonable precautions to ensure that the Quick Drain TM is suitable for residential plumbing; it is the responsibility of the installer to insure that the plumbing is acceptable for use of the Quick Drain TM. American Standard® does not accept responsibility for damage arising from use of the Quick Drain TM

It should only take about 2 – 3 minutes for a walk-in tub with a single drain and natural vented drainage to completely empty. Bathers usually will use the shower wand to rinse soap off themselves and the tub during this short time. A slow running drain could be caused by any number of things, poor venting, blockage etc. It will have nothing to do with the type of tub installed.