Slow drains: maintenance item or deficiency?

A slow drain that still drains is different from a drain that backs up — but where inspectors draw that line varies by what they can observe during the visit. If the tub holds water while the inspector runs it, expect a cite. Share your experiences: what got written, what did not, and whether your turns include a drain check in every bathroom.

The practical test is the tub: fill it, pull the plug, and watch whether it is draining or loitering while the inspector is still standing there. Grease and hair do not care about your intentions, and a drain that 'works, technically' is a coin flip you do not need to take. A two-minute check per bathroom during turns is the whole fix for most of these. Do your turns include an actual drain check in every bathroom — and where have your inspectors set the slow-drain line?