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The bathroom sink stopper is a simple but important piece of plumbing. It keeps water from draining out of the sink and prevents sewer gases from entering your home. But what happens if your sink stopper gets stuck? You won’t be able to use it anymore! Fortunately for you, there are many different ways to fix this problem.
Read on to learn how to remove and replace a bathroom sink stopper and ensure it’s working properly.
How Do Bathroom Sink Stoppers Work?
Bathroom sink stoppers are designed to stop water flow from your sink and drain. There are many different types of bathroom sink stoppers, but the basic purpose is to allow you to control the amount of water that flows into your sink.
A bathroom sink stopper is usually a rubber ball that sits in the drain hole of your sink and can be lifted up or down by turning a knob on it. When you lift the knob, it raises the rubber ball, blocking off the drain hole so no water can come out. Lowering the knob lowers the rubber ball so that water can come out of your sink again.
Most people use bathroom sink stoppers in conjunction with their faucets because they make it easier for you to control how much water comes out at one time. You can also use them with other plumbing systems in the home, like toilets and tubs, if needed.
5 Reasons Why Bathroom Stopper Stuck
When the sink stopper is stuck, it can be a very frustrating experience. There are many causes of a sink stopper that will not unplug, ranging from simple to complex.
Here are some of the most common reasons why your kitchen sink stopper is stuck:
The Sink Stopper Is Not Properly Installed
It’s a common mistake by most people. They drop the sink stopper in the hole and then screw it up. But that’s not how you do it.
The correct way is to place the stopper at the bottom of the drain and slowly push it down until you hear a clicking sound. Once you hear the click, then you can screw up tightly. This way, there will be no gap between the sink and drain.
Too Much Food Stuck In The Sink Drain
Food particles are always stuck in our sinks and drains because we use them daily for washing dishes or doing other chores around the house.
These food particles can get stuck easily inside the sink, which can cause clogs to form over time if left unattended for long periods.
Trapped Hair Blockage
Another possible reason for a stuck sink drain is if there’s trapped hair blocking it up somewhere along its path. It can be from the trap under the sink to the outside, where it connects with other pipes leading away from your home.
You can clear out this obstruction using a snake tool designed specifically to clear clogged drains.
Rubber Gasket Is Worn Out
The rubber gasket that seals the drain has worn out, stretched, or torn over time. If this happens, water can flow freely into the drain pipe when you open the stopper, which makes it impossible to close again.
You can easily replace this gasket with a new one if you have basic plumbing skills and tools.
Broken Chain
The chain or wire that connects the handle to the stopper mechanism has broken or come loose from its attachment point on either end. This repair is also relatively easy to fix if you have basic plumbing skills and tools.
How To Fix The Bathroom Sink Stopper That Is Stuck?
Turn off the water
When the water is off, use a towel or other object to protect your hand and unscrew the stopper. If you have a screwdriver, use that instead. When you’re done, put the stopper in a safe place, so you don’t lose it.
Check for clogs and debris.
If there’s something caught in your drain line, it can cause problems with your stopper. Inspect the drain line carefully to see if anything is blocking it. If so, remove it by hand or with tools such as pliers or wire cutters. You may also need to remove any debris accumulated in the overflow tube behind the sink (where excess water goes if there’s not enough room in the drain).
Clean out the pipes
If there’s no blockage in your pipes or overflow tube, but your sink still won’t drain properly, try cleaning out your pipes with a pipe cleaner or pouring boiling water down them (again, be careful when doing this — it could cause burns). Also, check that all joints between pipes are tight and debris-free.
Remove the old sink stopper.
After turning off the water supply, you should unscrew the old stopper and pull it out from the drain pipe. You can use pliers or a wrench for this purpose.
Insert the new one
Insert a new stopper into your sink drain pipe by pushing it down and turning clockwise until it becomes tight and cannot be moved anymore.
FAQs
How do I determine the correct size sink stopper?
You must measure the diameter of the drain mesh or the underside of the existing plug to determine the proper plug size. Then you’ll be able to select the correct size the first time when shopping for the type of sink plug you desire.
How should a sink drain stopper be measured?
Use a measuring tape to cross the middle of the drain hole in the kitchen sink to determine the drain size. You will achieve the greatest breadth between two opposing points in this manner. The drain opening for the sink should be exactly this size.
Why won’t my pop-up stopper remain closed?
Tighten the nut if the stopper slides as it should but doesn’t stay in place (turn it clockwise). Loosen the nut a little bit if the action is too stiff. Once it feels about correct, check the action and make adjustments.
What distinguishes pop-up waste from click-clack waste?
The drainage plug’s opening and closing motion is the only distinction between “pop-up” and “click-clack” waste. The “pop-up” waste opens and closes the drainage plug by raising and lowering a lever just behind the faucet.
Conclusion
Maintaining the bathroom sink stopper’s functionality is a quick fix that might save you a lot of hassle. The vast majority of the fixes are simple.
There are not many tools required for this process. A bathroom sink stopper repair often takes less than an hour.