pop up waste stuck

tersandra · Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2010 4:39 pm

Hi, can anyone help me, my pop up waste is stuck in the down position and I have no idea how to release it. I've tried to look at the back but its a bit tricky. I am a 66 year old woman but I've been a bit of a DIYourselfer for most of my life. Any help would be most appreciated, if not its going to be get a plumber in!

swingles · Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2010 4:46 pm

Assuming you're talking about a washbasin and not a bath, you may find that using a cup to empty the water out into the bath may reduce the pressure on the plug enough for it to pop up.

tersandra · Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2010 5:10 pm

swingles wrote:

Assuming you're talking about a washbasin and not a bath, you may find that using a cup to empty the water out into the bath may reduce the pressure on the plug enough for it to pop up.

Thanks for that but I've already emptied the washbasin and nothing is happening. I did manage to get the waste up but it just slipped back and is now stuck. I am able to take the whole thing out if it works properly but there's got to be something wrong with the mechanism although it appears to be working correctly.

swingles · Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2010 5:17 pm

The bar that you push down (at the back of the tap body?) connects to a horizontal bar under the sink which levers up the plug. It's not uncommon for the screw that connects the two to work loose, so you need to have a fumble around down there. If you have a little flat bladed screwdriver and a torch, get a cushion and have a lie down on the floor to see what's what

wingcoax · Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2010 6:02 pm

It is also possible for the horizontal bar to become offline and miss the plug. Can you get your hand round the back of the pedestal and move the bar by hand?

Gees · Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2010 6:21 pm

tersandra wrote:

Hi, can anyone help me, my pop up waste is stuck in the down position and I have no idea how to release it. I've tried to look at the back but its a bit tricky. I am a 66 year old woman but I've been a bit of a DIYourselfer for most of my life. Any help would be most appreciated, if not its going to be get a plumber in!

If you have a shower mat ( the ones with the suction cups underneath ) you can attach one of the suction cups to the waste and pull it upwards at the same time as operating the release. I have a Bathstore pop up in the bath that sometimes needs this treatment, especially if the bath has been really full of water.

swingles · Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2010 6:33 pm

Does that actually work gees? Top tip there - I keep meaning to get hold of one of those car valve grinding rubber cup stick thingies!!

tersandra · Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2010 7:14 am

tersandra wrote:

Hi, can anyone help me, my pop up waste is stuck in the down position and I have no idea how to release it. I've tried to look at the back but its a bit tricky. I am a 66 year old woman but I've been a bit of a DIYourselfer for most of my life. Any help would be most appreciated, if not its going to be get a plumber in!

Hi, thanks to your great advice swingles and wingcoax the pop up waste is now fixed! It was the screw and I believe it had gone offline and missed the plug as well, screw has been tightened and it all works fine. Thanks so very much, well appreciated! x

Gees · Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2010 11:04 am

swingles wrote:

Does that actually work gees? Top tip there - I keep meaning to get hold of one of those car valve grinding rubber cup stick thingies!!

Yes it most certainly does..