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The drain stopper for most bathroom sinks is a pop-up assembly that operates by a tiny vertical rod coupled to a pivot rod beneath the sink. When you pull up on that rod, the drain stopper is supposed to pull down and plug the sink. But what if the stopper does not pull down and you can’t plug your sink? What if the stopper becomes stuck and you cannot empty your sink? While calling Modesto plumbers may be your first instinct, you may save money and get satisfaction by changing the sink stopper yourself.
Whether you want to replace simply the stopper mechanism or the complete drain and stopper system, you should be specific that it is a project that most do-it-yourselfers can complete without little hassle. Installation of a drain stopper is often easy and uncomplicated, although it might become somewhat more problematic owing to changes in the fixture or fittings. Let us begin with the installation process!
The Materials You Will Need
- Bucket
- Channel-type pliers
- Pop-up drain assembly
- Pipe joint compound
- Plumber’s putty
Instructions
Prep the Area
Begin by draining any excess water from the sink since there may be water in the trap once you remove it. To catch the water, place a bucket beneath the trap.
Remove the Old Drain Assembly
Loosen and remove the P-trap from the branch drain and sink drain tailpiece. Some traps may be loose and removable by hand without using a wrench. Then, extract the old pop-up linkage assembly if there is one. After that, remove the mounting nut from the old drain assembly’s tailpiece using channel-type pliers. Unplug the complete drain assembly from the sink, which is necessary to wiggle the tailpiece to break the seal on the drain flange.
Install the Drain Flange
After carefully cleaning the sink of debris and the old plumber’s putty, apply the new plumber’s putty around the chrome ring’s base, positioned at the top of the new drain flange. In the following step, you will screw on the flange.
Prepare the Bottom Assembly
To ensure a good seal at the sink’s bottom, apply putty to the rubber washer positioned on the bottom assembly. Then, push the assembly upward through the sink’s bottom until the rubber gasket seems to be completely sealed. For the time being, it simply has to be hand-tightened to keep it in place. Hold the drain tailpiece steady with one hand and tighten the mounting nut using channel-type pliers from beneath the sink. Remember not to overtighten this nut, but secure it enough that the drain assembly doesn’t spin in the drain hole.
Install the Stopper
Insert the stopper from the drain’s top, ensuring the hole faces the back of the sink. Return to the bottom and thread the nut with the ball on the inside into the drain pipe. Push the rod to ensure that the drain is going up and down. Tighten the nut if everything is working appropriately. Otherwise, consider moving the stopper until it catches on the rod.
Position the Lever
Connect the horizontal rod to the vertical lever by inserting the lever into the sink’s hole. You may change the height of the pop-up by moving the extension pin to a different slot.
Connect the Pop-up Lever and Pivot Rod
Thread the spring clip onto the horizontal pivot rod and attach one clip’s end to either side of the strap to connect the vertical strap to the horizontal pivot rod. Ensure that the pop-up stopper opens and shuts completely inside the drain aperture. If it does not, squeeze and move the spring clip to make minimal tweaks to the rod connections.
Reassemble the Drain Trap
Connect the P-trap to the drain pipe and drain tailpiece to complete the procedure. Close the stopper, fill the sink with water, and open the plug to let the water drain while you examine for leaks from below. You can slightly tighten the leaky connections using channel-type pliers, but be careful not to overtighten them.
