Hello,
I, as a renter, live in a very old house. When some inches of water are in the bath tub, leaking is occurring probably or surely from the trap under the tub and right by the tub drain. [One can see this trap from the pipe access-work area. The trap - a tank-like thing- is smaller in size than a coffee can.]
The small trap has an integrated hex nut on the shiny top. [In the early 90s when there was no leakage, I tried to remove the top but it wouldn't budge.] A friend told me a few days ago that this shiny lid on the trap is made of cheap metal and has to be busted to get it off. [He had this same problem, pounded on the top to destroy his trap lid, and bought some $7 rubber type item to go into the top of his small trap.] I'm a bit concerned about just pounding on the thing to get it off. [The access area is not large and it's difficult to move a large wrench around in there.]
My landlord is cheap and refuses to fix this thing. I'm worried about the leakage (which causes drain water to fall on the table in the kitchen which is directly below the bath tub) because of ancient wires I see under the tub. I'm worried that the leakage might cause my housemate or me to be electrocuted.
Is it easy to repair this trap? Does one just take a hefty hammer to the lid to bust it up? If nothing else is hit, will this pounding adversely affect or damage nearby plumbing?
Thanks.
Stan