How To Remove Old Tub Drain Without Crossbars Step By Step Guide
Wondering how to remove old tub drain without crossbars? When you prefer to change or remove the bathtub, youve first to take off the tub drain.
The drain fitting may need to be replaced after a specific time when its leakage issues or is seriously rusted.
Removing an old tub drain without crossbars is a hassle-free task. Its necessary to figure out first the kind of tub drain and stopper your bathtub has.
In this post, well outline all the required steps to detach this tub drain smoothly. Lets begin!
When To Remove A Bathtub Drain
Bathtub drains can be removed any time the homeowner needs to deep clean the drain, replace the entire drain or remove the bathtub. Drain baskets tend to corrode over time, which may prompt drain removal. Removing a drain may also be required to remove clogs like hairballs and other gunk often trapped in these tight plumbing stops. Visible leaks are also a sign that its time for the bathtub drain to be removed and replaced.
How Long Does It Take To Replace An Overflow
Most times you have to cut it out and piece it back together. It is not unusual for a waste and over repair to take 6 hours or so.
Is a bathtub leak covered by homeowners insurance?
Most of the time. Your homeowners insurance will likely cover water damage caused by slab leaks and other plumbing related damage, as long as it was sudden and accidental. Or if a bathtub leaks, your insurance company wont replace your bathtub.
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Remove The Bathtub Drain Stopper
Once you have identified the type of drain stopper, you can learn how to remove a bathtub drain by following the specific directions below for your type of drain:
How to Remove a Toe-Touch Drain Stopper:
- Set the drain to its open position.
- Unscrew the shaft cylinder, which is the part of the drain stopper that fits into the drain opening. It is usually screwed into a threaded section of the drain opening. Depending on the design of the stopper, you may need to use a screwdriver, or you may simply be able to twist the drain stopper counterclockwise with your hand.
How to Remove a Push-Pull Drain Stopper:
- Set the drain to its open position.
- Lift up on the drain stoppers knob and turn it counterclockwise.
- After enough turns, the drain stopper should be unscrewed and come free from the drain opening.
How to Remove a Lift-And-Turn Drain Stopper:
- Set the drain to its open position.
- Unscrew the knob on the top of the drain stopper to see if there is a set-screw underneath.
- If your drain stopper has a set-screw, use a small screwdriver or a hex key to unscrew it.
- Twist the entire stopper counterclockwise until it pulls free from its mounting post.
- Remove the mounting post using pliers.
How to Remove a Trip-Lever Drain Stopper:
Once you have removed it, set the drain stopper aside and clean away any remaining grime or debris with a scrub brush.
How To Remove A Drain From A Tub
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Whether youre replacing it or just cleaning it, removing a tub drain is something anyone with a little DIY experience can handle. Once you figure out the type of drain you have, start by removing the stopper . Then, remove the drain basket with a drain wrench. You can find this tool at a hardware store. Clean the drain hole, and youre ready to replace the drain!
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How To Unscrew A Bathtub Drain
If your bath begins to drain slowly or stops draining completely, it has probably become blocked by a build-up of hair and grime. This means you will need to remove the drain and unblock it. You will also need to remove an old drain to replace it with a new one.
Of course, you can call in a professional plumber to do it for you. However, removing a drain is quite a simple task, and many people will be able to DIY it. If you are interested in trying it out for yourself, heres our guide for how to remove a bathtub drain.
We also had a look on YouTube, and there are a whole lot of video showing you how to do this job. There also seem to be about as many different techniques as there are videos, but this is a good one so check it out if you want to see how its done.
Remove Any Internal Hardware
On the simplest drains, you can skip this step, as not every drain has internal hardware. Some drains are more complicated than others. For example, if you have a trip-lever style drain, youll need to remove the overflow drains faceplate to access the internals.
But, the connecting hardware will likely come out as you remove the faceplate, as its usually all one piece. Other drains have a sleeve or cylinder that needs removal.
Youll see it when you look down the drain. Just unscrew it with your hand. If it doesnt move easily, there might be a small set-screw you need to remove first. If its stubborn, use a pair of pliers.
If youre struggling to get the internals out of the way, just take a break and look at things again. Youre probably missing a small screw that needs loosening before the stopper or hardware comes out.
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How Do You Remove Different Tub Drains
The process is always the same. Remove the stopper, then the hardware, and then the drain itself. But, since there are so many types of drains, there is a bit of variation in the specifics. Anytime you install a drain, especially one thats sort of complicated, its a good idea to keep the instructions for future reference.
Tips To Remove Old Tub Drain
Tub drains are sometimes hard to remove. They accumulate muck, rust, or toughened plumbers putty.
Additionally, when your bathtub is heavily cold, you can use a hair drier or a heat gun to blow hot air. A few minutes will do the job.
Itll soften the hard putty. As a result, youll easily remove the drain. Now, watch this video!
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Replace The Old Tub Drain
Dont throw away the old tub drain if you want to install a new one. Installing an accurate size for the tub drain is important.
Otherwise, it wont fit perfectly. Take this old tub drain to your nearby shop so that you can find the correct replacement.
Herere the steps to follow to install a tub drain:
- Using a fresh plumbers putty is necessary. It doesnt matter whether youre reinstalling the old tub drain or a new one.
- Start rolling the putty using your hands. It should be thick enough to appear like a pencil.
- Now, locate the replacement drain basket and put the rolled putty around its lip.
- Use your hand to tighten the intact drain basket. For proper tightening, use a drain wrench.
- Next, get rid of the extra plumbers putty using a putty knife.
- When setting up a flip-lever drain stopper, its necessary to put the plunger inside the overflow drain first. Make sure to tighten the drain basket first before tightening the drains faceplate. You can also follow the particular brand instructions because the installation process may vary based on the model.
- But if youre setting up another type of stopper, you just need to put the drain stopper inside the drain basket and tighten it properly.
Remove The Tub Stopper Or Screen
Remove the drain stopper or screen to gain access to the tub’s drain fitting. If the tub has a screen, simply pry underneath the screen with a small flathead screwdriver to pop it off. Tubs with screens usually have a bucket or plunger stopper assembly that stops the water inside the drain pipe.
If the tub has no screen, it likely will have a stopper set into the drain opening. The method to remove it depends on the stopper type. Stoppers that you open and close by moving the stopper itself usually unscrew from the drain or are secured with a setscrew. Stoppers that you operate with a lever on the overflow drain plate may have a metal rocker arm that extends through the horizontal portion of the tub drain pipe. Carefully pull the stopper and rocker arm from the drain.
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Things To Consider: Important
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Drains can range from complex to quite simple, so keep in mind some important considerations:
- Check the drain diagrams if you have access, they can reveal any tricks you need to know
- Use a drain removal wrench if you need to twist the basket really hard
- Dont drop anything down the drain
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Need To Replace Your Tub Drain Removing The Old One Can Be A Real Chore Here Are The Three Easiest Options
Typically, youd remove the drain with a drain wrench , but if the drains crossbars are gone, youll have to use a drain extractor . If the drain is really old, sometimes even a drain extractor isnt enough youll first have to knock it loose using an old chisel to bite into the metal . Once the drain is loosened a bit, turn it the rest of the way with the drain extractor.
Family Handyman
Remove The Drain Basket
Once youve removed the drain stopper and any hardware inside the drain, its time to remove the basket. Thats the part of the drain that connects your homes plumbing to the tub.
Sometimes, a plumber or parts guy will call it a drain flange. Look down into the drain. There will be a crossbar visible in the opening. If you have one, you can use a drain removal tool or a pair of pliers to grip the crossbar.
Whichever tool you use, make sure to get a solid grip. Start applying a gentle counterclockwise force. Increase the pressure steadily and gradually until the basket starts to turn.
Its important not to jerk or bounce your wrench. Steady and even pressure will give the best results. Bathtub drains are often quite long, so be prepared to turn the basket many times to free it.
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How Do You Remove A Bathtub Drain Without Crossbars
Removing a drain without crossbars can be tricky. Most drains had crossbars at one time, but its not unheard of for them to break. In order to remove the basket without crossbars to grip with your wrench, youll need to find a way to get pressure on the inside of the basket. You can buy a special tool for this if you want.
Or, you can try spreading the grips of your wrench in the hole and then forcing something between them to push the grips into the metal. Some people use the head of a hammer and a set of needle-nose pliers to create enough leverage. This trick isnt a standard technique, so if youre stuck, you may need a pro.
Save Yourself Some Cash By Doing It Yourself
If you consider yourself even slightly handy, with just a few tools, you can easily remove your bathtub drain by yourself. This will save you a bit of cash that you would otherwise have had to pay the plumber and at the same time, you will improve your DIY skills.
Removing a bathtub drain is a simple task that just about anyone can manage. If this is something you need to do, just follow our step-by-step guide and you should be able to manage it without too much trouble.
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By Step Guide To Remove Tub Drain Without Crossbars
Thinking of how to remove a tub drain without the tool? Well, you dont need several tools to take out the tub drain.
2-3 handy tools will be enough. Most of them might be already in your home.
- Take Out TheTub Stopper Or Screen
At first, youll need to take out the drain screen or drain stopper. Thatll help you easily locate the old tubs drain fitting.
Use a tiny flathead screwdriver to pull below the screen if your old tub features a screen. If the tub has a screen, its supposed to feature a bucket or plunger stopper to restrict the water flow that goes through the drain pipe.
However, the handling situation wont be the same if the tub doesnt have any screen. In that case, the drain opening must have a stopper set.
Depending upon the type of stopper your old tub has, youll follow a particular removal procedure.
For example, some stoppers may have an easy opening/closing system. Generally, theyre equipped with a setscrew to secure their position.
On the other hand, the tub drain pipe must have a metal rocker arm if you use a lever to run on the stopper. Youll cautiously move the stopper and rocker arm from the drain.
- Use a Plug Wrench to Take Out the Old Drain
Locate to the drain opening and put the last part of the plug wrench inside it. Make sure the tines on the wrench sit perfectly inside the drain crossbars.
You may have to try several options from the head sizes to choose one that fits ideally.
- Use Locking Pliers to Take Out the Drain
- Clean the Drain Opening
What Would Cause A Bathtub To Leak
If you see water leaking, it is very likely you have loose connections in the drain fitting or the drain trap below the tub. Tighten or repair them as needed. If running water in the tub causes no leaking, run the shower water instead. Cracked or missing caulk around these elements lets water behind the shower wall.
How to replace an overflow drain gasket on a bathtub?
How to Replace a Bathtub Overflow Drain Gasket 1 Finding the Drain and Tools. The bathtubs main drain is typically under the bathtub, and the overflow drain can be found a few inches beneath the tubs rim. 2 Removing the Old Gasket. 3 Installing the New Gasket. 4 Overflow Drain Gasket Maintenance.
How do you remove an overflow cover on a tub?
Remove the overflow cover plate with a screwdriver. Locate the old overflow gasket. If it is fairly intact, remove with your fingers or a pair of pliers. If the gasket is too compressed, you can scrape it off with a screwdriver or scraping tool. It is OK if bits of the old gasket fall behind the tub as you are scraping it off.
Where does the overflow plate go on a bathtub?
The bathtub overflow gasket goes on the back side of the tub. Have your helper inside the tube screw the overflow plate on while you make sure the gasket stays in place. If the gasket is tapered, the thicker part of the gasket goes on the bottom. Clean up and test.
Do you have to replace waste and overflow in bathtub?
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Clean The Drain Opening
- Some of the old seal may remain, so remove any residue with a plastic putty knife.
- Clean the drain opening with a sponge and either a bathroom cleaner or a 50/50 blend of vinegar and baking soda.
- If you plan to reuse the existing drain stopper and drain basket, clean those pieces as well.
Next we will cover how to replace a bathtub drain.
Identify Your Type Of Drain Stopper
There are many different types of drain stoppers. Thats the part that prevents water from going down the drain when you want to fill the tub. Since theyre all different, the first step is to look carefully at what you have, so you can figure the best way to remove it.
Many stoppers are quite simple. Some old-fashioned tubs have a stopper on a chain, making removal nothing more than a quick tug. Other tub drains have a pop-up stopper, where you can use your toe to press it down and seal the tub and then press it again to open the drain.
Pop-up drains almost always simply unscrew counterclockwise. Sometimes, your drain stopper might have a set-screw that holds it in place, so if you cant figure how to remove the stopper, look around for a small screw.
Heres a quick list of different stopper types to help point you in the right direction:
- Toe-Touch Stoppers Usually unscrew
- Chain Stoppers Pull it off and set it aside
- Lever-operated Stoppers Requires dismantling the lever system
Some lever-operated systems are a bit complicated. But with a bit of patience, you can figure out how to remove the stopper fairly easily. Oftentimes, the whole mechanism is attached to the faceplate at the overflow drain, so make sure to expose as much of the system as you can to investigate how it comes apart.
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