[WantsToLearn]

Greetings,

Glad to find this resource. :)

I have three bathrooms that all have some form of leaking. :(

Right now, two of them are my focus since I believe both were related to leaks from the bathtub drain. I had already read up on fixing this and got my plumbers putting, tub basket wrench etc. I fixed the first one with no problem.

The second one is a jacuzzi tub on the second floor. I tried loosening the tub basket but this one is different. It looks like the metal top is attached somehow to a plastic bottom that goes deeper into the flange area. I can spin the metal but it doesn't really loosen. There is a nut in the center where the stopper slid in. I am not sure if I should use some kind of socket to loosen this. It seems the not doesn't move when I move the metal top, so I am thinking this.

I attached a picture although the lighting is not great in that tub, so there is some white light from a flashlight. You'll see I twisted the top a bit to you can see the four arms of the basket plus the four wings of the plastic piece below.

Thanks for any advice on the correct way to remove this type of drain as I don't want to make the leak worse!

Regards,
Eric

[massplumber2008]

Hi WTL:

Get your socket set out and remove that screwnut! That should loosen the strainer and let you do what needs to be done.

Where exactly is the leak?

Let me know...

MARK

[WantsToLearn]

I am about to loosen it now. I just wanted to be sure that I needed to loosen that nut. I don't understand why they just can't make all these procedures the same. Anyway, I am seeing leakage through the ceiling downstairs. Interesting, it is only on long showers my wife is taking (she never used to use this bathroom). Therefore, I have to believe this is a minor leak and probably a cleaning and tightening of everything would help. Will let you know as I find more. I attached a picture of the damage below should it help. I believe since it is forming a square/rectangle, and it looks like that area of the ceiling was repaired before, that it probably was an existing problem.

I am hoping I don't need to open the ceiling to get at under the tub and that I can just re- putty and tighten from the top.

Thoughts?
Eric

[massplumber2008]

Hmmmm...

I would have you remove the trim works around the shower valve and shower arm before messing with the tub shoe of the tub waste. Trim plate and handle should remove pretty easy.

I would then have you run the tub and then the shower and check all that you can see behind the wall using a flashlight...

Don't be afraid to wrap the valve in tissue paper after accessed... that shows more than you can see sometimes.

Start there... look around tub OUTSIDE shower for any loose flooring/tile/vinyl...

Let me know what you think...

MARK

[WantsToLearn]

Here is the image. Sorry, forgot to attach previously...

[massplumber2008]

Read post #4... also note that there is a typical sequence most plumbers use in these cases. Start by removing the trim, check obvious stuff behind wall and then in front of shower. Let me know what you find.

[Milo Dolezal]

It is Geberit type trim for tub/jacuzzi overflow. Geberit ( or one of the many imitations ) seal very well and I don't remember last time I saw one to leak.

Anyway, what makes me worry it the fact that you are able to "....turn..." the flange. That should not be possible if drain is installed properly. There should be a large washer directly beneath the drain, between the tub and drain assembly.

Take a socket ( I think it is 7/8" ) and tighten it well. If there is a rubber washer you will feel increasing resistance. If you have to replace the whole overflow rough assembly, than you will loosen the trim from the tub and do rest of the work from service door opening behind the tub.

[WantsToLearn]

One last thought, I have never seen a problem when not running the shower. In other words, it seems it is related to drainage and not water supply. I think at a minimum it would be worth re-puttying the top - no?

[massplumber2008]

Tighten as Milo suggested.. then remove handle and trim plate... could be the shower arm connection high up or may be your diverter is integral to tub/shower valve and that is leaking... or is your diverter on the tub spout?

[Milo Dolezal]

As to your follow up photo: Yes, you have a leak .

Open up your ceiling and post photo of the drain-to-tub connection. Btw: do you have a service door behind the tub ?

[WantsToLearn]

Well, I tried to tighten the nut (clockwise) and it seemed to have no resistance. I then tried to loosen and it had no resistance and would not rise up. Tried to pull it up with a needlenose but it looks like it is not that loose. Seems to be stripped to me at first blush.

In terms of the inquiry on the diverter, I have to admit I am at the limits of my knowledge on that one. I can remove the water control handle, but not sure I can see much behind that since it is pretty well tiled around it.

Does the fact that the nut looks to be stripped mean I will be forced to go underneath somehow? Just wondering if this is the problem. One other thing I noticed is that when I step on the tub I hear creaks like maybe the underlying wood is not stable. I mean just slightly, but if that was the case, could that nut have been supporting all of my 200 lbs for a while and just eventually given out?

At this point, I guess a judgment needs to be made as to whether it seems the problem is in the drain. The fact that I can't dissassemble seems to say that can't be that tightly seal. Question would be can a stripped nut be handled or does it sound like a professional is in order?

Thanks a lot for your help. Just want to know if it sounds like I am venturing beyond the level I can recover from...

Regards,
Eric

[Milo Dolezal]

1. Your tub should not buckle. You should have bed of light weight concrete under the tub to support the weight.

2. Actually it is not a "nut" as per say - it is screw with head looking like a nut. If it is stripped, try to get another one and install it. Otherwise, you will have to remove that part of the overflow and install new one.

[WantsToLearn]

Well, I think what this has shown me is I need to run a full battery of tests. After everything that was mentioned about checking the shower nozzles and water vales, etc, I ran a tub running water test and a shower running test (nobody in the tub for either). Both ran a half hour with no leakage (ceiling was completely dry to the feel. This compares to the last time I saw the ceiling when my wife took a long 20 minute + shower and I visibly saw water dripping from the sides of the ceiling trim.

It just goes to show that every problem needs independent diagnosis. I came off so sure of the drain because of my issue with the other tub that was the drain on the first floor. However, that I could observe directly from the basement. Damned desire to knock out many issues at once always kills you. Could I have actually fixed this issue by playing with that nut/screw? Who knows? Maybe it is only when there is weight on the tub, so I'll need to run those tests.

Thanks for your help and I'll let you know if I find out more. If it happens when someone is in the tub, then I'll have to look closer at grouting and caulking issues. Doesn't visibly look like there are gaps, but maybe there is something I am not seeing yet.

Thanks again,
Eric