When to Replace Your Bathtub Overflow Plate

It takes many working parts on your bathtub for water to flow freely or hold when you want it to. The overflow plate on your tub is just as important as the drain and can often be overlooked.  The overflow plate is designed to protect against just that, water overflowing out of the bathtub.  If you start a bath and then walk away and get preoccupied, or a child turns the faucet on and walks away, a runny faucet left on with a clogged drain, any number of things can go wrong and cause significant damage to your bathroom floor, appliances, and your tub.  

How Does a Tub Overflow Plate Work? 

Every bathtub overflow plate is designed with an opening that should be facing downward, so that if water overflows it goes into a pipe that connects to the main drain.  This protective device provides a detour for overflowing bathtub water, giving homeowners time to correct the problem and prevent disaster. If your overflow plate isn’t in good shape, it might be time to replace it if it will not do the job when needed. 

When to Replace Your Overflow Plate

It is always best if you can identify a problem with your overflow plate early on to prevent a bigger problem later.  There are some signs that you might need to replace your tub overflow plate. 

Sometimes, the rubber gasket behind the faceplate can break down and cause water to exceed the cover instead of drain like it should.  Another cause of the overflow plate not draining properly could be due to a clogged drain.  The overflow plate won’t be able to do its job if the drain is severely clogged.  If your overflow plate does not drain like it should, water can seep beneath the tub and turn into a leak far away from the water source. 

Replacing Your Tub Overflow Plate

Fortunately, products exist today that make it easy to replace your bathtub overflow plate and other important tub drain parts like bathtub stoppers.  If your overflow plate needs replacing, it is likely that your bathtub stopper could be upgraded as well.  Watco offers bathtub trim kits that include a new tub overflow plate, tub stopper and drain that any homeowner can easily install themselves.

The Watco Innovator Snap-On overflow plate kit installs easily, looks sleek and shiny and can adapt to retrofit any single hole or double hole trip lever overflow plate.  It comes with a black retainer nut and H-bar adapter, just hold onto the existing bolts to secure the retainer nut behind the adapter. You can use your existing H-bar adapter if you are converting from a trip lever type of tub stopper. 

When you install the Innovator Snap-On overflow plate and the SimpliQuick Tub Fix® tub stopper, you can quickly upgrade the look and function of your bathtub. The Innovator Snap-On overflow with a matching tub stopper is available in many different finish options such as chrome, brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronze and more.  BuyEagle.com offers quality Watco tub repair products and Woodford hydrants and faucets, known for high-quality, easy installation and trusted by professional plumbers. 

BuyEagle.com is the premier online retailer for Watco tub repair and replacement parts, providing quality products and exceptional customer service.  With a comprehensive video library you can watch first hand video instruction on how to remove an overflow plate and quickly upgrade with the Watco Snap-On overflow plate.  Contact us with any questions on replacing your bathtub overflow plate.