Hello,

Shower stall started leaking on second floor.
Ran water directly into drain with hose from outlet with no leak, so I figure that leaves only the drain connection as the leaking place.

Took the drain cover off and found the "plastic" drain pipe and one-piece shower stall in good condition. Metal ring inside shower base also in good shape and appears to be well bonded to shower base.

There is a plastic take-away drain pipe rising to about three inches under the shower base and inside another plastic pipe descending from the base. The two pipes have about a 3/32 inch space around the circumfrence formed by the pipes, one inside the other, which appears to have plumbers putty in it. The putty comes to the top of the (interior) take away drain pipe and level with it. It appears that there may be some slight "shrinkage" of the putty on one side of the pipes that could be causing the leak.

I didn't expect to find such a "two pipe, one in the other mated with plumber's putty" arrangement. The job was done by a plumber about 14 years ago when the upstairs was remodeled so I don't know how long the jointed pipes are, etc.

What do you suggest? Can I gouge out the old putty and re-pack it? Does this sound plausible? Because of the metal ring inside the shower base versus a plasitic one and the two pipe set up it doesn't appear to me that the Wing-tip kit mentioned in your other replies will work for me. I down loaded the wing-tip instructions and they mention hacksawing a plasic ring, maybe it includes metal but I still have the problem of the lack of any kind of connection set up. What do you think?

Thanks for your attention to this problem. I have read the other related inquiries and your answers and do appreciate your advice.

Regards,
Budman

Hey Bud,  Are you saying that instead of joining the shower drain and the stubup, (the piece of pipe connecting the trap to the drain) by gluing them together that he caulked the two with plumbers putty.  Sounds like you're looking at a old 1 1/2" stubup inside a remodel 2" shower drain and instead of bushing up to 2" he just packed it with putty and hoped it wouldn't leak.  If thats the case then I would dig out the old putty about a inch or so down from the top of the pipes, making sure there is enough left so the glue you're going to caulk with won't run out the bottom..  Purchase a small can of PVC cement and another  small can of PVC primer.   Go in with a Q tip or swab loaded with primer and COMPLETLY CLEAN out the opening of any excess putty.  The two plastic pipes should now be primed.  Now pour and fill the opening that you just primed with PVC cement.  Let it set up untill you're sure it's cured, (you only get one shot at this so do it right.)  You have just used PVC cement as a caulking agent.  The only difference bring that putty will shrink while PVC cement melts into the plastic making the joint one piece.  That's the easiest way I know out of your problem.  Anything else would mean going under the floor and converting the stubup to 2" with a reducing coupling and stubbing up with 2" and then gluing the two together.  And that's providing you have enough room between the trap and the shower drain to install a fitting plus the stubup.  More questions?  Ask away!  Cheers, Tom

Hi,

Thank you for an absoulutely first rate and timely response to my question.

I have a similar shower drain problem except with cast iron pipe and fittings in a 1962 vintage home. It appears that the drain pipe has been placed inside the cast iron shower drain flange and packed with a waxy material and possibily some string. This all appears to be original. The problem is that water is starting to leak around the pipe. Any ideas?

Is that "waxy material" shiny i.e.. Lead?

No, it isn't shiny, it has the color and texture similar to a toilet bowl gasket. Almost like it was used as a seal between the small gap between the diameter of the flange and the drain pipe.