| If you have a bathtub with a built-in stopper, chances | | | | There are times when all you'll need to do is to clean |
| are good that sometime you're going to need to | | | | the mechanism and reinstall all of the pieces properly in |
| replace the drain. You'll know when this time | | | | order to make the drain work requiring no replacement |
| approaches, because the stopper will become more | | | | parts at all. |
| difficult to operate, and water will start seeping from | | | | You need to check any parts that do need to be |
| the tub while the stopper is engaged or will refuse to | | | | replaced to make sure that the new ones you |
| drain when it's open. The old mechanism just isn't | | | | purchased are identical. Although a replacement part |
| working as well as it once did. Although the task of | | | | might seem to work when substituted for a part of a |
| replacing the drain may sound difficult, it really isn't, and | | | | different size, it's not good practice. Bad plumbing could |
| most do-it-yourselfers will be able to do the work for | | | | result in your house being flooded. |
| with no problem. Purchase the replacement parts that | | | | Test the mechanism you've reassembled to see if all |
| will fit your drain, and assemble the tools you'll need: | | | | the parts are working. If the new stopper fits the drain |
| channel locks or another type of wrench, a Philips | | | | pipe right and plugs it securely, you're ready to install |
| screwdriver, plumbers' putty, and some rags to clean | | | | the repaired drain stopper. If it doesn't, you'll need to |
| with. | | | | work to get every part situated just right before |
| The first thing you'll want to do is to remove the | | | | attempting to install it again. |
| mechanism from the old bathtub drain. On your tub | | | | In order to make sure that all of the pipes and flanges |
| you'll find a faceplate attached by one or two screws. | | | | are attached and sealed, use plumbers' putty on the |
| Remove this plate, and you'll have access to the entire | | | | joints. Attach the mechanism used to raise and lower |
| mechanism. Grab hold of it and pull it out through the | | | | the stopper securely to the overflow plate. Before you |
| hole. | | | | seal the plate in place, test the stopper to be sure it's |
| If you find broken pieces that make it difficult for you | | | | working the way it should. Once you're sure that the |
| to free up the entire mechanism, try to access the | | | | stopper will both hold water in the tub and allow it to |
| space through a wall panel on the other side of the | | | | drain at the appropriate times, you can seal the plate |
| wall. However, if you don't have any easy access | | | | down. |
| space like this, you're going to need to fish out all of | | | | After you've sealed the overflow plate back down, |
| the pieces with a hook made out of a wire hanger or | | | | use the screws to secure it. Clean up any extra |
| other similar piece of wire. | | | | plumbers' putty making sure that you haven't covered |
| After you've retrieved all of your drain pieces from | | | | up the overflow vent. Then you'll be ready to use your |
| inside the wall, you can reassemble them using the | | | | bathtub drain again, and it should be working just like a |
| replacement parts you purchased as necessary. | | | | new one. |