Bathtub Drain Stuck / Water Won’t Drain

[KD808]

I have a bathtub drain that involves flipping a switch up to hold water and pushing it down to drain water. The switch is stuck in the up position, and the water won’t drain. I took the plate off the side of the tub, but I still can’t pull up the rod behind the tub to drain the water. What should I do?

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Kathy

[Retired plbg1Participant]

The inside gets loaded with hair and corrosion. When you take off plate you have to get insides out to clean outvoverflow. The plug in tub pulls out too, if you cant get the parts out I guese you will have to call a Lic. Plumber.

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Art retired plbg

[Retired plbg1Participant]

http://www.plumbingsupply.com/bathtubwaste.html
There are diferent kinds of waste and overflows here is a picture of one , go to this web page it will give you idea. You might have a different kind then this. Good luck let me know.

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Art retired plbg

[KaPaRySuParticipant]

Dear Art,

Thank you for your reply. In a situation like this, would it help to put drain cleaner down the drain and/or down the shaft where the drain switch operates?

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Kathy

[Retired plbg1Participant]

There was one person on this site that had PVC waste& overflow and out some drain cleaner in it and it got so hot that it made the PVC out of shape and he could not get it to work and took it apart and saw the problem, Inever use that stuf so it is up to you. Do you have hard water there. Can you get downstairs and take it apart, that would help, you saw the pic. how they come apart and work.

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Art retired plbg

[KaPaRySuParticipant]

Dear Art,

We do have hard water. Realizing that it was just stuck instead of broken, I took off the plate and used a pliers to pull on the rod behind it. I pulled on it over and over again, and suddenly it came loose.

Thank you for your advice and your reference to the picture. I appreciate that you would take the time to help people with plumbing problems on this web site.

Sincerely,
Kathy

[Author]

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