#DRAIN LEVER FOR BATHTUB HOW TO#

Using a brush and vinegar (or other mild cleaning solution), clean the linkage and plunger.The trip lever, linkage, and plunger should follow it. Remove the drain cover plate from the tub wall.Remove the trip lever, linkage, and plunger-stopper together. If there are no screws in the plate, gently use your thumbs to press up on the plate from the bottom.Ģ. Do this slowly, as a broken screw can make for a more difficult job. With your screwdriver, slowly remove the screws that hold the cover plate to the tub.

Remove the tub’s overflow drain cover plate. Place a towel over the drain to provide your tub with some basic protection while you work. Tub Doesn’t Hold Water? 5 Step Bathtub Trip-lever Adjustmentġ.

#DRAIN LEVER FOR BATHTUB HOW TO#

To check if this is the case, follow our easy five-step process to learn how to lengthen the plunger of your trip-lever stopper assembly. the plunger does not fully sit at the drain joint and therefore cannot adequately block the water flow) can, at times, be the reason your tub doesn’t hold water. When the trip lever is engaged or closed (flipped up), the plunger lowers and sits at the joint of the waste drain and overflow drain, completely stopping water flow down the drain and causing your tub to fill up.Ī trip-lever drain stopper assembly however that is not adjusted correctly (i.e. The trip lever on the side of the tub can be flipped up (to stop the flow of water down the drain) or down (to allow the tub to drain). Trip-Lever on overflow drain plate flips up or down Tub with a trip-lever, grate-style drainĪ trip-lever drain stopper (usually accompanied by a grate-style drain) works in conjunction with a plunger that hangs down the overflow pipe hidden behind the tub. If the water line sinks, and you have a trip-lever, plunger-style drain (a lever you flip up or down on the side of the tub to engage or disengage the drain), the issue may be that the plunger is not completely sealing the waste drain pipe and simply needs to be adjusted (most likely lengthened). If the water line remains unchanged, you’ve succeeded. Watch to see if the water level decreases. To test the tub drain seal, fill the tub a bit and then turn off the water and let it settle. Finally, test to see if your bathtub drain is now sealing properly. After pouring the vinegar mixture down the drain, rinse the drain with very hot water. If this is the case, use a 1:1 mixture of baking soda and vinegar to flush out the waste drain. Regardless of what type of drain stopper you have (pop-up, foot-lock, roller-ball, lift-and-turn, plunger, etc…) The first step to troubleshooting a tub that doesn’t hold water is to check if the stopper has become so dirty that it cannot seal properly.

For guidance on how to address a leaking drain stopper, continue reading.ĭirty Bathtub Drain Stoppers and Bathtub Trip-levers If a stopper assembly is really dirty or simply adjusted incorrectly, the tub may slowly drain despite the stopper being engaged. If you’ve screened for signs of leaking and found nothing, the problem could also be as small as your tub’s waste drain stopper.

Part 5 – Leaking shower valve repair (for one-handle Moen fixtures).

Part 4 – Shower valve leaking repair (for two- or three-handle valves).

Part 3 – Bathtub overflow drain leak repair.

Part 2 – Bathtub drain leaking (waste drain repair).

Part 1 – 4 Main Causes of Pesky Bathtub Leaking.

If you have found external signs of your bathtub leaking, our articles can help you identify the source and what to do next: Have you noticed the water level in your bathtub is decreasing even after you plug the drain? If your tub doesn’t hold water, it’s essential to search for signs of bathtub leaking that could cause severe damage to your home. This article focuses on how to fix a bathtub waste drain stopper when your tub doesn’t hold water. Welcome to part six of our Leak Inspection and Repair Blog Series, exploring bathroom leakage causes and solutions.

Drain lever for bathtub