pigletjohn help needed for bath plug!

[WhenTirednessWins]

Hi pigletjohn,
I have a 3 year old plastic bath and the plug metal has come loose and comes out altogether!
my son thought it sounded like water was draining under the bath but I can’t tell and am afraid to test it in case I flood the place!

I tried to stick my fingers in the white plastic and it felt like there’s a gap but I really can’t tell. Can you let me know if I am at risk of flooding?! Thank you!

(Fake Pigletjohn)
There should be a slotted hollow screw to hold the trap in place, you might find it stuck in the trap if you can get to it.
Do not use the bath till it's fixed, or get a plumber (simple job)

I know of a landlord who found his basement flooded because the Tennant thought it would be a good idea to remove the screw when the trap became blocked with hair!

https://files.ekmcdn.com/plumbersmate/images/mcalpine-sink-bath-waste-extended-ferrule-bolt-bswferrule-55-74000005-5332-p.png?v=F5726F77-2B8E-44CB-8E2D-65F2100582C4

Not piglet john either. Dh once thought he could hear water drain under bath, it was the case!

I've recently had a similar situation with my kitchen sink. Yes, water will be leaking outside of the waste pipe. You can see in one of the photos that the grey waste pipe is no longer flush tight against the bottom of the hole. Water will therefore escape outside of the pipe.

I did a DIY replacement for my kitchen sink waste but it wasn't 100% tight so sometimes water leaked if there was a large quantity going down the plughole. Had to get a professional in the end. Fortunately it was easy to keep a bucket under the sink to catch the leak so it was functional in the meantime. Not so easy with a bath though.

Can you remove the bath panel and look underneath the plug hole?

Just come back to say that not all bath/basin wastes have a central screw to hold everything in place (mine don't - I think they're called 'slotted' wastes) but your appears to be the screw type, same as kitchen sinks.

I literally can’t see a screw hole for looking! There was a long ride way down the slid in and out when the mechanism was turned to pop the plug up and down, but no screw at all anywhere

What's the metal thing lying in the pipe?

What type of plug fitting does it have?

The screw hole is the brass ring in the middle of the bullseye shape that's underneath the plug hole. It's threaded on the inside to accept a screw.

The horizontal metal piece looks like a pop up waste to me. There is a central screw missing which goes straight down and tightens the lower part to the metal disc you’re holding. I’d take that piece into a plumber’s merchant/Tool Station/Screwfix type place and ask them what screw you need. Hopefully it’s a standard size.

Oh! I compared it again with the same system upstairs and it does indeed have a screw missing (bit like me!).

but can I ask, is the tiny metal lip enough to stop water coming out underneath the bath? It somehow doesn’t feel like it would be watertight enough.

Yes it’s a pop-up waste that stopped sealing when pushed down, even though it still popped up when turned that direction.