Sink strainer baskets fit to your matching drain slice in the base of the sink to keep food particles from entering the drain, helping to prevent clogged drain lines. The sink strainer basket includes a stopper on the bottom of the basket and may be inserted one way to hold water in the sink and turned into another way to strain the water and keep food particles from passing into the drain line. You can replace the pipe linking the sink strainer basket into the drain line in a few minutes with some basic hand tools.
Loosen couplers holding the P-trap into the drain lines beneath the sink with a massive set of slip-joint pliers and pull off the P-trap.
Loosen the coupler that retains the drain extension into the tailpiece on the base of the sink strainer basket, and pull out the extension. If the sink is a double sink, remove the extension from the tailpiece on the second sink strainer.
Remove the tailpiece coupler and pull off the tailpiece from the base of the basket. Then have a buddy hold the sink strainer in place from above with a basket wrench as you loosen and remove the coupler on the base of the sink basket. Push the basket out of the sink basin. Wipe the lip of the drain hole above and below the sink clean with a rag.
Remove the coupler and seams out of a new sink basket. Apply a bead of plumber’s putty into the flange of a new basket and place it into the sink. Place the rubber gasket onto the threads, followed by the secondary drier — typically either cardboard or metal — and thread the coupler onto the basket and tighten to lock it in place. Insert the tailpiece into the base of the basket and tighten the tailpiece coupler. Wipe away any excess putty from within the sink.
Slip the top finish of a new sink drain kit into the base of the tailpiece, and hand-tighten the coupler. If the sink is a double sink, twist the drain pipe to ensure that the unwanted inlet faces the second sink. Hold the extension between the second sink’s tailpiece and the inlet, and mark a cut line to the extension with a pencil. Cut the extension where it meets the inlet with a hacksaw or PVC cutter. Connect the extension into the second sink’s tailpiece and also the side inlet and tighten the straps to guarantee the extension.
Connect the P-trap into the sink drain pipe and the drain line, and hand-tighten the two couplers.
Snug all the couplers with a set of slip-joint pliers prior to turning to the water and examining the drain.