It is quite difficult for an ordinary person to choose the best-fit bathtub drain stopper as they do not have such knowledge. But it is very important to make a conscious decision here. So, this post is for people like you who are confused at the moment. Read the full and select the best bathtub drain stopper for you.
Introduction To The Bathtub Drain And Its Stopper
After a hectic day at work, we all take a relaxing bath in the bathtub. But we don’t even notice the drain kit and its tiny stopper.
The bathtub drain kit is a sanitary device that controls the water flow of a bathtub. It is usually attached to the tub and allows the user to control the overflow and open or close the drain anytime. The drain kit looks like an L. Its lower section is the overflow and the upper side is the main drain.
At the entrance of the main drain, there is a small-cap device with several components. It is the stopper that is used to seal or open the drain.
Now that you know what the bathtub drain stopper is, we can proceed to its different types.
Types Of Bathtub Drain Stopper
These are the most popular and fashionable bathtub drain stoppers of today:
Pop-Up
Some will get confused about the appearance of the pop-up stopper as it is almost similar to the sink stopper. Also, the working principles of both these types are the same.
The Pop-up stopper works with the help of the lever mechanism inside the drain kit. The lever mechanism consists of a rod, a spring, and a rocker arm. These components connect the stopper to the lever on the overflow plate.
When you move the lever, it will pull the rod and the spring. This will move the rocker arm along with the stopper and seal the drain. The reverse is true for your next move to the lever.
This stopper has a critical process of installation and cleaning because of its different types of components. Probably you’ll need a plumber’s help to do these tasks. However, it’s very susceptible to catch hair and dirt and offers a shiny modern look to the bathtubs.
Lift-Turn
The lift-turn bathtub drain stopper has a simple but tricky design. It comes with a knob at the top of its cap and a rubber seal at the bottom of the cap. This type of stopper needs a setscrew inside the drain crossbar to operate.
This stopper follows the method lift and turns to open and close. To clarify, you’ll need to twist the knob clockwise until it goes down to close it. And to open it, firstly, you have to lift the stopper up. Then turn the knob in reverse till the setscrew locks it.
Above all, because of the simple design, it does not need much attention. Also, the installation and cleaning are pretty easy. But, sometimes the setscrew acts hard because of over-tightening.
Push-Pull
A push-pull version of the drain stopper has many similarities to the lift-turn ones. For example, it has the same type of knob at the top and a set screw under the cap. For installation, you’ve to set the stopper set screw into the center hole of the drain crossbar.
But the working procedure is different here. Push the stopper down to close the drain and fill the tub with water. And pull it up when you want to release the water.
Thanks to its simplicity, you can easily clean the stopper by unscrewing it. However, making the setscrew too much tight will make the process painful for you. The best part, however, is that there is no need to pay much attention as it can work for a long time without any maintenance.
Toe-Touch
From the name, you can assume its functions. The toe-touch stopper is a perfect choice for those people who don’t want to bend down and operate the stopper. Moreover, this one is fairly similar to the last two models. Just the difference is it has a spring-loaded mechanism.
To work with the toe-touch stopper, you just need to press it with your toe. Your first press will lead the stopper to go down and the rubber washer will seal the drain. And your second press will make the spring pop up and open the drain.
Cleaning and installation are almost the same as the lift-turn and push-pull stopper. But the spring requires a replacement after a certain use. If replacing the spring doesn’t fix things, you’ll probably want to consider a new installation.
Flip-It
The flip-it stopper is another model of the bathtub drain stopper. This one comes with a toggle lever (switch) on its top and O rings below the cap.
The best thing about this stopper is it does not require any tools to install. Also, the installation is very easy like pushing the stopper with the O rings into the drain. The rings keep the stopper steady inside the drain and create a strong seal.
Move the lever on one side to open and again move it to another side to close the drain. Further, this stopper does not require frequent maintenance. Simply needs to change the O rings which are easily available in the market. The ease of use of this stopper has made it more popular than the others.
Trip Lever
The trip lever is not actually a single-piece stopper. It is a combination of a lever, a rod, and a plunger. Also, the main drain stopper replaces with a strainer in this design.
The lever stays at the overflow plate and is connected to the rod which runs inside the overflow pipe. In addition, the plunger has a connection with the rod and holds the position at the outlet of the main drain pipe. When you move the lever, it will pull the plunger with the help of the rod and open the drain and vice-versa.
Similar to the pop-up stopper, this model has a painful installation and maintenance process. But still, it is one of the most popular designs for bathtub drain stoppers.
So, these are the bathtub drain stoppers we’ve got for you in this post. You can choose any of them you want for your bathtub. However, only choosing the design or function type is not enough. Try to pay attention to the material and body finish while buying.
One last piece of advice, don’t take a chance and compromise on quality. You can check our bathtub drain stoppers and decide for yourself. We believe in quality than quantity. So, check and choose the best one for you.