How To Fix A Drain Stopper
FixMyDrain.com provides simple to follow instructional videos on how to fix a drain stopper, how to remove your old stopper, and replace it with a shiny new tub stopper, in under 5 minutes. The Watco SimpliQuick® Tub Fix stopper fits right over your existing drain with no prepwork, no hassle, no mess.
How to Fix a Drain Stopper for Tub or Lavatory
The Watco IdealLav is the simplest solution to quickly fix a drain stopper in a lavatory. Just drop the IdealLav right down into the sink drain for quick drain repair, replacement or upgrade. Check out our videos for more information or call to speak with a tub drain specialist to learn more about how to fix a drain stopper with the simplest solution.
FixMyDrain.com offers quick, no mess, easy to follow solutions for repairing, replacing or upgrading your tub or lavatory drains. Both SimpliQuick® Tub Fix and IdealLav contain a mesh grid to catch hair and foreign debris from entering the drain. Your satisfaction is paramount, please contact us today with any questions on how to fix a drain stopper.
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How To Fix A Bathroom Sink Stopper
Your bathroom sink stopper works hard to stop objects from falling down your drain. But when you pull the knob that controls it and nothing happens, it can be frustrating. Just like when youre brushing your teeth and no amount of pushing will lift it. The good news is theres a simple fix that you can do to get your stopper working again in seconds.
Below youll find a simple explanation of how your sink stopper works and how to fix it when it doesnt. After reading, youll have everything you need if you want to tackle the job yourself.
Tools Needed: a set of pliers
HOW IT WORKS
The stopper in your bathroom sink connects to the knob at the back of your sink fixture by a simple lever. The knob has a bar that runs down under the sink, connected to a strap by a retaining screw. That strap slips over a lever where a clip holds it in place. Finally, the lever sits in the drain body and hooks into the stopper. Pulling the knob lifts the back of that lever, lowering the stopper. Pushing the knob down will lower the lever, lifting the stopper back up.
LETS FIX IT
Over time, the retaining screw holding the knob to the strap can come loose. That lets the bar slide up and down without moving the lever or stopper. So, all you have to do is tighten the retaining screw to get it working again. Align the strap so the stopper is where you want it when the knob is down, then tighten the screw to hold it in place. You may need a set of pliers to get the screw tight enough to hold.
How To Clear The Blockage
After cleaning your pop-up stopper in a different sink, use a bent wire hanger to clear any hair and gunk out of the pipes. Lower the hook-shaped wire into the drain and rotate it until you feel something on the end. Then pull up and use gloved hands to throw away anything you pull up. You can also pull hair and other blockages through the pivot rod hole.
Use an old toothbrush to clean the inside of the pipe and around the drain. If using a hanger doesnt clear the clog, you may need to remove the P-trap from under the sink and hand-clean it.
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Anatomy Of A Sink Stopper
Pop-up sink stoppers work through a system of levers linked together. The stoppers are controlled by a lift rod that is usually just behind the faucet.
When you pull up the rod, the lever mechanism it is connected to pulls the sink stopper down and plugs the sink. When you push the rod down, it causes the lever to push the stopper up and allows water to flow down the drain.
Underneath the sink, the lift rod connects to the clevis strap. The clevis strap is attached to the pivot rod by a v-clamp . The pivot rod inserts into the drain, where it inserts into a hole in the bottom of the stopper.
Thankfully, if you need to know how to fix sink a stopper or simply clean out your sink drain, it isnt a difficult task.
Leaking Kitchen Sink Drain: How To Fix It
We use the kitchen sink all the time from putting water in a pot to washing dishes and hands to throwing away food particles. It is always in use. Noticing that the kitchen sink drain is leaking can be frustrating and instantly you are thinking, how much will this cost me.
Do you see water and are wondering why do I see a leaking kitchen sink drain? There are 7 different areas you can check and try before calling a professional. Those are: under the drain for a leak, the faucet, a loose connection under the sink, clogged P-trap, damaged O- ring, washers that are worn out, or a corroded valve seat.
Lets take a look at why knowing the reason the kitchen sink drain is leaking is important, how to find the reasons why it is leaking, other maintenance, and when to call a professional.
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Is The Lift Rod Strap Secure But The Sink Drain Stopper Still Isnt Working
Potential Solution: Adjust the seal of the pivot rod.
Does the lift rod strap go up and down when you pull on the lift rod and the pivot rod is working but the stopper still doesnt move? You likely have an internal failure on the other end of the pivot rod. This sounds worse than it is! Youll just need to break into the drain tailpiece and inspect the pivot rod.
Note, if youre working with plastic you may not need any tools. With metal, youll probably need to use channellock pliers.
First, youll remove the pivot rod clip by squeezing it and pulling it off. Set it to the side. Loosen the pivot rod nut after and remove the pivot rod from the drain tailpiece. Youll either see a pivot ball to plastic and the plastic going into the bottom of the stopper . Or youll see metal for the rod and a plastic ball. Take it out and I also recommend giving it a good clean removing any gunk or hair.
It is not uncommon for a metal pivot rod to corrode and fail over time. This is not a big problem and often you can get a new pivot rod by taking the broken part down to your local home improvement store and trying to match it up with a new one. If you cant find a good match you might need to install a new drain tailpiece which can be a little larger project but still doable.
How To Replace Sink Drain Stopper
The stopper has come out of my bathroom sink drain, and I’d like to put it back in.
The stopper has an offset stirrup , and the drain has a post sticking out of the side of the pipe that doesn’t quite reach the opposite side of the pipe. The post tilts up/down when you manipulate the pull knob on top of the faucet.
If I align the offset stirrup with the gap at the end of the post, then the stirrup slides onto the post. However this is not a secure connection, and it comes off fairly easily.
It seems like the right way to do it is to rotate the stopper 180 degrees so the stirrup offset is flush with the base of the post, instead of sitting near the the end of the post.
But as far as I can see, there’s no way to do that. If I go underneath the sink, is there a way to retract the post so that the stopper can be inserted in the correct orientation?
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Fixing A Leaky Faucet
A leaky faucet is usually caused by a worn-out washer or O-ring. If you have a dripping tap, you’ll probably find that it needs replacing. It may be leaking because of a worn-out washer, an incorrectly installed seal, or a damaged flange. If your tap has been leaking for some time, it might also be due to corrosion
Put The Drain Stopper Into Place
Insert the pop-up stopper down into the drain opening inside the sink, making sure the hole in the linkage is facing toward the back of the sink. From under the sink, insert the pivot rod into the opening in the side of the tailpiece. Usually, there is a plastic washer on each side of the plastic ball. You should be able to feel the tip of the pivot rod slide through the opening in the stopper linkage inside the drain assembly.
Screw the pivot rod nut onto the threaded fitting on the side of the tailpiece, so the ball is secured inside the tailpiece. Test the action of the pivot rod to make sure the stopper goes up and down freely in the drain. If the pop-up is working properly, you can tighten the nut hand-tight. If the pop-up is not working, reposition the stopper and pivot rod so the pieces connect properly.
If the pop-up assembly is hard to move when you move the pivot rod, it’s likely that the pivot rod nut has been tightened down too much and needs to be slightly loosened.
The Spruce / Kevin Norris
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S For Fixing A Tub That Wont Hold Water:
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Reassemble The Drain Trap
Finish the job by reconnecting the P-trap to the drain pipe and drain tailpiece. Check for leaks by closing the stopper, filling up the sink, then opening the stopper and letting the water drain out while you look for leaks from below. Connections that leak can be slightly tightened with channel-type pliers, but take care not to over-tighten them.
The Spruce / Kevin Norris
Also Check: Kenmore Elite Washer Won’t Drain
How To Fix A Broken Sink Stopper
Now, letâs talk about how exactly you should go about fixing a sink stopper. If you consider yourself to be especially competent when it comes to DIY, then this will not be a task that massively phases you.
However, if you do not feel confident about doing this by yourself, then you should really consider enlisting a professional for some help.
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No Drano No Problem: You Can Unclog Your Kitchen Sink Without Harsh Chemicals
Heres how to easily unclog the buildup in your kitchen sink pipes.
Katie Teague
Writer
Katie is a writer covering all things how-to at CNET, with a focus on Social Security and notable events. When shes not writing, she enjoys playing in golf scrambles, practicing yoga and spending time on the lake.
Youve got a problem when youre washing dishes and the water stops draining. That standing water means your kitchen sink pipes are clogged with food and grease and need to be cleared out. But that doesnt mean you should douse your sink with Drano. Weve have a few, easy methods that dont require pouring chemicals down the drain at all but are just as effective.
An added bonus is that you may already have the items in your cabinets that youll need to get your pipes flowing again. Some methods require a simple mixture, while others require some extra elbow grease and suctioning power to clear your drain. But these methods are pretty inexpensive compared to calling a plumber.
Depending on how bad the clog is, you may need to follow all of these techniques and repeat them a few times to unclog your sink. And if your kitchen sink has a garbage disposal, try running that before you begin to grind any food that could be sitting in there . Here are the best ways to unclog your sink and send the stagnant, smelly water away.
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Replacing A Sink Stopper
Again, be sure you protect your bathroom flooring from dripping water, then follow these seven steps to replace a sink stopper:
Now that youve successfully completed a bathroom sink stopper repair and the water is draining freely, you may be ready to take on other basic plumbing tasks. Here are eight essentials to good plumbing maintenance that may help minimize the number of calls you have to make to your plumber. Looking for more tips? Weve got you covered:
Reattach The Chain So That It Doesnt Unwind When You Raise The Stopper
To ensure that the chain stays in place when you raise the stopper, make sure it is in the correct position.
The chain should be taut, but not too tight. If its loose and can slip from side to side, then it wont stay put when used as intended:
Tip: If the chain is too tight, it will break when used as intended because of its lack of flexibility.
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How To Fix A Pop Up Sink Plug
Pop-up plugs having a damaged end do not connect to the mechanism as they should, rendering the tool completely unusable. If everything else under the sink appears to be in working order and all components are connected, the issue may be with the plug.
Under the sink, look for the end of the pop-up plug. At the base of the stopper, a flange is a thin plastic strip. The pop-up assembly must be replaced if the tailpiece is broken.
Fix the Problem
You may proceed with correcting the problem once youve established whats causing your push-to-pop-up sink stopper to stick down. As long as the separate pieces are still in good condition, they are quick and uncomplicated. Next, reattach them to their proper locations and test the mechanism to ensure it functions properly.
Remove the old assemblyif you decide to replace the entire pop-up body. Insert the new stopper into the drain to complete the installation. Place the pivot rod into the drainpipe after sliding the clevis above the stopper rod.
Stiffen the locking nut just enough to secure the pivot rod, but not too much. Tighten the clevis screw after that. Finally, examine the work with the lift rod to make sure all of the moving elements are in place.
Now try to fill the sink with water to ensure you have a good seal. If the sink doesnt hold water because the seal isnt working correctly, adjust the retention nut and clevis until it does.