I'm sure it's just hair (next time I'll put a hair catcher in) but I
can't get the drain cover off so I can stick something down there to
pull the hair out. I tried liquid plumber and that helped a little, but
not enough.


It's a Delta plug assembly -- where you push a plunger-like lever on
top of the sink between the faucets to open and close it. It came with
the house. When I've encountered this problem before, I could just
lift the drain out...not this time. I've tried twisting it to no avail
and I sure don't want to compound my problem by breaking it.

Any ideas before I have to call a plumber for what should be a simple
home maintenance task?

Thanks in advance.

Al wrote:
I'm sure it's just hair (next time I'll put a hair catcher in) but I
can't get the drain cover off so I can stick something down there to
pull the hair out. I tried liquid plumber and that helped a little, but
not enough.


It's a Delta plug assembly -- where you push a plunger-like lever on
top of the sink between the faucets to open and close it. It came with
the house. When I've encountered this problem before, I could just
lift the drain out...not this time. I've tried twisting it to no avail
and I sure don't want to compound my problem by breaking it.

Any ideas before I have to call a plumber for what should be a simple
home maintenance task?

Thanks in advance.

A lot of them have either a jog in the bottom of the stopper, or even a
square hole that the actuating rod passes through, either way holding
the stopper down to the linkage, I guess so you can pull the stopper
down as well as push it up.

Go under the sink and you'll see where the more or less horizontal
actuating rod passes through the side of the drainpipe to get to the
stopper, there'll be a threaded cap covering a ball that the rod
attaches through; unscrew the cap, back out the rod until it's clear of
the stopper, you might have to undo a clip or two in the linkage to the
knob you pull, but it's really no big deal. For me the hardest part is
always squeezing the stupid tension clips that hold the various rods
together. Geez I hate those stopper systems.

Take a look under the sink, most of those mechanisms are very simple.
You may have a plastic p-trap under there you can disassemble in a few
seconds for a good cleaning.

Try turning the plug as you lift up on it, a lot of them are designed
to be removed that way.

Al wrote:
I'm sure it's just hair (next time I'll put a hair catcher in) but I
can't get the drain cover off so I can stick something down there to
pull the hair out. I tried liquid plumber and that helped a little, but
not enough.


It's a Delta plug assembly -- where you push a plunger-like lever on
top of the sink between the faucets to open and close it. It came with
the house. When I've encountered this problem before, I could just
lift the drain out...not this time. I've tried twisting it to no avail
and I sure don't want to compound my problem by breaking it.

Any ideas before I have to call a plumber for what should be a simple
home maintenance task?

Thanks in advance.

Al wrote:
I'm sure it's just hair (next time I'll put a hair catcher in) but I
can't get the drain cover off so I can stick something down there to
pull the hair out. I tried liquid plumber and that helped a little, but
not enough.


I found that if you take wire from a coat hanger and bend a very small
U into the end with needle-nosed pliers, it makes an excellent drain
hair remover. Twist as needed and pull. It's pretty easy.

Along the same lines, I've also seen plastic strips with barbs in them
that you insert in the drain and pull out to extract hair. It should
be dirt cheap.

"Al" wrote in message
...
I'm sure it's just hair (next time I'll put a hair catcher in) but I
can't get the drain cover off so I can stick something down there to
pull the hair out. I tried liquid plumber and that helped a little, but
not enough.


It's a Delta plug assembly -- where you push a plunger-like lever on
top of the sink between the faucets to open and close it. It came with
the house. When I've encountered this problem before, I could just
lift the drain out...not this time. I've tried twisting it to no avail
and I sure don't want to compound my problem by breaking it.

Any ideas before I have to call a plumber for what should be a simple
home maintenance task?

Thanks in advance.

Do you have plastic drain pipes? If so just put a bucket under the sink and
disassemble one or 2 sections of the drain pipe - 'P' trap. You should be
able to undo the fittings with your hands. This will make cleaning things
out pretty easy. If you need to you can also pull out the stopper pivot
ball/bar thing. Usually just unscrew the fitting just above the 'P' trap on
back side of the drain pipe and pull it out. Then the stopper should just
lift out.
If metal drain pipes then do the same thing but you may need some tools.
Kevin

Al wrote:
I'm sure it's just hair (next time I'll put a hair catcher in) but I
can't get the drain cover off so I can stick something down there to
pull the hair out. I tried liquid plumber and that helped a little, but
not enough.


It's a Delta plug assembly -- where you push a plunger-like lever on
top of the sink between the faucets to open and close it. It came with
the house. When I've encountered this problem before, I could just
lift the drain out...not this time. I've tried twisting it to no avail
and I sure don't want to compound my problem by breaking it.

Any ideas before I have to call a plumber for what should be a simple
home maintenance task?

Thanks in advance

Rather than "stick something up there", try boiling 2 gals of water,
pour the boil down the sink, which will disolve, rapidly, hair, gunk,
etc, may twice even.

Rick.

"Al" wrote in message
...
I'm sure it's just hair (next time I'll put a hair catcher in) but I
can't get the drain cover off so I can stick something down there to
pull the hair out. I tried liquid plumber and that helped a little, but
not enough.


It's a Delta plug assembly -- where you push a plunger-like lever on
top of the sink between the faucets to open and close it. It came with
the house. When I've encountered this problem before, I could just
lift the drain out...not this time. I've tried twisting it to no avail
and I sure don't want to compound my problem by breaking it.

Any ideas before I have to call a plumber for what should be a simple
home maintenance task?

Thanks in advance

If you are sure the problem is hair pour a bottle of ammonia down the drain.
Ammonia breaks down hair very well..