Okay, so the other day I had this annoying problem with my bathtub. The stopper, you know, the thing that’s supposed to keep the water in, just wasn’t working right. It’s one of those “lift and turn” types, and it was letting water drain out slowly. Super frustrating when you’re trying to take a relaxing bath!
So, I grabbed my tools, figuring I’d give it a shot myself before calling a plumber. I mean, how hard could it be, right? Famous last words, I guess.
Figuring Out the Mechanism
First, I took a good look at the stopper. It’s basically a knob on top that you lift and turn to open and close the drain. Underneath, there’s usually a set screw that holds the knob to a post.
- I tried to loosen that set screw. It’s tiny, so you need a small screwdriver or an Allen wrench. Mine was pretty stuck, probably from years of gunk and mineral buildup.
- After some struggling (and maybe a few curse words), I managed to get it loose.
Removing the Stopper
With the set screw loosened, I tried to lift the knob off. It wouldn’t budge. More gunk, I guess.
- I pried gently with a flathead screwdriver, careful not to scratch the tub.
- Eventually, with a little wiggling and pulling, the knob came off. It was pretty gross underneath, all covered in hair and soap scum.
Inspecting and Cleaning
Once I had the knob off, I could see the post and the rest of the mechanism. There’s usually a cylinder-like thing that goes down into the drain. This one had a rubber seal at the bottom, which was clearly worn out. That’s probably why the water was leaking.
- I pulled out the whole assembly. More hair and gunk. Yuck.
- I cleaned everything thoroughly with an old toothbrush and some bathroom cleaner. Got rid of all the buildup.
Replacing the Seal (or the Whole Thing)
Now, you have a couple of options here. You can either try to find a replacement rubber seal that fits your stopper, or you can just buy a whole new stopper assembly. I decided to go with a new one because the old one was pretty beat up.
- I took the old stopper with me and went to the home depot.
- It was easy to find a new one.
Putting It Back Together
Putting the new stopper in was basically the reverse of taking the old one out.
- I slid the new cylinder into the drain.
- I lined up the post with the knob.
- I tightened the set screw. Made sure it was snug, but not too tight.
Testing It Out
Finally, the moment of truth! I filled the tub with water and… no leaks! Success! It held the water perfectly. I felt pretty proud of myself, not gonna lie.
So, yeah, that’s how I fixed my lift and turn tub stopper. It wasn’t super complicated, but it did take a bit of patience and elbow grease. Definitely saved me the cost of a plumber, though!