My bathtub goes "crack" or maybe "creak" once every time I get in it,
but I haven't seen the distance between the tub and the tile increase
in a year or two, when I started paying attention. At the end of the
tub with the faucet, it's one mm from the tile near the side wall and
2mm from the tile on the side away from the side wall.

I don't take showers in the tub, only baths there, so I'm not getting
any water into the wall, except the one time the tub overflowed, and
water got on the floor. The creaking is no worse since that happened.


What are the chances the tub will fall through the floor in the next
30 years? :-) What are the chances it will fall through the floor
within say a week or a month of when it clearly shows that it is
sagging worse?? I don't want to waste money fixing it now if it will
never get that bad, but I don't want to damage the ceiling downstairs
etc.

Open up the ceiling below and look, you might have rot, cracked beams
or whatever. I dought it will fall but it has happened.

mm wrote:
My bathtub goes "crack" or maybe "creak" once every time I get in it,
but I haven't seen the distance between the tub and the tile increase
in a year or two, when I started paying attention. At the end of the
tub with the faucet, it's one mm from the tile near the side wall and
2mm from the tile on the side away from the side wall.

I don't take showers in the tub, only baths there, so I'm not getting
any water into the wall, except the one time the tub overflowed, and
water got on the floor. The creaking is no worse since that happened.


What are the chances the tub will fall through the floor in the next
30 years? :-) What are the chances it will fall through the floor
within say a week or a month of when it clearly shows that it is
sagging worse?? I don't want to waste money fixing it now if it will
never get that bad, but I don't want to damage the ceiling downstairs
etc.



My newly installed (by a plumber cuz I hurt my back) Americast tub
creaks when I get in it, or move around in it during a shower. The old
cast iron tub did not creak. In my case, the new tub is lighter and
just doesn't load the floor until some gets in it. I haven't closed up
the walls yet, so I plan to remove the screws holding the tub down on
the 2x4 ledge, stand in the tub to preload it, and put in new screws or
roofing nails to hold it down.

Bob

On Wed, 02 Aug 2006 12:13:45 -0500, zxcvbob
wrote:



My newly installed (by a plumber cuz I hurt my back) Americast tub
creaks when I get in it, or move around in it during a shower. The old
cast iron tub did not creak. In my case, the new tub is lighter and
just doesn't load the floor until some gets in it. I haven't closed up
the walls yet, so I plan to remove the screws holding the tub down on
the 2x4 ledge, stand in the tub to preload it, and put in new screws or
roofing nails to hold it down.

Bob

Fill it with water if you really want to load it.

--Andy Asberry recommends NewsGuy--

On 2 Aug 2006 09:05:28 -0700, "Lawrence"
wrote:

mm wrote:
My bathtub goes "crack" or maybe "creak" once every time I get in it,

There may not be a leak. Mine makes a noise like that too. it is a
vinyl tub and the support underneath has failed causing the squeak.
there is not leak cause I am able to see under the tub from the access
panel. You could have a similar problem. if there is a way for you
to open up the wall and take a look you might be able to tell whether
there is really a leak or not. I am living with my squeak for now but
a tub replacement is the only option for me and may be for you.

Well, on the end with the plumbing, the other side of the wall has the
shower stall, so I can't easily put in an access panel. Hmmm, I guess
I could remove some tiles, and somehow make a waterproof door, but I
really don't want to do that.

My tub is light weight steel. When it cracks or creaks, so far, I
haven't seen anything move, even at the edge where I hear the sound
coming from. But I'm probably not looking until after I hear the
sound.

What are the chances the tub will fall through the floor in the next
30 years?

If there is no leak the chance is zero. With a leak close to zero.
You will have other very big problems before that happens.

OK, that's what I need to hear. All I want is some warning, and then
I'll use the shower stall until I get it fixed.

:-) What are the chances it will fall through the floor
within say a week or a month of when it clearly shows that it is
sagging worse??

You did not mention sagging in your description. Is the floor sagging
and how can you tell?

Two ends and one side are next to walls.

The only sagging is what I mentioned, at the end of the tub with the
plumbing, 1 mm on the side of the tub next to the wall and 2 mm on the
other side. It does seem a lot less now that there is nothing in the
tubl, and even when I get in (225 pounds) it only cracks or creaks a
little, and doesn't sag those 2mm. I guess the water weighs a lot.

I don't want to waste money fixing it now if it will
never get that bad, but I don't want to damage the ceiling downstairs
etc.

Water damage can be unbelievably expensive to fix down the line. most
homeowners will take out a loan rather than risk serious damage to
their biggest asset. Do not take a chance on water damage thinkin you
are saving money. that is foolish in my opinion.

There is no on-going leak afaik, only possible damage I did with the
two times I let the tub run over, and 10 or 15 times it leaked decades
ago, from the drain. That stopped, and my only guess is that the dead
skin and dirt that comes off my body during a bath filled whatever
hole there was.

It never damaged the ceiling below. The water would come down the
chain of the chandelier and start to fill up the glass globe around
the light bulb. Got as much as 2 inches deep during those occasions

And when I let the tub overflow last year, it got maybe 5 inches deep
in that globe, so that 2 or 3 inches of lightbulb was under water. I
think the lightbulb was on at the time, and I'm amazed that it didn't
break. If it wasn't on, I know I turned it on for a few seconds
before I realized I should turn it off.

Several of my neighbors, identical townhouses, also had leaks, but the
ones I met all had damage to the dining room ceiling, and had to
repair it. I got off lucky since all the water came down the chain.

Despite all the water I talk about, it's dry now, and you've all
convinced me I don't have much to worry about, and I'll get some
warning when and if I do.

Lawrence

On Wed, 02 Aug 2006 12:13:45 -0500, zxcvbob
wrote:

mm wrote:
My bathtub goes "crack" or maybe "creak" once every time I get in it,
but I haven't seen the distance between the tub and the tile increase
in a year or two, when I started paying attention. At the end of the
tub with the faucet, it's one mm from the tile near the side wall and
2mm from the tile on the side away from the side wall.

I don't take showers in the tub, only baths there, so I'm not getting
any water into the wall, except the one time the tub overflowed, and
water got on the floor. The creaking is no worse since that happened.


What are the chances the tub will fall through the floor in the next
30 years? :-) What are the chances it will fall through the floor
within say a week or a month of when it clearly shows that it is
sagging worse?? I don't want to waste money fixing it now if it will
never get that bad, but I don't want to damage the ceiling downstairs
etc.



My newly installed (by a plumber cuz I hurt my back) Americast tub
creaks when I get in it, or move around in it during a shower. The old
cast iron tub did not creak. In my case, the new tub is lighter and
just doesn't load the floor until some gets in it.

This sounds like my situation. I have light steel too. It only sags
at most 2mm but it is the creaking that had me scared. I've been
meaning to ask about this for months.

I think I'm ok.

Thanks to you and Lawrence and everyone.

I haven't closed up
the walls yet, so I plan to remove the screws holding the tub down on
the 2x4 ledge, stand in the tub to preload it, and put in new screws or
roofing nails to hold it down.

Bob

mm wrote:
My bathtub goes "crack" or maybe "creak" once every time I get in it,
but I haven't seen the distance between the tub and the tile increase
in a year or two, when I started paying attention. At the end of the
tub with the faucet, it's one mm from the tile near the side wall and
2mm from the tile on the side away from the side wall.

I don't take showers in the tub, only baths there, so I'm not getting
any water into the wall, except the one time the tub overflowed, and
water got on the floor. The creaking is no worse since that happened.


What are the chances the tub will fall through the floor in the next
30 years? :-) What are the chances it will fall through the floor
within say a week or a month of when it clearly shows that it is
sagging worse?? I don't want to waste money fixing it now if it will
never get that bad, but I don't want to damage the ceiling downstairs
etc.

If the tub is moving, seems the "creak" might eventually loosen some
plumbing fittings. I would give some serious thought to replacing it
and have someone knowledgeable look at supporting structure whilst doing
the replacing. I once live in a rental with a rocking toilet - wasn't
heavy, or I probably would have gone through the badly rotted floor.

On Wed, 02 Aug 2006 11:09:10 -0400, mm
wrote:


My bathtub goes "crack" or maybe "creak" once every time I get in it,
but I haven't seen the distance between the tub and the tile increase
in a year or two, when I started paying attention. At the end of the
tub with the faucet, it's one mm from the tile near the side wall and
2mm from the tile on the side away from the side wall.

I don't take showers in the tub, only baths there, so I'm not getting
any water into the wall, except the one time the tub overflowed, and
water got on the floor. The creaking is no worse since that happened.


What are the chances the tub will fall through the floor in the next
30 years? :-) What are the chances it will fall through the floor
within say a week or a month of when it clearly shows that it is
sagging worse?? I don't want to waste money fixing it now if it will
never get that bad, but I don't want to damage the ceiling downstairs
etc.

How much do you weigh?

On Thu, 03 Aug 2006 08:10:25 -0500, wrote:

On Wed, 02 Aug 2006 11:09:10 -0400, mm
wrote:


My bathtub goes "crack" or maybe "creak" once every time I get in it,
but I haven't seen the distance between the tub and the tile increase
in a year or two, when I started paying attention. At the end of the
tub with the faucet, it's one mm from the tile near the side wall and
2mm from the tile on the side away from the side wall.

I don't take showers in the tub, only baths there, so I'm not getting
any water into the wall, except the one time the tub overflowed, and
water got on the floor. The creaking is no worse since that happened.


What are the chances the tub will fall through the floor in the next
30 years? :-) What are the chances it will fall through the floor
within say a week or a month of when it clearly shows that it is
sagging worse?? I don't want to waste money fixing it now if it will
never get that bad, but I don't want to damage the ceiling downstairs
etc.

How much do you weigh?

229 now. 240 last July 1. Maybe 170 next February 1.