To do this, clean any hair and soap scum that may have accumulated on the drain. Heat the drain basket with a hair dryer. Remove the gunk around the tub drain. Before attempting any DIY plumbing project in your home, know the access points to your plumbing. Wrap the putty around the lip of the replacement drain basket. This may be something challenging to do, especially due to hardened putty and calcium deposits that create resistance. Then plug the tub and run a bit of water, checking for any leaks. Some spouts have a … Allow to dry before beginning installation of the new drain flange. The first thing you should do before removing the flange is to detach the tub drain stopper. You’ll need the following tools for the job: To do this, clean any hair and soap scum that may have accumulated on the drain. Some manufacturers refer to the drain flange as a "drain body" or "drain basket". Hi, we recently remodeled the bathroom and decided to not replace the bathtub. To do so, use a flathead screwdriver to gently pry out the old gasket. Continue turning the key counterclockwise until its wings touch the inner drain. Get a wrench and clamp it to the nut located on the key. Then unscrew the drain post. In case your drain design doesn’t feature a crossbar, then you’ll need to use a sturdy drain extractor or drain key. At those times, you may need to replace it, which requires to remove the drain stopper or flange at first. Over the years, through corrosion or wear and tear, it can leak, rust away or become broken. Once the tool grips the flange, you can use a wrench to turn it. Next, engage its tines with a strainer or crossbar. Try not to disturb the drain elbow while doing this: if the drain elbow becomes misaligned, you risk having to access the underside of the tub to realign the shoe and gasket. Once done, use the wrench to turn the drain removal key counterclockwise. Copyright 2020 Fast Plumbers | All Rights Reserved |, Tools You’ll Need To Remove The Bathtub Drain, Start with removing the tub drain stopper, Step 1: Start with cleaning the opening of the drain, Step 2: Locking the tool for removing the drain, Step 3: Turning the drain flange counterclockwise, How to Get Rid of Cockroaches from Your Home. The only problem is asthetic: the drain flange polish seems to have worn off through the years. A rubber gasket underneath the tub seals the drain elbow to the tub. Next, lift the drain stopper from the post. Lubricating the threads would be almost impossible. That drain elbow connects to a length of pipe that then connects to the waste and overflow pipe. Keep turning until the flange comes loose and you can remove it. The basket, also known as a flange, is sealed with plumber’s putty. You might be lucky to remove the flange using the tools you already have at home. Step 5Underneath the tub will be a rubber gasket that creates a seal for the drain elbow. At this stage, it gets harder to move. Once you remove the knob, use a sturdy screwdriver to unscrew the crossbar post. Perhaps, the drain flange has stayed for too long and has begun to wear. Step 2Insert the Drain Key or the Smart Dumbell into the drain. For instance, one such tool is a dumbbell. A long screwdriver, plumbers pliers (channel locks), a properly sized wrench to fit the body of the drain … The pipe will assist in creating more leverage to unscrew the drain flange. Keep in mind when attempting to complete a plumbing project yourself that it's easy to "open a can of worms" - you need to be prepared if your simple project suddenly gets out of hand. \ You can try using a strainer wrench. If you're using a drain key, insert it in the opening of the old drain. You might need more effort to remove other stopper designs. Step 4Clean drain area, making sure to remove all old putty residue. Insert the removal tool into the drain body, also known as the flange. There is an expansive tool to remove them, but if the cross is missing, that often means that someone has already tried to remove it and failed, so even the new tool might not do it. Next, turn it using a pair of pliers. For instance, if the drain has some crossbars, then you can use a sturdy screwdriver between the crossbars and turn the screwdriver to unscrew the flange. For your convenience, we offer a complete tutorial for using these drain tools. Before you dive in, it's important to familiarize yourself with a tub drain system. The kind of drain stopper mechanism you have will determine the procedure you’ll follow to remove it. Some bathtub drain stoppers are operated by a flip lever mounted on the overflow opening on the tub. In case your bathtub comes with a lever at the back, then you’ll simply lift it to detach the stopper. Then rotate the knob counterclockwise. Step 1First, remove the stopper. How to Remove a Broken Tub Drain Basket. To replace this, the drain basket needs to be removed. Many bathtubs will have an access panel behind the tub, or you may be able to access the plumbing through a crawl space in or under the home. Use a flat type of screwdriver or putty knife to remove old putty from the drain opening. Roll the putty between your hands until it is a long log that is about as thick as a pencil. Some plumbers can successfully use a regular hammer to remove the drain, but this is only possible with certain hammers and drains. It’s also likely that the current design of your drain is made of chrome and an update requires a drain made of brass. Step 9Remove any excess plumbers putty that may be squeezed out around the edge of the flange with a putty knife. Both the Drain Key and the Smart Dumbell essentially work the same; you insert them into the drain and turn counterclockwise to release the old tub drain. If the tub has a screen, simply pry underneath the screen with a small flat-head screwdriver to pop it off. This even happens with a baby bathtub, especially when you decide to use the same one you used for … Plumbing supply houses sell a simple tool that works very well for this purpose. The most important thing to remember is that a drain wrench is an important tool, so it’s worth picking one up. This is in the sink drain basket. In case you are using a dumbbell, you’ll need to insert it through the drain. Next, use your household cleaner to wipe off any rust or gunk. You’ll find most parts making up the bathtub drain assembly under the bathtub. Between the underside of the flange and the tub surface, there's a good amount of plumbers putty that seals the inside of the drain. How to remove a bathtub drain stopper bathtub drain removal when cross bathtub drain removal when cross how to remove a bathtub drain stopper how to remove broken tub drain Removing A Bathtub Drain That Has Broken Crossbars FlounderingsRemoving A Bathtub Drain That Has Broken Crossbars FlounderingsHow To Convert Bathtub Drain Lever A Lift And… There are other ways to remove the flange, but those methods are likely to damage your tub (or your tools!) The Drain Key and Smart Dumbell are both designed specifically for this job, and will help to prevent any potential damage to the tub's enamel/finish. Doing so will soften the putty that may have hardened within the threads, thereby making it easier to turn the flange. Remove the gunk around the tub drain. Unscrew the bathtub drain flange, which is the part of the drain you see on the bottom of the tub, after first unscrewing and removing the strainer if there is one. Next, take the drain key and insert it into the tub drain opening. To remove the drain flange, use a strainer wrench or a pair of needle-nose pliers. A bathtub drain wrench or sometimes called a drain key. Pro Tip: If the drain is stubborn and won't budge (even with the proper tools), heating the flange with a hair dryer on high/hot may soften the putty that's sealing the flange to the tub. It’s something you can easily do from within the bathtub. Step 10Install the tub stopper, if needed. At this point, you feel it’s challenging to continue rotating it. From time to time, the bathroom or kitchen sink drain may stop working. In many cases though, it isn’t that easy. If the flange has crossbars, loosen it with a tool called a drain key, which hooks onto the crossbars and has holes that allow you to insert a screwdriver to use as a handle. Make sure the drive screw is situated at the top and the expanding shoes are in the drain basket. It’s held in place by a single screw, so take a screwdriver, loosen it, and lift the cover out of the way. Clean the drain opening on the tub with a rag and acetone to remove dirt, debris and old plumber's putty. You can use a screwdriver to loosen the screw. Step 2 - Remove the Drain Flange A bathtub drain flange is the finished drain part that's visible in the tub. Thus, the best chance you have is applying more force. Wrap this underneath the lip of the new flange, making sure that it reaches all the way around. As the diagram at rightabove shows, the flange is held in place with a threaded connection to the drain elbow (aka drain shoe). If you’re unable to turn the flange, use a hairdryer to apply heat on the flange for some minutes. In most cases, removing a flange is relatively easy. Once the drain basket is fully exposed, use a mild cleanser or a mixture of one part vinegar and one part baking soda to wash it off. Insert a screwdriver through the holes in the sides of the key and use it as a lever to turn the flange counterclockwise. Insert the handles into the drain so they are against the nubs, then turn those pliers by putting a pipe wrench, large adjustable wrench, or another set of pliers on the jaws of those pliers (which are pointing up) and turn counter-clockwise. Once clean, you’ll be able to see the bathtub drain opening and flange clearly. Turn the drain removal tool in a counterclockwise direction to unscrew the drain flange. Take a screwdriver or hex wrench and use it to loosen the stopper setscrew. There are several reasons that might make you consider removing the bathtub drain. Put your drain key into the opening of the drain in your bath. Be careful not to cross thread! Note: The use of thread sealers, like PTFE tape, is not needed for this application. In case you’ll have to replace the entire bathtub drain, then you’ll need to work under the tub area. Use the putty knife to remove excess plumber’s putty. 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