How To Repair Sink Stopper

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When yous pull up on that rod sticking up backside your bathroom faucet, the drain stopper is supposed to pull downwardly and plug the sink. Simply what if the stopper doesn't pull downward, and you can't plug your sink? Or, even worse, what if the stopper is stuck down and you tin't drain your sink? Your first instinct may be to telephone call a plumber, simply you can save some money and earn some satisfaction by replacing the sink stopper yourself. Whether you want to replace just the stopper mechanism or the unabridged drain and stopper system, you should experience confident that it is a chore virtually DIYers can handle without much fuss.

1. 1

   Undo the clamp that connects the pivot rod and extension bar. Beneath the sink, yous'll discover a vertical metal bar with a series of holes in it (the extension bar) connected to an angled (but nearly horizontal) rod that enters the sink's drainpipe (the pivot rod). To disconnect them, pinch the V-shaped spring clamp that holds them together. Keep the clamp and all other pieces you disconnect for future reference.^[1]

2. 2

   Unscrew the pivot nut and pull it out with the pivot rod. The pin nut is threaded onto a brusk stub on the drainpipe, and is the entry point for the pivot rod into the drain. Plow the nut counterclockwise by mitt — or use a wrench if necessary — to unthread it. Pull it straight off forth with the inserted pin rod. You lot should now see the pivot ball nestled inside the nut, along with the stub of the pivot rod that connects to the stopper inside the pipe.^[2]

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3. 3

   Undo the screw that connects the extension bar and lift rod. The vertical extension bar is continued by a clevis (a "U" shaped articulation) with the lift rod that extends to the topside of the sink. Disengage the screw to unfasten the lift rod, so pull the lift rod out from above the sink.^[3]

   • Because the extension bar and lift rod are adjustable — that's what the clevis, the holes in the extension bar, and the jump clamp are for — you may be able to go on them in identify and reuse them with other new or repaired components of the sink stopper. A sink stopper replacement kit volition come with a new extension bar and lift rod, notwithstanding, should you want or need to replace them as well.

4. 4

   Elevator out the bleed stopper. The stopper is no longer connected to annihilation and should be sitting freely in the bleed opening. Use your fingernails or a thin tool if necessary to get a grip on it and pull it out of the drain. If you use a screwdriver or other tool and plan to reuse the bleed itself, however, be careful non to scratch up the cease.^[4]

5. 5

   Discover precise matches if you desire to supervene upon only the removed components. Accept the pieces you've disconnected — the bleed plug, lift handle, extension bar, pivot rod, etc. — with y'all to the habitation improvement store. If you take details on the brand and model, all the ameliorate. If you can find replacement parts that match upwards just right — ideally from the same make and model — you can install them and fix the sink stopper without disconnecting the drain itself. If you tin can't, or you'd rather replace the whole machinery, continue with disconnecting the drain.

   • If you're simply replacing the stopper mechanism components, move alee to the relevant installation steps later in this article. Otherwise, continue to the section on removing the drain.
   • Seek out a sales associate at the hardware shop if you need assistance finding matching parts.

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1. 1

   Undo the connection between the P-trap and the tailpipe. Locate the junction of the vertical tailpipe (which housed the pivot rod and brawl you just removed) and the curved P-trap. If your trap is PVC, the connector will be a PVC compression nut that you can loosen by hand. If the trap is metal, it will be a metal nut that requires a big wrench or channel locks to loosen. In either instance, loosen the nut completely so that the two sections of pipage are disconnected.^[5]

   • If yous want to create more workspace under the sink, y'all can also disconnect the other end of the P-trap and temporarily remove it. If so, take the opportunity to check for (and remove) clogs inside the trap.
   • Place a bucket or towels beneath the pipes to catch dripping water.

2. ii

   Unthread the sink stopper's tailpipe from the underside of the bleed. Now that the lesser of the tailpipe if free from the P-trap, loosen the nut that connects it to the threaded bottom of the sink drain. Most sink stopper tailpipes are fabricated of PVC, and will exist connected to the drain with a PVC pinch nut that you can loosen by hand. If your tailpipe is metallic, y'all'll once again need a large wrench or channel locks to disengage the nut.^[6]

   • If you can find a new sink stopper ready that matches your one-time one (and thus fits into your existing bleed), y'all may be able to keep the existing sink bleed in place. If so, you can skip alee to the steps detailing the installation of a new tailpipe, reconnection of the P-trap, and installation of the drain stopper mechanism.

3. three

   Loosen the locknut that holds the drain in place. About sink drains are held in place by pinch between the drain's lip on the topside of the sink and a locknut on the underside. The locknut will be snug upwards confronting the underside of the sink. Use a large wrench or channel locks to loosen and remove information technology. If the whole sink drain spins when yous try to turn the locknut, stick the tips of two flat-head screwdrivers into the drain opening from above — you lot should be able to discover a couple of notches within the bleed opening that accept the screwdriver tips.^[7]

   • Some sink drain locknuts take screws that demand to be removed first. "Bell washer" sink drains have a bell-shaped housing that covers the drain's underside and holds information technology in identify with a nut at the bottom. Remove this nut and pull off the bell housing to undo the pinch fitting.

4. 4

   Push up on the sink bleed and pull it out of the sink basin. The drain's lip will exist continued to the sink bowl with plumber'southward putty, just this should give way easily when you push upward from below. If not, give the drain a few wiggles and twists from beneath and push button up again. If it nonetheless won't budge, a few taps from beneath with a rubber mallet should do the trick. Articulate away any putty rest in the sink bowl with a plastic putty knife and wet rags.^[8]

5. v

   Take the disassembled components to the hardware shop to find a replacement. Y'all don't take to supervene upon the old sink stopper assembly with the exact same model, but installing the new equipment volition exist easier if it is the same size and shape as the one-time stuff. In item, you may want to paw-tighten the bleed and tailpipe back together and compare their combined length to your replacement options. If the replacement is more than than a tiny bit (say, half a centimeter) shorter or longer than the old parts, you'll take to trim, add together to, or reconfigure the P-trap to brand everything fit together.^[nine]

   • PVC P-traps give you this small amount of wiggle room — if you have a metal P-trap, your replacement sink stopper assembly needs to be essentially the verbal aforementioned length equally the old ane in order to avert P-trap adjustments.

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1. i

   Place a rolled out band of plumber's putty around the sink opening. Accept a pocket-sized handful of plumber'south putty from its container and work it around in your hands until it feels similar children's clay (e.g., Play-Doh). And then, whorl it into a "snake" virtually the thickness of a pencil, and form a band past pressing the ends together. Press this band onto the rim of the opening in your sink basin.^[10]

   • Brand certain y'all've removed whatever onetime putty from the sink with wet rags and a plastic putty pocketknife starting time.

2. 2

   Push the new sink bleed into the opening and onto the putty. Press firmly enough that plumber's putty squeezes out around the top lip of the drain. Clear this excess putty abroad with your fingers and moisture rags.^[11]

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3. iii

   Stack any included gaskets on top of the locknut or bong housing. Without these ane or more gaskets that came with the kit, you'll take a metallic-to-metal compression connection under the sink that won't be watertight. Follow the provided product instructions regarding the order and placement of the gasket(southward), then put them on top of the locknut or bell housing earlier y'all slip information technology over the threads of the sink drain's bottom.^[12]

4. 4

   Tighten the locknut or bong housing nut to secure the drain in place. Utilise a big wrench or aqueduct locks to tighten a traditional locknut strainer. Make the connectedness snug, but don't try to over-tighten it or y'all may crack the porcelain sink basin. If you take a locknut with screws, only hand-tigthen the locknut and employ a screwdriver to secure the screws and brand the compression connexion snug.

   • If y'all take a bong washer strainer, slide the bell housing over the sink drain and wrench-tighten the nut that fits onto the exposed sink drain threads at the lesser.

5. 5

   Smear piping joint compound onto the threads at the bottom of the sink drain. Most sink stopper tailpipes only take a few rings of threads to attach them to the sink drain, which makes them prone to leaks. To prevent leaks, buy a tube of piping articulation chemical compound at the hardware store and utilise a small amount all around the bottom several threads of the sink drain. You tin can also wrap Teflon record effectually the threads, but pipe joint compound provides superior leak protection for this application.^[thirteen]

   • If your sink drain kit has a metal tailpipe, the exposed threads may exist on the tailpipe instead of the sink drain. If and then, smear the piping joint compound on the exposed tailpipe threads instead.

6. 6

   Screw on the tailpipe while as well properly adjustment the pipage stub. You desire to paw-tighten the connection between the tailpipe and sink drain until they're snug, but there'south a complicating factor — y'all need to make certain the pipe stub that volition have the pivot rod is pointing in the right management. Typically, it needs to exist pointing straight back towards the rear of the sink cabinet, since this is where the elevator handle and extension bar will drib down from the back of the faucet fixture. Make the connection equally tight every bit possible while achieving the proper alignment.^[14]

   • If yous need help visualizing the proper alignment, drop the lift handle down through the opening in the faucet fixture. If necessary, you tin can also temporarily attach the extension bar with the screw that connects them at the clevis.

7. vii

   Connect the P-trap to the tailpipe to complete the drain connectedness. If your new sink stopper drain is the aforementioned length as the old 1, the existing P-trap should reattach without much trouble. Merely tighten the PVC compression nut by hand (for PVC P-traps), or add a bit of pipage joint compound to the exposed threads and tighten the metal nut with a wrench (for metal P-traps).^[15]

   • If the new sink stopper bleed is besides short to reach the P-trap, you'll accept to cut and connect a short slice of pipe to fill in the gap. If it's likewise long, you'll need to use a hacksaw or pipe cutter to trim off some of the pipe at some betoken — either at the top or bottom of the P-trap, or perhaps even a bit off the bottom of the sink stopper tailpipe itself.^[16]

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1. 1

   Align and place the drain stopper into the sink's bleed opening. The bleed stopper will have a notch in the bottom with a hole (aligned with the stopper's stem) behind it. Line up the stopper then that the notch is facing straight toward the opening for the lift handle, which is ordinarily direct behind the faucet spigot. Maintain this alignment as y'all insert the stopper into the drain opening.^[17]

2. two

   Insert the tapered plastic washer into the horizontal stub on the tailpipe. Your kit will come with a small plastic ring that is slightly wider in bore on ane side than the other. Place the narrower side into the opening get-go. This washer will assistance hold the brawl on the pivot rod in place and provide a watertight seal.^[18]

3. 3

   Feed the pivot rod into the stub and through the pigsty on the drain stopper. Insert the rod at a slightly downwardly angle. If your drain stopper is lined up properly, you should exist able to feed the rod through the hole without much fuss. You'll know yous've succeeded if the drain stopper bobs upwardly and down in the sink. Pull upwards on the stopper to verify the zipper — if you can't pull it out of the drain opening, then information technology'due south attached.^[nineteen]

4. 4

   Feed the pin nut over the pin rod and tighten it onto the pipe stub. Tighten the nut past paw onto the threads on the end of the tailpipe'southward horizontal stub. If y'all overtighten the nut, the pivot rod may not be able to move upwards and downward freely — test the rod's movement, and loosen the nut slightly if necessary.^[20]

5. 5

   Install and connect the lift handle and extension bar. Driblet the elevator handle into the opening in the faucet fixture — information technology's almost always right behind the spigot. Under the sink, employ the provided screw to connect the bottom of the elevator handle to the superlative of the extension bar at the clevis joint. You lot'll end upward with a single vertical shaft, the bottom of which should intersect with the roughly horizontal pivot rod. Make sure the series of holes in the extension bar are facing the pivot rod.

6. 6

   Connect the pivot rod to the extension bar. Angle the pivot rod down until the bleed stopper pops upward to its highest position in the sink bowl. Feed the pin rod through the corresponding pigsty in the extension bar, so that you maintain this downward angle on the pin rod equally much as possible. Utilize the V-shaped spring clamp that comes with the kit to hold the pivot rod and extension bar together.^[21]

7. 7

   Test the stopper and bank check for leaks. Lift up on the lift handle and see if the drain stopper plugs the sink drain completely. Run h2o in the sink to ensure that in that location is a expert seal. If the stopper isn't property the water in the basin, try adjusting the connection between the pivot rod and extension bar — typically past moving the connection to the next highest hole in the extension bar.^[22]

8. 8

   Check for leaks nether the sink. Open the bleed and run water down the bleed for a few minutes. Cheque for leaks effectually the pivot nut and any other piping connections you've made. Run a clean, dry out tissue around each connectedness to bank check for small leaks. Tighten whatsoever connections every bit needed. If the connection still leaks, yous'll need to replace any washers at that connection, or possibly the section of pipe itself.^[23]

   EXPERT TIP

   James Schuelke, along with his twin brother David, is the co-owner of the Twin Home Experts, a licensed plumbing, leak detection, and mold inspection visitor based in Los Angeles, California. James has over 32 years of home service and business plumbing experience and has expanded the Twin Domicile Experts to Phoenix, Arizona and the Pacific Northwest.

   

   James Schuelke
   Professional Plumber

   You tin make use this aforementioned mechanism later if you need to adjust your sink stopper: Look under the sink for a U-shaped clip with a bar that goes within of the tailpiece. Utilise one hand to hold the stopper at the height y'all desire it. Once it's adjusted, use the other manus to set the clip, and so spiral the tailpiece nut back on to the pop-upwardly assembly.

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Things Yous'll Need

• sink stopper replacement kit
• sink drain kit (optional)
• pipage joint chemical compound
• plumber's putty (optional)
• plastic putty knife (optional)
• adjustable wrench or channel locks

About This Article

Article Summary 10

To replace a sink stopper, first, follow the vertical bar of the stopper beneath your sink. And so, undo the clamp that connects the bar to the angled rod that enters the drainpipe by pinching and separating it. Later on that, unscrew the nut holding the angled rod and pull it off. Undo the screw belongings the extension bar and lift out the drain stopper. To install the new stopper, push the new sink drain into the opening and tighten the nut to secure information technology in place. Then, go below the sink to reconnect the angled pivot rod to the extension bar, and tighten all of the basics. Test the stopper and check beneath the sink to make sure in that location aren't whatsoever leaks. For tips almost how to disengage the tailpipe, keep reading!

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Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Replace-a-Sink-Stopper

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