How To Increase The Capacity Of Any Bathtub Without Using Tools

Fill your bathtub as high as you want

Nobody tells YOU what to do. Why let your tub decide how much water you get to bathe in?

Be the boss of your bathroom. Don’t allow “limits” and “safety” to dictate how much water you can add to your bathtub. Everyone knows that more water equals more fun for kids, and increased relaxation for grown-ups, so automatic safety drains can be annoying.

You don’t need to fill your tub to the top every time you take a bath, but if you want the water as deep as possible, you should be able to decide how much water is enough; not some stupid piece of bathroom hardware. If you’re careful, the increased capacity won’t be risky at all, but it will make bath time way more enjoyable.

Why You Can’t Add More Water Now

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could ALREADY add as much water to your bathtub as you want? You bet it would.

Although most of you are smart enough to handle the responsibility of filling your own bathtub, and shutting the water off when it gets full enough, for safety reasons, your bathtub is designed to think otherwise. Almost every tub is manufactured to make it impossible to fill all-the-way, and most leave several vertical inches of unused space, by design.

If you look at the front of your bathtub, somewhere under the faucet there will usually be a circular metal thing. It’ll sometimes features a lever or button on the face, but hidden along the edge there will also be an integrated overflow prevention drain.

If you’ve ever tried to fill your bathtub all-the-way, you know that when the water gets up to the same level as this device, you start to hear the sound of water draining, and the water level begins to slow, or stop rising altogether. As soon as you turn off the water, your tub will drain down until the water level settles below this sneaky little drain.

Top 2 Ways to Increase The Capacity Of Your Bathtub

No matter what you do, you won’t be able to add more water to your bath unless you plug or block the overflow drain in some way. If you want to stop the water from spilling out when the level gets too high, you’ll have to use a permanent or temporary measure to prevent draining when the water level reaches the overflow drain.

No temporary, homemade method of stopping the water is very effective, so unless you break out your tools, and attempt to permanently seal the drain, it may be tough to fix the problem easily. There will be benefits and downsides no matter which home remedy you try, but if you’re willing to spend a small amount of money, there is a perfect solution to this problem.

1. Plug The Drain Temporarily

If you stuff a washcloth into the gap, you can slow the flow a little, but you’ll need to use something else if you want to block the drain completely. A temporary stopper is ideal in this situation because you can bypass the safety mechanism temporarily, and leave it active by default.

When shoving stuff into the drain to plug it, you’ll want to be careful to avoid ripping or tearing to ensure that nothing ends up stuck in the plumbing permanently. Bulky stuff will be more safe to use, but something smaller and able to conform to the shape of the drain or cover will be way more effective. Once you cover the hole completely, it should prevent water from going down the drain. As a result, your tub capacity will increase, and you’ll be able to add more water, and take a deeper bath.

You could even use tape to temporarily plug the drain as long as it’s strong enough, and able to hold when saturated with water.

2. Plug The Drain Permanently

Call in a plumber, or take apart the drain yourself, and you should be able to alter it in order to prevent the overflow drain from working ever. In this case, the fix will be tough to reverse, so you’ll have to deal with zero overflow protection on an ongoing basis.

This isn’t that safe in general, but it will give you the convenience of increasing the capacity of your bathtub permanently. You won’t have to worry about installing temporary solutions each time you want a deep bath, but you will have to worry about letting the water run too long because your tub could eventually overflow.

If you do go about plugging the overflow drain permanently, or disabling it in some way, you’ll want to take care to avoid permanent damage. Research and plan first, then implement a fix.

Safety First

Keep in mind that the safety measures installed on bathtubs are there for a reason, and you’re probably better off if you don’t sabotage them permanently. Water displacement is a real thing, and it’s not fun to be caught by surprise when your tub overflows as your body enters the water. That’s why a temporary bypass is best when trying to add more water to your bathtub by plugging the overflow drain.

You’ll retain the safety defaults in nearly every situation, but you’ll be able to enjoy a deep bath when you want to relax, or your child wants to “swim”. At other times, you’ll be protected from overflows, and your tub will fill to a safe level for all activity.

An Easy Way To Increase The Capacity of Your Tub

If you want to stop every drop of water from flowing down the overflow drain, but also use a temporary solution that’s quick and easy to install, then you should check out our Suction Mount Overflow Drain Cover. It sticks in place whenever you want to add extra water to your bathtub, and then it easily removes for all other activity. You’ll be able to fill your tub with way more water, but thanks to the safety hole, you still won’t be able to overflow the water onto the floor, no matter how long you leave it running.

Bathtub drain overflow cover.

What Is It and How Does It Work?

Made from 100% silicone, it’s like a large suction cup that’s held in place by several smaller suction cups. When you place it over and around the overflow drain cover it’ll stick tight to form a watertight seal. Instead of water flowing down the drain, it’ll remain in your tub, and the water level will rise.

Under normal conditions water would begin draining as soon as it reaches the bottom of the drain cover, but with this in place, the water will be able to rise to a level above the top of the cover. Because there’s a hole at the top of the silicone device, water will spill down into the middle, and out the drain so your tub will never overflow with it in place.

Universal fit. Use in any tub.

Not all tubs are designed the same, and there are several different overflow drain styles, but the design of this device is intended to adapt to virtually any tub, and work in almost any bathroom. Check out the picture above. You may have a snap style, toggle style, or flat front style overflow drain, but our cover will work on them all. Just press it in place and you’ll be able to add several more inches of water to your bathtub.

Before and after. Fill your tub with more water.

Before and After

Our Overflow Drain Plug is one of the fastest and easiest ways to make your tub hold more water. The before and after picture above shows a tub before the cover was installed on the left, and the same tub after installation on the right. As you can see, the standard situation leaves 6-8 inches of unused tub-space, but when the drain cover is installed, the water level is much higher, and only 2-3 inches remain unused. It only takes a second to stick in place, and once installed you’ll instantly increase the capacity of your bathtub.

Simple install process. Tub overflow drain.

How To Use It

No tools are required, and there will be no permanent changes involved. This helpful device is incredibly simple to install, and fool-proof to operate. Anyone can use it with perfect results because it’ll stick in place quickly, and it’ll hold strong for as long as you need.

You’ll never have to worry about water leaking through, and it’ll never slide down, or pop off while you’re in the middle of a bath. To install the overflow plug, simply follow this easy three-step process:

  1. Wet the suction cups.
  2. Align the cover over the overflow drain.
  3. Press it firmly in place.
Add more water to your bath

More fun and more warm, bubbly water. Let your kids enjoy a deep water bath, or transform your tub into a soothing spa experience. Any tub is way better when you fill it with way more water. You’ll be able to soak without the cold air ruining it, and your kids will be able to swim in the winter, and get more enjoyment out of bath toys.

It’s so simple to use, and it’s incredibly affordable too. Every bathroom should have one because it’s the perfect way to force your bathtub to hold more water than it wants to.

Product Features

  1. Universal Compatibility – Use in any tub.
  2. Strong Long-Lasting Suction Cups – Get a tight seal.
  3. Premium Silicone Construction – Ensure proper function.
  4. Resistant to Stains and Odors – Use for long periods without replacement.

Why It Works So Well

Highly Effective

Similar products may not works as well, and other options may not either. This one has proven to work perfectly, and it’ll last a long time, even with regular use. Once you have it installed, it’ll prevent water from leaking out of the safety overflow drain, and allow the water level to rise.

Easy-To-Use

Anyone can use it to stop water from exiting the tub, and make it hold more water. There are no tools required, and you just press it in place to increase the capacity of your bathtub. The strong suction cups will hold it securely for as long as you need.

Premium Quality Silicone

100% pure silicone makes it work well, but it also ensures that it is resistant to odors, stains, and mold or mildew growth. You can easily clean it if it does get dirty, and the material makes it durable and long-lasting too.

Universally Compatible

Thanks to the large size, our overflow drain cover is compatible with a wide range of tub types, and drain designs. It should have enough clearance side-to-side, and front-to-back to cover any overflow drain in any kind of bathtub.

Top Quality

Cheaper versions don’t hold as well, or block as much water. They can also be flimsy, or made from lower quality plastics. Avoid the hassle of a device that doesn’t fit, or one that just slips off. When you get this one, you know it will work to increase the capacity of your tub. Never worry about leaks or failure with this premium quality drain cover.

Totally Reusable

Thanks to the silicone material, the whole device is totally washable and reusable, and the strong suction cups will remain functional for a long time. If you use it for every bath, you’ll still get years of operation.

Don’t let your bathtub boss you around. You’re sufficiently qualified to decide just how much water you want it to hold. Quickly trick it into holding more water, but never call a plumber, install a part, or alter anything permanently. Get a Overflow Drain Cover today, and take a deeper bath tomorrow. It only takes a second to install, and once in place, it’ll instantly increase the capacity of your bathtub.

Got a better way to plug the overflow drain and increase capacity? If you have a better way to add more water to a bathtub, please share with everyone else by using the comments section below.

Tip Contents

Products Mentioned

Overflow Drain Cover
Overflow Drain Cover

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