This leads to the bottom of the drain, which contains a separate cover that is sealed by a gasket and a stopper. The washer seals the top of the overflow. Overflow drain diagramĪn overflow drain consists of an overflow cover which protects the top of the overflow and usually contains the switch that engages and disengages the trap. The trap locks and unlocks the drain, allowing water to flow in and out. Here is how an overflow drain works:Ģ.If the main drain is plugged or sealed by a mechanical stopper, water will begin to build up.ģ.When the main drain fills, water will begin to reach the overflow stopper instead, allowing it to drainĤ.As long as there is decent pipe flow, your overflow will prevent water from building beyond a certain point, preventing your bathtub from overflowing.ĥ.The overflow drain contains two parts-an overflow drain and a trap. Parts of a overflow drain:Īn overflow drain may seem complicated at first, but the actual mechanics are fairly straightforward. This style is popular for those that don’t want to deal with exposed piping as the overflow channel is built in the tub’s inner wall. An opening is cut along the interior of the bathtub and the excess water is then diverted between the walls of the tub drain. Whereas the traditional overflow is made with an exterior pipe and drain system, an integral overflow is similar to a sink overflow. IntegralĪn Integral overflow is designed a little differently than the traditional style. This style is perhaps the most common in older homes and requires some flexibility in cutting and installing the pipe system. TraditionalĪ traditional overflow consists of a hole cut into the tub to accommodate a drain that installs on the inside and outside walls which collect excess water and sends it down a tub drain to a P-trap. Which one you have in your home will largely depend on the age of your house or bathtub. With overflow drains, there are two primary types available: Traditional and Integral. Beyond just creature comfort, it also ensures that water won’t spill out and flood your bathroom if the faucet is left running. This is important if you don’t want to wait by your bathtub while it slowly fills with water for your bath. You can see that the screw head in mostly covered by the stationary metal rim.As stated previously, an overflow drain helps to ensure that your bathtub does not overflow if you leave the faucet on. I highlighted the screw head as it's hard to see. In case anyone is wondering, I'm trying to remove it because I think there's leaking happening behind there.Īs requested, here's a closer picture of the hole in the cap. I also tried removing the screw despite the metal rim inside, but it just loosened until it was pressing against that rim and wouldn't come out any more. I can also turn the cap (with some effort) from 12 o'clock to 10 o'clock but it sounds like something is cracking or grinding when I do. The cap can rotate easily from the 12 o'clock to the 3 o'clock, but there's a rim inside that's mostly covering the screw inside. However, this unit seems to be (somehow) installed upside-down. The cover I have (I think) is supposed to turn so the hole is downwards so you can remove the screw to remove the cap. I've tried looking all over for a solution, but I've yet to find a solution that matches my situation.
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