Bathtub drain leaking is a serious problem. A leaking faucet in your kitchen will lead to water wastage and you would pay a higher water bill. Both would happen with bathtub drain leaking but additionally, you would have damaged drywall, furniture and obviously the flooring. All you need is a bit of putty to repair or fix the most common cause of bathtub drain leaking. Here is a stepwise guide to fix the problem.
Step 1: Get Your Tools
You would need a screwdriver and pliers or you can use a drain removal tool. You may need a replacement drain. You will need a putty knife, plumber’s putty, rag, and stiff brush. Get a drain removal tool, insert it into the drain and lock the tool using its teeth slid into the cross-sections of the base metal of the drain. You can use pliers to remove this. Insert the head of the pliers into the same cross-sections and use a screwdriver to hold the handles or arms in their place.
Step 2: Remove the Handle
You will need to apply some force to remove the handle. This is entirely to break the existing putty. It is hard to break this seal. A drain remove tool is easier to use since you can conveniently turn the handle. A screwdriver and the pliers will be a tad more difficult but they can be worked with.
Step 3: Unscrew the Drain to the Drain Pipe
Check the drain and look for signs of damage. You may find cracks. For any noticeable damage, you need to replace the old unit.
Step 4: Remove Traces of Old Putty
Clean the edges and focus on the pipe threads. Use the putty knife to do this. You can also use a stiff brush. Both are effective depending on which parts of the drain pipe you are cleaning. Turn on the water and clean the drain’s surface for a minute. You should use hot water as it works better for cleansing. Let the drain dry naturally.
Step 5: Add New Putty
As the drain dries naturally, take a small ball of putty, ideally a one-inch ball. String it out to be about five inches in length. After the drain has dried, wrap the pipe threads with this putty string. Gently push the putty so it adheres to the drain walls. Take another putty ball and this time makes a similar string of about five inches in length but it should be a quarter of an inch thick. Place it at the drain lip and wrap the string. The drain lip is located at the tub surface where the drain gets connected.
Step 6: Reinstall the Drain
Get rid of additional putty from the drain lip. Turn the water on and check for a minute if there is any more signs of bathtub drain leaking.
