How To Remove the On/Off Knobs From My Bath Tub?
- 1). Turn off the water. You will need to turn off the water to your bathroom before performing any repairs. There should be a valve near your water heater or on the water lines in your basement that includes a ball valve lever that you can turn to stop the water flow. If you cannot find a valve inside your home, there is usually a main valve in front of the house at the street. Look for a box with a metal or concrete cover. Remove it, and turn the valve with a wrench to shut off the water to the whole house.
- 2). Open the faucets. Turn the faucets on in the bathroom to drain out any residual water in the pipes. If you are working on the lower level of a multi-story home, you should open the valves in the upstairs bathrooms as well to drain the water. You can close them once all of the water has drained.
- 3). Remove the screw holding the knobs in place. Sometimes this screw is hidden under a removable plastic cap. You can pry this off with a flathead screwdriver. Once you've located the screw, remove it with the screwdriver.
- 4). Pull off the knobs. Once the screw is removed, you can simply pull off the knobs. If they are stuck, try gripping them with a wrench or pliers and gently tapping the handle with a hammer for extra torque. If you plan on reusing the knobs, you may want to cover them with a soft cloth before gripping them with a wrench to avoid damaging the finish. Sometimes there is a sleeve that fits between the wall and the knob; this should slide off once the knob is removed. Once the knobs are removed, you will have access to the rest of the plumbing.
