Ask Me Help Desk - Re-Install of Shower Drain from underneath

Hello to all. I am new to this site but have been impressed in my searching at the wealth of knowledge in here.

I am re-installing a shower drain from underneath as the current one was found to be leaking. The situation goes like so:

We have a shower stall installed and tiled walls all around, so removing it or working from above is not an option. The drain was found to be leaking from where it left the fiberglass shower.

I am now working from underneath (tore a hole in the ceiling! :eek:) and am prepared to re-install the new drain assembly I have. I am using an offset shower drain with receptor base (found at this link: http://www.plumbest.com/dmdocuments/e13.jpg [it is the one on top right]) I have my new p-trap set up and everything is fitted on and snug for the test run. I am ready to attach the drain and get going with this but have some problems.

How should I begin? What to attach/solvent weld first? From what I can gather, I need to apply silicone or plumbers putty (does it matter?) where the drain touches the top of the shower enclosure. Should I first solvent weld the receptor base to the p-trap under the shower and then screw in the drain assembly from above? If so, how would I apply the silicone or plumbers putty? As I twisted the drain assemply in to the receptor base, it would rotate and therefore degrade the putty, correct?

My other option is to attach the drain assembly to the base of the shower w/ silicone or putty and then go at it from underneath. In this instance, I would have the drain assembly attached to the shower base, screw the receptor base to this from underneath and then solvent weld the p-trap and remaining PVC together.

I am at a loss on how to do this. Any help would be appreciated as I want to get this right and avoid further repairs. I hope my rambling made sense! :D

Thanks much!

Mike

Mike I personally use plumber's putty on all bath drains and have never encountered any issues with it failing.

The question of where to start the connection will be somewhat determined by the amount of flexibility your existing drain pipe has. In most cases, I would start by connecting the drain assembly to the shower. Your right this does protect the integrity of your putty seal. If your trap distance and pipe up to the receptor still line up, from below I would then, glue the pipe that will connect the trap and the receptor into the receptor. Next, I would glue the trap street L onto the existing horizontal drain pipe. This should leave your drain, only needing the half circle part of the trap. If your measuring and distances are correct, you would then be able to make your final connection by glueing the pipe from the receptor into the trap and at the same time, glueing the trap onto your street L. You would be pushing up on both vertical male ends and makes for a quick easy connection.

Please message me, if I can help any further.

Quote:

Originally Posted by malex27

The question of where to start the connection will be somewhat determined by the amount of flexibility your existing drain pipe has. In most cases, I would start by connecting the drain assembly to the shower. Your right this does protect the integrity of your putty seal. If your trap distance and pipe up to the receptor still line up, from below I would then, glue the pipe that will connect the trap and the receptor into the receptor. Next, I would glue the trap street L onto the existing horizontal drain pipe. This should leave your drain, only needing the half circle part of the trap. If your measuring and distances are correct, you would then be able to make your final connection by glueing the pipe from the receptor into the trap and at the same time, glueing the trap onto your street L. You would be pushing up on both vertical male ends and makes for a quick easy connection.

Thanks for the quick reply. I have the whole system set up now with no glue or putty, and everything lines up just fine. Your advice on the order of attaching things is great and pretty much what I had in mind. My only real concern is that the drain assembly (going from inside the shower through the hole) is threaded and must be screwed into the receptor base. This is where my problem is. Screwing the drain assembly into the base will ruin the putty seal in the shower, as we agreed. So if I do it in the manner you described, how would I prevent the drain assemdbly from moving while I screwed the receptor on from underneath? Get what I am saying? I guess I could have someone hold the drain assembly from top while I screw everything on, but this seems kind of questionable. I could also seal the drain to the shower floor, wait a day and then screw the drain receptor on. Do you see my delima? I don't know how to screw the drain assembly and receptor together whithout ruining any of the sealant applications. :confused:

Hey Mike,

It depends on what's already installed. If the trap and raiser's already installed and glued in you can slip the nut first, then the rubber washer and last the fiber anti-friction washer over the trap raiser and prime and glue the drain to the trap raiser. You may then run a rope of plumbers putty or silicon jel under the drain lip and tighten the nut down. If the trap and raiser are not glued in then you can install the drain and prime amd glue from there.
Good luck, Tom

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedball1

Hey Mike,

It depends on what's already installed. If the trap and raiser's already installed and glued in you can slip the nut first, then the rubber washer and last the fiber anti-friction washer over the trap raiser and prime and glue the drain to the trap raiser. You may then run a rope of plumbers putty or silicon jel under the drain lip and tighten the nut down. If the trap and raiser are not glued in then you can install the drain and prime amd glue from there.
Good luck, Tom

Tom -
Thanks so much for the quick response. I do have some questions though. First of all, nothing is glued or installed yet. I am free and clear from the drain tube (about 1 foot off the p trap) all the way to the shower. I have everything cut and measured, but nothing is glued yet.
In your response, you said I could "a rope of plumbers putty or silicon jel under the drain lip and tighten the nut down." I would like to do this, but am concerned that as I twist the nut down from the top to tighten, it would warp and degrade the sealing putty or gel. Isn't that so? My other option is to tighten down the drain in the shower w/ gel opr putty and then screw the receptor on from underneath. The problem here would be twisting the drain in the shower as I tightened the receptor from underneath. Does that make sense? How should I handle this?

Thanks for the help,
Mike

I'm not about to get into w3hich way is best. They will both work. Why don't you tell me what way you think is better for you and we'll go from there. I take it yoiu're concerned that the drain body will twist the putty or silicon jel out from under the drain lip as you tighten. Not if you hold the bottom part of the drain while you're tightening the nut. Let me hear from you, Tom