There’s nothing more relaxing than coming home after a long day of work and drawing a nice hot bath—but what do you do if your drain stopper is stuck or not stopping water like it should? The good news is that a faulty drain stopper is often very easy to fix. While a trip-lever drain stopper is a little trickier to work with, it’s still a problem that you can tackle on your own.
Here’s what you need to know about DIY bathtub drain stopper repair.
Fix a Tub Stopper
If your tub has a foot lock or roller ball tub drain, you may be able to quickly fix the issue by rotating the plug counterclockwise. Once the plug is removed from the drain, clean it with a mild cleaning solution. Reinstall the drain and test.
Steps
Remove the two screws that secure the trip lever plate to the tub. Be sure to put the screws on the bathroom floor or somewhere safe. This way, they don’t fall down the drain.
- Grip the trip lever plate and then carefully remove the trip lever and linkage from the overflow.
- Clean the linkage, rocker arm, and stopper using a mild cleaning solution. If you prefer an all-natural method, vinegar also works.
- Ensure the drain of free of blockage and debris by flushing it with a solution of boiling water, one cup of baking soda, and one cup of vinegar.
- Lubricate the rocker arm and stopper, specifically the moving parts. Place both parts into the drain until the stopper is in its closed position. Then lubricate the threads of the linkage.
- Reinstall the overflow drain.
Depending on the tub, the linkage may need to be adjusted. Loosen the locknut to increase the drain flow rate. If the stopper doesn’t properly seal in the closed position, loosen the locknut, and then turn the lift rod clockwise to tighten it.
Now that you know how to fix a bathtub drain, you can get back to enjoying relaxing baths.
Call a Professional Plumbing Company
While it’s not hard to repair a bathtub drain, sometimes there are underlying issues that prevent you from fixing the issue. If you need help getting your bathtub back into working order, you can trust Roto Rooter Plumbing & Drain Service to help.
We specialize in all sorts of plumbing services. Our team is also available around the clock services so that you can reach us when you need us the most!
Schedule your plumbing service today by calling us at (805) 620-3700.
