

When water in the bathtub reaches the small hole in the overflow cover plate, the overflow drain channels the excess back down into the tub’s main drain pipe. The rubber or neoprene washer forms a seal between the backside of the tub wall and the overflow drain opening. The bathtub overflow gasket is an important part of this contained system. This simple safety feature is located behind the bathtub overflow cover plate on the front wall of the tub. How Does the Bathtub Overflow Drain Work? The overflow drain is designed to prevent a bathtub overflow that leaks downstairs. This type of bathroom flooding creates a mess that soaks the ceiling below. It doesn’t take long for the upstairs tub to fill and spill over. You start running a bath, but something distracts you for just a minute. Why Is My Bath Leaking Through the Ceiling? Let’s take a closer look at this overlooked fixture. Faulty overflow drains are often the source of the problem. Our teams restore water-damaged ceilings in Chicago homes every week.


Most homeowners are surprised by how much trouble this bathtub part can cause. Have you checked the tub overflow drain? When the small component goes bad, it creates big problems. Sometimes, it’s hard to figure out what to do when the bathtub overflows and leaks downstairs. The drain isn’t clogged, pipe connections are tight, and the caulk looks good. The ceiling leak is coming from the tub upstairs, but you can’t pinpoint the problem.
