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    savannahgirl's Avatar
    savannahgirl Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Jun 3, 2010, 11:53 AM
    Shower drain - sealing off
    My 3rd bathoom has a small ceramic tile shower which no one uses. (Recently, I have had an influx of large cockroaches coming out of the drain. I have no idea how they get into the drain, but they do.) In the short term, I have duct-taped the drain closed. My preference is to completely remove the shower and convert it into a storage closet. Since I can't do that at the present time, I want to seal off the drain permantly to keep the unwanted pests out of my house.
    hontoni's Avatar
    hontoni Posts: 27, Reputation: 2
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    #2

    Jun 3, 2010, 01:13 PM

    The cockroaches come out of the sewer pipe in the street. These pipes are loaded with cockroaches and are really disgusting.
    There is a plug you can buy (I forget the actual name). It is orange plastic with black rubber around it. It has a large wingnut. You need to buy the correct one for your drain size (measure the diameter). Any good plumbing supply house can help you. When you tighten the wing nut, it will seal the hole very tightly. Once you get around to removing the shower, you will just remove this plug, ut the pipe below grade and glue on a cap (assuming it is ABS pipe).

    I hope this helps!
    Milo Dolezal's Avatar
    Milo Dolezal Posts: 7,192, Reputation: 523
    Plumbing Expert
    		  
    #3

    Jun 3, 2010, 01:16 PM

    You can purchase Drain Plug. Insert the plug into the drain and turn screw on top. It will expand sealing the drain in process.

    There is a trap below this drain. Once water inside the trap dries out roaches can crawl inside shower coming from vent to which trap is connected, possibly from the main sewer as well...

    Hope that will help... Milo
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
    Home Repair & Remodeling Expert
    		  
    #4

    Jun 3, 2010, 01:42 PM

    If you are permanently changing this to a closet you should do a more permanent capping. Is the drain PVC or what?
    savannahgirl's Avatar
    savannahgirl Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #5

    Jun 9, 2010, 07:10 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by ballengerb1 View Post
    If you are permanently changing this to a closet you should do a more permanent capping. Is the drain PVC or what?
    Thank you for responding. My eventual goal is to tear out the shower and put a closet in, but that is down the road. I'm more interested in the short-term solution just in case I change my mind about the shower in the future.
    As for the makeup of the drain, I can see metal from the shower itself, but what is below I have no idea. My house was built in the mid-70's, if that helps.
    savannahgirl's Avatar
    savannahgirl Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #6

    Jun 9, 2010, 07:11 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by hontoni View Post
    The cockroaches come out of the sewer pipe in the street. These pipes are loaded with cockroaches and are really disgusting.
    There is a plug you can buy (I forget the actual name). It is orange plastic with black rubber around it. It has a large wingnut. You need to buy the correct one for your drain size (measure the diameter). Any good plumbing supply house can help you. When you tighten the wing nut, it will seal the hole very tightly. Once you get around to removing the shower, you will just remove this plug, ut the pipe below grade and glue on a cap (assuming it is ABS pipe).

    I hope this helps!
    Thanks for your advice. I'll check with a plumbing supply to see if they can assist
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