Taking care of your bath overflow

By Benjamin Clarke | Published on 18th August 2020

Following on from our recent article about bath wastes, we thought it was a good opportunity to discuss one of the most overlooked parts of a bath, the overflow.

The overflow plays an important role in stopping a bath from spilling over the sides if the tap has been left on or if the bath has been filled too high.

On a traditional bathtub, the overflow 'rose' is usually located just underneath the taps and can be identified by a circular metal cover with holes in it.

Keeping your overflow clean

Throughout its lifetime, your bath will get a lot of use and over time this can lead to a build up of hairs, skin and other dirt getting into your overflow.

If you've ever had the experience of unblocking your plughole, you know how disgusting it can be and how it impedes water from draining out of your bath.

While an overflow usually doesn't see quite the same amount of dirt as a plug hole, a surprisingly amount can still get down there. You don't want an overflow being too blocked to help drain an overfilled bath just when you most need it, so it's important to keep it clean.

It's very easy to remove the front of the overflow rose and pour vinegar or baking soda down it to clear any blockages. Gently poking a long, thin, bottle brush down into the overflow can also help remove anything that has been caught up.

Replace if corrodes and leaky

Overflows are generally made from plastic and the pipe runs from the top of the bath down to the waste underneath.

Over time, the plastic piping that makes up the overflow can become brittle and corroded, especially in older baths. This can cause leaks underneath your bath and can cause considerable water damage if the problem gets worse.

If you have an old bath and are concerned about any overflow damage, take off the front panel and have a look underneath. If you feel any moisture or can see water on the ground underneath, it's probably a good idea to replace the overflow.

It's a fairly simple and inexpensive job to do, but could save you a lot of time and money from leaking water.

Whirlpool baths and overflows

Bath waste, overflow and filler valve. This can be factory fitted to any Luna Spa bath

All of our luxury whirlpool spa baths are fitted with overflow and wastes as standard. Our bath wastes and overflows provide a perfect fit to keep things nice and watertight when you need it, and free flowing when bath time comes to an end.

While function is important, style cannot be overlooked. After all, this important component is a visible feature of your bath and it is vital that it fits with the look of your bathroom and the other fixtures, to provide a finished look to your décor.

We also have a variety of waste/overflow combos for you to choose from so you can match the fittings on your bath exactly.

Whether its a simple overflow or a chorme plated pop-up waste, overflow and filler valve combination, we've got you covered.

ALL BATH WASTES & OVERFLOWS

RELATED ARTICLES

• How to clean a whirlpool bath

• How to replace and install a bath waste

• How to replace whirlpool bath jet covers

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