How to Remove Kitchen Sink Drain (Complete Guide)

Situations, where some water remains on the floor after using the sink, are not uncommon. Why, then, do such problems happen? Why does the sink leaking from the drain gasket? What to do if there is such trouble in the bathroom or the kitchen? How to remove kitchen sink drain?

The reasons why the drainage system may give rise to a leak are usually due to contamination or breakdown of the kitchen sink drain parts. The kitchen sink drain strainer is part of a drain system.

You should remove the bathroom sink drain or replace the kitchen sink drain to prevent the sink from leaking from the drain gasket.

The main causes of leaks in the kitchen sink drain parts:

1. Mechanical damage (chips or cracks) that result from a severe physical impact on the sink;
2. Assembly errors: incorrect gasket size, skew thread;
3. Factory defect: in the housing of a poor-quality sink assembly there may initially be a crack or a dent;
4. Obsolete, damaged annular seals (gaskets): after a certain service life, the rubber becomes rigid and loses volume, which leads to leakage.

If a leak was found in the area of ​the kitchen sink gasket​ or kitchen sink drain strainer, then it urgently needs to be changed or repaired. The kitchen sink repair is the process of removing the kitchen sink, replace the sink strainer, and install the kitchen sink drain.

However, kitchen sink drain replacement is not always the best option: there is a risk of incorrectly installing a new kitchen sink gasket or kitchen sink drain strainer purchasing a product with a factory marriage.

Eliminating sink leaking from a drain with your own hands often requires much less time and effort.

The sink in the kitchen is created to make cooking processes in the kitchen more comfortable. But what to do if the kitchen sink instead of being useful can cause problems? This article will tell you how to solve a problem with the sink drain and stay dry. This container under the sink is needed to collect flowing water and let it go further.

But if it has a problem, it can not work well and you should be aware of filling your sink full of water which can flow down to the floor. Such a process can irritate because it is not the best deal to control the level of rising water in your sink.

The following guide will help you to remove the sink drain and keep your kitchen floor.

Kitchen sink drain replacement demands some tools, such as:

• A wrench
• Pliers
• A kitchen sink drain assembly
• Penetrating oil
• Plumber’s putty

How To Remove Kitchen Sink Drain

Use these helpful guidelines to remove the kitchen sink drain and fix a new one which will serve the process of water catching and flowing to a sink drain strainer. The leaking kitchen sink drain will not spoil your kitchen floor if you remove the sink drain or remove the kitchen sink to repair.

The sink cabinet or box contains hydrants, which open or shut the water supply to pipes. Turn them then open the faucet to check, if the water is not flowing you may start work removing the kitchen sink drain.

You can escape this step because not always the sink drain is connected with the water tubes. But not take a risk and do it to make removing the kitchen sink drain process comfortable and safe.

Such manipulations with shut-off valves make the process safe and dry without any mess and discomfort.

Turn off Drain Pipes from the Drain’s Tailpiece and Disconnect It

Using a basket strainer wrench lose this connection ring, which connects the pipe and the sink drain, by moving the wrench anticlockwise. When the wrench makes it loose you can continue turning it anticlockwise by your hand, it will be easier and more comfortable.

If tailpieces are fixed with a sink drain strainer by threads on both of these parts which connect and lock them, unscrew them with a wrench and remove the pipe from the drain strainer.

 

Unscrew the Lock Nut

The locking nut is usually fixed tightly. If you found that the sink drain is leaking, try to find the reason for the following components. Check the quality of the plumber’s putty or the rubber washers, also ensure that the lock nut fixed tightly enough.

 

The Penetrating Oil usage

All metal items connecting with water can get rusty. The lock nut made from metal is not an exception. A humid environment can spoil it and destroy your kitchen sink work. If removing the sink drain you find the lock nut rusty use the penetration oil. You need to use it to lose the rusty lock nut.

However the penetrating oil needs time to act, that’s why you may spill it and leave for a couple of hours, or the better idea to do it at night, before starting the sink drain replacement.

In the morning the drops of penetrating oil will be soaked well by lock nut thread and you can easily unscrew it by the wrench or your hands.

Remove the Basket Strainer

After unscrewing the lock nut and removing the friction protection you may start dealing with the basket strainer removal.

You should push it from under the sink destroying previously used dry plumber’s putty. But be careful and use reasonable force to break the dry plumber’s putty. If you do it so powerful you may push the whole sink.

The Old Drain Strainer Hole Cleaning

Of course, the hole from the drain strainer will be dirty. Clean it before fixing the new basket strainer,  firstly, by knife scraping off the old plumber’s putty, secondly, wash it well with water, thirdly, dry the hole wiping the water.

Fix the New Drain Strainer

Take some putty, shape it to a long stripe enough to wrap over the new sink drain strainer. Turning the strainer fixes the plumber’s putty over it.

Then place the drain strainer into the sink’s drain hole. In order, the putty to settle down, normally press on the drain strainer.

If you see the excess plumber’s putty clean it properly.

 

Seal the Sink’s Drain Hole

Open the sink box and fix a rubber washer. It is placed over the bottom of the drain strainer.

Place a new gasket over the rubber washer, then join the drainer strainer tightly with a lock nut, holding the drain and preventing it from turning around, while you are fixing the lock nut. Use the pliers to keep the drain strainer unmoving.

Connect the Drain Strainer with the pipe

The last important step is to connect the pipe to the drain strainer.

To keep it working for a long time and not creating problems in the kitchen, use a brass tailpiece. The plastic one is cheaper but will not serve for a long period.

Fix the drain pipes to the bottom end of the tailpiece with a ring connector.

Take an adjustable wrench and tighten it well to prevent any cracks or leaking.

Make the new system testing

Open the sink box with shut-off valves again. Turn on the shut-off valves of cold and hot water. Then turn on the faucet, making water flow for a long time, and observe the fixed sink drain.

Wait and look at the sink system. There should not be any leaking water under the sink or on the pipes. If you find leakages take the adjusting wrench again and screw all the components tightly.

Easy steps: How to Remove A Sink Drain

Conclusion

A problem with the kitchen sink drain will not stay invisible for a long time. And sink drain leaking can cause bigger problems then, not just with the sink, but with all this kitchen area. Leaking water can influence kitchen equipment and destroy the kitchen floor cover.

To prevent such situations try to solve this problem in the shortest time, by fixing and changing the sink drain. Of course, you can ask for a professional plumber’s help, but it is not the most difficult manipulation to do. How to remove kitchen faucet with U-shaped bracket?

That’s why you can replace it yourself, and help you, friends. This detailed guide will support your decision to make kitchen sink drain replacement cheap and qualitative.

If you have another problem, for example, standing water in your sink -read our new article on how to unclog a double kitchen sink.

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