DIY: Tips for Removing a Tub Drain

The typical tub drain assembly hides most of the inner workings of the drain from view. While this is desirable from an aesthetic standpoint, it also makes it difficult to pinpoint problems in the tub drain. For this reason, if you have trouble with your tub drain, you will have to remove the entire assembly to locate the problem.

Step 1: Locate the plate that holds the tub drain lever in place. Remove the screws on either side of the drain lever with a screwdriver. Set aside the screws, placing them in a cup away from the open drain.

Step 2: Pull the lever and the plate around the lever. Apply steady pressure, pulling until you have pulled out the lever ending in the brass plunger at the end of the chain.

TIP: If there is no brass plunger at the end of the chain, that is undoubtedly the source of your problem. Use a flexible retriever tool, inserted through the hole to retrieve the brass plunger.

Step 3: Check all of the pieces of the tub drain assembly carefully. If the brass plunger was detached, hook it onto the chain and secure it by using a pair of needle nosed pliers to pinch the hook closed.

TIP: Sometimes the chain is too long or too short on the brass plunger. You may need to make adjustments after replacing the assembly in order to have the tub drain assembly work properly.

Step 4: Remove the slotted drain guard at the bottom of the bathtub drain.

Step 5: Using a pair of pliers, rotate the actual drain assembly counterclockwise to remove it from the bath tub.

Step 6: Clean the tub drain you removed, paying particular attention to the threads on the drain. Any remaining plumber's putty should be removed, and new putty applied before the drain is replaced.

Step 7: Examine the tub drain assembly for other obvious signs that indicate a problem. If you have already fixed the problem, replace the drain assembly by reversing the removal instructions. Otherwise, you may wish to replace the drain assembly with a new model.