Author Topic: Mystery bathtub stopper from hell  (Read 5188 times)

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Mystery bathtub stopper from hell
« on: August 17, 2015, 02:59:28 PM »
People kindly advised me to try plunging my bathtub drain, and I really want to.

But I can't get the stopper out. So all I'm doing is using a plunger to push my stopper closed.

It is a push-pull with a little knob on top. No turning needed--it just goes up and down.

Options I have exhausted:
1. There is not a screw or anything remotely screw-like under the knob on top.
2. There is not a set screw on the side.
3. The whole round flat top does not turn for unscrewing.

Has anyone encountered this? I'm calling a plumber tomorrow if I can't think of anything else to try. Hate to pay someone that much money to teach me to take out the stopper... but I'll do what I have to!

forummm

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Re: Mystery bathtub stopper from hell
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2015, 03:11:13 PM »
I was one of those people encouraging you. Can you take a picture of it and post it here? While it may not look like it, it probably does screw off. Like this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnsP8Z953I8

Or this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZo6Uj0phSo

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Mystery bathtub stopper from hell
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2015, 06:24:50 PM »
And I really appreciate it :-). It is definitely not like the first one because there is no pin.

I will ask Mr. FP to wiggle/turn it as he is stronger than me.

Not to hijack my own thread, but I have never been able to figure out how to post a picture! Are there directions somewhere?

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Mystery bathtub stopper from hell
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2015, 07:45:29 AM »
To post a picture that's already online, you need to click the icon that looks like this:
If you have a picture on your computer or card, you'll need to post it as an attachment.  When replying, there's a link underneath the text box that says "Attachments and other options".  Click that, and you'll see a place to attach a file.  Click that, pick your picture, and you're off to the races.


La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Mystery bathtub stopper from hell
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2015, 10:36:34 AM »
The long-awaited photos, I hope. Not sure what they reveal except that my bathtub is exceedly dirty.

There is definitely no center pin to work with and it just doesn't seem to unscrew. I have tried using a jar opener. There is a little rotational give--it will spin maybe an eighth of a turn, but no more.

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Mystery bathtub stopper from hell
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2015, 10:37:26 AM »
And after I take off the knob:

forummm

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Re: Mystery bathtub stopper from hell
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2015, 10:52:30 AM »
Congrats on getting the stopper off. Is that metal down there or gunk? It looks like the gunk is what you want to remove. And using a plunger is an easy way to loosen it up. Put a couple inches of water in the tub (with the stopper off) and then plunge away (about 30 plunges if needed).

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Mystery bathtub stopper from hell
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2015, 02:13:17 PM »
Yeah, that still looks like a screw-on stopper. You just need more torque to get it off :)

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Mystery bathtub stopper from hell
« Reply #9 on: August 21, 2015, 10:06:32 AM »
Yeah, that still looks like a screw-on stopper. You just need more torque to get it off :)

I tried more torque, stipulating, of course, that "applied more torque" in this context means "asked my husband to try."

He could not get it off either.

Is there anything else I should try before I call the plumber? I don't want to try using tools on it because I don't want to damage it.

Greg

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Re: Mystery bathtub stopper from hell
« Reply #10 on: August 21, 2015, 11:58:47 AM »
It looks like this kind:
https://www.plumbingsupply.com/how-to-remove-a-tub-drain-stopper.html#pushpull

In the center is a brass slotted screw that comes out, in your case covered in gunk. 

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Mystery bathtub stopper from hell
« Reply #11 on: August 25, 2015, 05:40:29 PM »
Well, those who said it looked like a twist-off were correct. I was reluctant to be as forceful as I needed to be because last time I forced the plumbing, I caused a lot of damage. Oops. Anyway, the plumber made me sign a waiver saying that they were not responsible if he broke it with his channel-locks. He did not break it, but says that I might just want to take the damn thing out and use, as needed, a hair strainer or one of those rubber drain stoppers as the body of the stopper takes up like half the drain hole, so it will always be kinda slow. (He did clean out a bunch of hair and whatnot.)

It would normally have cost me $224 dollars (yikes) but they waived the $45 service fee because they sort of missed my appointment yesterday and had to reschedule. Then I had a $60 off coupon, so it was "only" $119. At least now I know how to take the damn thing off.

Thanks for weighing in, everyone! Sorry if I disappointed anyone by giving up and calling a plumber!

Rezdent

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Re: Mystery bathtub stopper from hell
« Reply #12 on: August 25, 2015, 08:54:10 PM »
+1 for old-fashioned rubber stoppers!
At least I know how to remove those :)

I'm not disappointed that you called a plumber.  You not only got it fixed, but you learned something, and you shared it with me - so if I ever come across one of those things I'll know how to remove it - thank you for that.

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Mystery bathtub stopper from hell
« Reply #13 on: August 25, 2015, 09:59:07 PM »
Yup, there are times when you just have to punt and let the other team take over for a bit :)

guitar_stitch

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Re: Mystery bathtub stopper from hell
« Reply #14 on: September 15, 2015, 11:36:56 AM »
This is where a snake through the roof vent would have probably been a better option.  :>