Home Repair (alt.home.repair) For all homeowners and DIYers with many experienced tradesmen. Solve your toughest home fix-it problems.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
B
 
Posts: n/a
Default need bathtub drain repair advice

Post your question at www.plbg.com, far and away the best plumbing advice
site.

"Timothy Miller" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have a one story house on a slab, on a flat lot, downscale, in
California, built in 1953, one bathroom, three BRs. The bathtub and
bathroom sink drains are more or less back to back with the kitchen sink
drain.

The bathtub drain probably wouldn't pass code today. I think there's too
little fall. It drains slowly, and periodically stops draining
altogether until cleaned out, either with enzyme drain cleaner or liquid
plumber.

The other day it stopped draining altogether. The usual measures didn't
seem to help. All the other drains in the house seem to be working. My
wife called the plumber while I was at work. He says he couldn't get his
snake down the bathtub overflow tube. He says the brass fitting has
corroded hopelessly, the tub has to come out, and then "he'll see what
kind of repairs are needed." He may be right, but I have a funny feeling
I don't trust this guy.

He said he "might try" to go in thru the back of the kitchen sink. It's
"not impossible" that he'll have to break out the old jackhammer.

When I remove the overflow cover and the drain basket, the brass does
not seem seriously corroded. (This stuff is supposed to resist
corrosion, isn't it?) The fitting is pretty loose in whatever it
connects to. I'd guess it's a compression fitting with some old
fashioned kind of putty or packing or something, but I don't really know.

I wonder if it's possible to put some kind of scope down the drain so I
can diagnose the problem without ripping the house apart.

Beyond that, I suppose this is a pretty common problem. Any suggestions
regarding diagnosis and treatment? There's a recession on. I just want
it to keep on working for a few more years, at minimum expense.

Thanks a bunch,


Tim Miller



  #2   Report Post  
Timothy Miller
 
Posts: n/a
Default need bathtub drain repair advice

Thanks to all for excellent assistance on this one.

BTW, the plumber didn't say the overflow tube was shot. He said that the
entire bathtub drain fitting (the drain and the overflow tube were all
one heavy brass casting) and the tee they connect to, and maybe the main
drain line were all "rotten."

Further investigation suggested that the brass drain fitting was fine.
They were kind of loose in the expansion joint on the tee that connects
them to the main drain, but I figured it's no big deal because it
doesn't need to hold pressure. The bath water runs downhill, after all.

Further investigation showed the plumber didn't really troubleshoot. The
water from a sink farther upstream was coming up in the bathtub. The
next drain downstream was the kitchen sank. It drains fine. Duhhhh....

I figure the sink doesn't clog because the dishwasher drains into the
sink. Very hot, very soapy water going down twice per day keeps it clean.

I turned the temperature all the way up on the water heater, put lots of
really hot water and several boxes of dishwasher detergent down the
bathtub and the sink upstream. It cleared in about twenty minutes.

So the problem is solved, but I'm not very happy about the $200 for the
useless service call. I'm even less happy about the plumber's insistence
that I needed several thousand dollars in repairs, immediately. He
wanted me to sign the contract and start that afternoon.

I'm wondering about trying to get my $200 back or going to the board of
conumer affairs. Comments? Suggestions?


Tim Miller



Timothy Miller wrote:
Hi,

I have a one story house on a slab, on a flat lot, downscale, in
California, built in 1953, one bathroom, three BRs. The bathtub and
bathroom sink drains are more or less back to back with the kitchen sink
drain.

The bathtub drain probably wouldn't pass code today. I think there's too
little fall. It drains slowly, and periodically stops draining
altogether until cleaned out, either with enzyme drain cleaner or liquid
plumber.

The other day it stopped draining altogether. The usual measures didn't
seem to help. All the other drains in the house seem to be working. My
wife called the plumber while I was at work. He says he couldn't get his
snake down the bathtub overflow tube. He says the brass fitting has
corroded hopelessly, the tub has to come out, and then "he'll see what
kind of repairs are needed." He may be right, but I have a funny feeling
I don't trust this guy.

He said he "might try" to go in thru the back of the kitchen sink. It's
"not impossible" that he'll have to break out the old jackhammer.

When I remove the overflow cover and the drain basket, the brass does
not seem seriously corroded. (This stuff is supposed to resist
corrosion, isn't it?) The fitting is pretty loose in whatever it
connects to. I'd guess it's a compression fitting with some old
fashioned kind of putty or packing or something, but I don't really know.

I wonder if it's possible to put some kind of scope down the drain so I
can diagnose the problem without ripping the house apart.

Beyond that, I suppose this is a pretty common problem. Any suggestions
regarding diagnosis and treatment? There's a recession on. I just want
it to keep on working for a few more years, at minimum expense.

Thanks a bunch,


Tim Miller


  #3   Report Post  
JTM
 
Posts: n/a
Default need bathtub drain repair advice


"Timothy Miller" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have a one story house on a slab, on a flat lot, downscale, in
California, built in 1953, one bathroom, three BRs. The bathtub and
bathroom sink drains are more or less back to back with the kitchen sink
drain.

The bathtub drain probably wouldn't pass code today. I think there's too
little fall. It drains slowly, and periodically stops draining
altogether until cleaned out, either with enzyme drain cleaner or liquid
plumber.

The other day it stopped draining altogether. The usual measures didn't
seem to help. All the other drains in the house seem to be working. My
wife called the plumber while I was at work. He says he couldn't get his
snake down the bathtub overflow tube. He says the brass fitting has
corroded hopelessly, the tub has to come out, and then "he'll see what
kind of repairs are needed." He may be right, but I have a funny feeling
I don't trust this guy.

He said he "might try" to go in thru the back of the kitchen sink. It's
"not impossible" that he'll have to break out the old jackhammer.


I have a similar recurring problem. I run a snake through the sink (after
removing the p-trap) and with many tries I can get the snake to go into the
bathtub drain connection which fixes it until the next time. I have also rigged
up two large stoppers which I use to apply water pressure to the drain (one in
the overflow tube and the other in the tub drain. This sometimes works if the
hair isn't too solidly packed.

His two answers are not compatible. If the overflow tube is hopelessly corroded
then why is he suggesting that he may be able to clear the drain but leave a
defective overflow in place? No plumber worth his salt wants a call back for
not fixing a problem correctly. If the overflow tube is shot then the potential
for water damage would be a serious risk.

The chemicals available to the homeowner are pretty useless in clearing any real
blockage. They may be of some benefit in preventative maintanence but once the
flow stops forget using plumber in a bottle--or at least I have never had any
success with them. A licensed plumber can get concentrated sulphuric acid which
will clear hair and most other organic material blocking a drain. I have had
good success with it but thanks to the nannies it is not easy to come by.

Regards,

John


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
External Kitchen drain problem [email protected] UK diy 4 May 14th 04 12:31 PM
Freezer - what to check before resorting to repair man - advice needed Nigel UK diy 1 September 10th 03 11:48 PM
Draining the Central Heating - Advice Needed Nigel UK diy 2 September 8th 03 10:05 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 04:23 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 DIYbanter.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about DIY & home improvement"