Hours vary Colorado Springs (719) 774-7451
Summit Peak Plumbing LLC
Bathtub Drain Repair and Replacement

Family-owned · Colorado Springs Local

Bathtub Drain Repair and Replacement

Licensed Master Plumber Marvin Guida diagnoses and fixes tub drain problems, available Monday through Friday.

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Common Bathtub Drain Problems Marvin Fixes

Bathtub drains fail in a handful of predictable ways: the drain stopper won't seat properly, the overflow plate leaks behind the wall, or the drain basket corrodes and lets water seep around the seal. If your tub is draining slowly, holding a smell you can't locate, or leaving water pooling around your ankles, those aren't cosmetic annoyances. Left alone, a leaking tub drain can rot subfloor framing before you ever see water damage on the ceiling below. Marvin Guida is a licensed Master Plumber (CO #MP.03001524) with 25 years of hands-on experience and 47 five-star Google reviews from homeowners across the area. Call (719) 774-7451 and he'll tell you straight whether the repair is a quick fix or something that needs more attention.

Tub drain work ranges from swapping out a corroded drain basket to replacing a faulty trip-lever assembly or repairing the drain shoe and p-trap below the floor. The complexity depends on access (drop ceilings help; tile surrounds don't), how long the problem has been going, and whether the existing drain hardware is standard or an older non-standard size. Materials matter too: a quality Watco-style drain assembly costs more than a hardware-store substitute but holds up far longer, especially in areas with hard water. Marvin won't push a replacement when a repair is the right call, and he carries the parts on the truck to handle most tub drain jobs the same day. Every job is different, contact Summit Peak Plumbing LLC for an accurate estimate.

Drain Diagnostics

What Goes Wrong With Bathtub Drains

Most tub drain failures come down to one of these five problems.

01

Slow Draining

Hair and soap buildup in the drain basket or the p-trap is the usual cause. Sometimes it's a partial clog in the horizontal drain line. Marvin clears it and checks the stopper mechanism so it's not trapping debris on its own.

02

Drain Stopper Won't Hold or Won't Open

Trip-lever and push-pull stoppers wear out. The linkage rod bends, the spring loses tension, or the stopper itself corrodes. This is usually a repair or a direct replacement of the stopper assembly, not the whole drain.

03

Smell Coming from the Drain

A sewer smell almost always points to a dry p-trap or a missing p-trap entirely. Marvin has found tubs with no p-trap at all after a previous DIY job. That's a code violation, and it lets sewer gas into the house.

04

Leak Around the Drain Basket

The plumber's putty or gasket sealing the drain basket to the tub floor dries out and shrinks. Water then seeps down around the basket and into the subfloor. You usually smell it or see a stain on the ceiling below before you find it.

05

Overflow Plate Leaking

The overflow is the plate on the front of the tub near the top. Behind it is a gasket that seals against the tub wall. When that gasket fails, water gets into the wall cavity. It's a common source of hidden bathroom moisture damage.

Can You Replace Just the Drain in a Bathtub?

Yes, and most of the time that's exactly what the job calls for. The drain basket, the strainer, the stopper mechanism, and the overflow assembly are all replaceable as individual components without pulling the tub or tearing out tile. Marvin assesses whether the drain shoe and p-trap beneath the floor are sound. If they are, the repair stays above the floor and finishes in an hour or two. If a previous owner or an unlicensed handyman did the original drain work, there's a real chance something below isn't right. Marvin has fixed more than a few tubs that were leaking not from the visible hardware, but from a p-trap that was never properly connected. See what that kind of work looks like in our plumbing repairs and replacements overview.
Close-up of a bathtub drain basket and stopper

The Process

How Marvin Approaches a Tub Drain Job

Three steps, no surprises.

  1. 01

    Diagnose First

    Marvin looks at the full drain path: basket, stopper, overflow plate, the trap below the floor, and the connection to the drain line. A slow drain and a leaking drain are different problems with different fixes.

  2. 02

    Show You What He Found

    He'll walk you through what's wrong and what he recommends before touching anything. If a repair is the right call, he says so. He's not going to talk you into replacing hardware that has years of life left.

  3. 03

    Fix It and Test It

    Once the repair or replacement is done, he fills the tub and watches the drain and overflow both. The job isn't finished until there's no drip, no smell, and no slow drain.

What Marvin Handles on Bathtub Drains

These are the specific tub drain services Marvin performs, not a generic list.

  1. 01

    Drain basket removal and replacement

  2. 02

    Trip-lever stopper assembly repair and replacement

  3. 03

    Overflow plate gasket replacement

  4. 04

    P-trap inspection, repair, and replacement

What a Quality Tub Drain Repair Looks Like

Finished tub drain flange installation, clean and properly sealed
Marvin uses name-brand hardware: Watco drain assemblies, quality gasket materials, and proper plumber's putty or silicone depending on the tub surface. He doesn't use whatever the cheapest hardware-store option is. That matters in areas with hard water, where inferior drain hardware corrodes and fails fast. The overflow plate gets a fresh gasket, not just a new screw. The p-trap connection gets checked and re-secured if it's loose. And the whole drain path gets tested under real water flow before he packs up his tools. One reviewer, W Sant, noted that Marvin chose great-looking Watco hardware while finding ways to save money on the overall job. That's the balance Marvin tries to hit every time. If you've got related fixture concerns around your tub or shower, Marvin handles those in the same visit when it makes sense.

Quick Reference

Key Facts About Bathtub Drain Repairs

If you're comparing options, here's what sets this service apart.

Owner-operated, with plumbing work led by Master Plumber Marvin Guida, licensed under CO #MP.03001524.
Licensed Master Plumber on Every Job
CO license #MP.03001524. Not a handyman, not an apprentice.
Available Monday Through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM
Same hours, same person, every time you call.
25 Years of Personal Plumbing Experience
Marvin has been doing this work since before many plumbing apps existed.
47 Five-Star Google Reviews
Real homeowners, real names. Check them before you call.

Straight from Google

Real Reviews from Real Customers

5.048 verified Google reviews
Great price. Summit Peak Plumbing is the perfect example of exemplary workmanship and customer service. Marvin was punctual, extremely knowledgeable, budget friendly and affordable. The quality of his workmanship was flawless. He was very personable and accommodating. His work ethic and character made the water heater replacement a great experience. For any plumbing need I would recommend Summit Peak Plumbing and Marvin, hands down. Everything about this business predicts an exceptional future for Summit Peak Plumbing.
Sebrone DensonOct 2026 · Google
Great price. I had a great experience with this company! Very professional and friendly! Very informative as well! Walked us through the whole process and made it very easy to understand! Would definitely use them again! Also has very reasonable pricing!
Gina BuenoOct 2026 · Google
Melvin is a TRUE professional. Great service, arrived on time, worked clean and efficient. HIGHLY Recommend using him for all your plumbing needs.
Dave CleaverOct 2026 · Google
Water heater inspection/problem solved - Marvin is friendly, knowledgeable, showed up early, thorough job, went above and beyond, reasonably priced.
Jenifer LangdonOct 2026 · Google
Marvin at Summit Peak Plumbing provided exceptional service in a short time frame which helped us close on our real estate transaction quickly. He's also very reasonably priced compared to other plumbing estimates that we received. He did an excellent job and we highly recommend him!
Eileen AOct 2026 · Google
Marvin is thorough and detailed about his plumbing work! His knowledge and professionalism assures me of the work done right!
Cathy BessenbacherCathy BessenbacherOct 2026 · Google
Marvin was extremely professional, helpful, and knowledgeable. He was very communicative and didn’t try to upsell for the sake of it. He gave honest opinions and helped us decide what was best for our home. Highly recommend!
tricia lorrenetricia lorreneOct 2026 · Google
Had a great experience with Summit Peak Plumbing. Communication was excellent from the beginning, he showed up right on time, and took the time to walk me through the different options for fixing the issues I was having instead of just pushing one solution. Pricing was very reasonable, especially for the quality of the work and service. Everything was straightforward, professional, and easy from start to finish. I’d definitely recommend Summit Peak Plumbing and will be using them again in a few weeks.
Mark YoungMark YoungOct 2026 · Google
Read all 48 reviews

Tub Drain Issues Affect More Than the Drain

  1. 01

    Subfloor Rot

    A weeping drain basket seal lets water seep into the wood subfloor with every bath. By the time you notice soft spots underfoot, the damage is already expensive. Catching a bad seal early costs a fraction of what subfloor repair costs.

  2. 02

    Sewer Gas Exposure

    A missing or dry p-trap lets sewer gas into the bathroom. That's not just a smell problem. Hydrogen sulfide and methane are both health hazards at concentration. If the smell from your drain is strong or persistent, don't wait.

  3. 03

    Hidden Wall Moisture

    Overflow plate gasket failures push water into the wall cavity behind the tub. Mold follows moisture. The tile surface can look perfect while the framing behind it is deteriorating. Marvin checks the overflow on every tub drain call.

Schedule a Tub Drain Repair with Marvin

If your tub is draining slow, leaking, or smelling wrong, call Marvin directly. He's available Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.

Call Marvin Now, (719) 774-7451

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with bathtub drains?
The four Marvin sees most often are: a corroded or poorly sealed drain basket leaking around the rim, a failed trip-lever or push-pull stopper that won't hold water or won't open, a dried-out overflow plate gasket pushing water into the wall cavity, and a missing or disconnected p-trap allowing sewer gas into the bathroom. Each has a different fix, and diagnosing correctly before touching anything saves time and money.
Can you replace just the drain basket in a bathtub without replacing the tub?
Yes. The drain basket threads into the drain shoe below the tub floor. Marvin removes the old basket with a drain wrench or plug tool, cleans the seat, applies fresh plumber's putty or silicone depending on the tub material, and installs the new basket. The tub, the tile, and the surrounding floor stay untouched. The whole swap typically takes under an hour when the drain shoe and p-trap are in good shape.
Why does my bathtub drain smell bad even after I clean it?
A persistent sewer smell after cleaning almost always points to a p-trap problem. The p-trap holds a water seal that blocks sewer gas from coming up through the drain. If the trap dried out from a tub that isn't used often, running water for a few minutes can restore the seal. If the smell comes back quickly, the trap may be damaged, improperly connected, or was never installed. Marvin has found tubs with no p-trap at all after previous DIY work. That's a code violation he can fix.
How do I know if my tub drain is leaking into the floor or just draining slowly?
A slow drain backs up visibly while you're in the tub. A leak around the drain basket is different: the tub may drain fine, but water seeps around the basket seal with every use and soaks into the subfloor below. Signs of a basket leak include soft spots in the floor near the tub, a musty smell under the floor, or water stains on the ceiling directly below the bathroom. Marvin checks the basket seal on every tub drain call because a leaking seal looks like nothing until the subfloor fails.
Does a washing machine backing up into the bathtub mean the tub drain is the problem?
Not usually. When a washing machine drains into the bathtub, the blockage is almost always downstream in the shared drain line, not in the tub drain itself. Both the washing machine and the tub connect to the same horizontal drain branch, and a partial blockage in that branch causes water to find the path of least resistance, which is often up through the tub. This is a pipe repair situation, not a tub drain replacement. Marvin will trace the drain path before recommending any repair.
How long does a bathtub drain repair typically take?
A straightforward drain basket replacement or stopper mechanism repair takes one to two hours. If the overflow plate gasket also needs replacing, add another 30 to 45 minutes. Jobs that involve p-trap repair or replacement below the floor take longer, depending on how the floor is built and what access looks like. Marvin carries common drain hardware on the truck and handles most tub drain repairs the same day. Every job is different, contact Summit Peak Plumbing LLC for an accurate estimate.

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