| Except for really old drains that rely on a rubber stopper to hold back the water, most sinks have a pop-up drain mechanism. Bathtubs have either the same type of pop-up stopper or a trip-lever (plunger-type) drain closure. When you're faced with a drain that won't hold water, you have to adjust the stopper. This article shows you how. Trip-lever drain A trip-lever drain system has a strainer over the drain opening and an internal plunger mechanism that closes the drain. The plug is operated by a lever located in the overflow plate at the front of the tub. Raise the lever and it lowers a plug into the pipe at the base of the tub, blocking the flow of water out of the tub. This plug may have a rubber seal on its base that can become old and cracked. Also, debris can get into the seat where the plunger rests, causing a slow leak. Removing the plug, cleaning it, and adjusting the control mechanism cures most problems. Just follow these steps: 1. Remove the overflow cover plate. The plate is held in place by a couple of screws. Remove the screws and pull out the linkage assembly, which is made up of the striker rod, middle link, and plug (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: Remove the overflow plate to clean and adjust the internal parts of a trip-lever drain.
2. Clean any loose hair or buildup of soap scum from the linkage assembly. This basic design has many different renditions. The drain in your tub may not be exactly like the one illustrated in Figure 1, but it'll be similar. 3. Before you reinstall the plug, inspect the rubber seal (if there is one) at the bottom of the plug. If the seal is cracked or broken, take the plunger assembly to a home center or plumbing supply house and get a replacement. 4. Replace the linkage assembly. You may have to wiggle the plunger a bit to get it to fall back into the drain. 5. Run some water into the tub. If the tub drains but doesn't hold water, adjust the plug so that it falls deeper into the overflow passage. Remove the assembly, loosen the adjustment nuts, and lengthen the linkage controls. A little adjustment — 1/8 inch or so — is all that's needed. 6. Reassemble the assembly and test again. Additional adjustments may be necessary. Pop-up drain The pop-up drain assembly has a drain stopper in the opening. A slow-running drain can be the result of a pop-up that isn't opening fully. A leaky drain may be the result of a bad rubber seal on the pop-up assembly or incorrect adjustment of the control mechanism that connects the pop-up to the lever at the end of your tub, which prevents the pop-up from closing fully. Removing the pop-up assembly, cleaning it, and adjusting the control mechanism cures most problems. Here's how: 1. Remove the pop-up drain assembly by pulling it out of the drain (see Figure 2). Grasp the stopper and wiggle it around a bit to get it out. The stopper and the rocker arm it's attached to will come completely out of the drain. If you see a clog of hair or debris on the rocker arm, you may have to remove some of this goop before the stopper will come out of the drain. 2. Remove the tub overflow cover plate by removing the screws and pulling out the assembly. 3. Clean the linkage assembly of any loose hair or buildup of soap scum. This assembly is composed of the crank lever in the overflow cover plate, striker rod, middle link, and striker spring. The spring at the bottom of the control linkage is a magnet for hair buildup. 4. Inspect the rubber seal (if there is one) on the pop-up. If it's cracked or broken, take the pop-up assembly to your home center and purchase a replacement. 5. Put the assembly back in its place. You may have to wiggle the spring a bit to get it to fall back into the drain. 6. Run some water into the tub. If the tub doesn't hold water, adjust the pop-up so that it completely closes in the drain outlet. Remove the assembly, loosen the adjustment screw, and shorten the linkage controls. A little adjustment — 1/8 inch or so — is all that's needed. 7. Reassemble the pop-up assembly and test again. Additional adjustments may be necessary.
Figure 2: The pop-up assemblies on a sink (left) and bathtub (right).
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