Tub overflow problem

[szeik]

Hi,

Our tub leaks into the basement when filled to the overflow which always seems to end up happening when anyone takes a bath. Kids tend to move around a lot so even if it is not filled up to the overflow it ends up being pushed in anyway.

Is this something a plumber can fix? We don't have easy access behind the tub. Our kitchen cabinets are on the other side. I found one website that said that most bathtub overflows leak especially after several years from settling and the gaskets drying out. They recommended not filling the tub to the overflow which I keep telling people not to do yet it keeps happening.

I would appeciate any advice on this problem.

Thanks in advance, Steve

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Remove the cover and look over flow drain pipe is slipped or you add rubber gasket. Once you remove the cover things will become obvious.

[hrhofmann]

e quoted text -

He probably does not have a front cover to remove unless it is a jacuzzi style bathub. To OP, can you access the tub drain/overflow area from underneath?

[aemeijers]

quoted text -

???? Dunno about modern plastic imitation bathtubs, but pretty much every cast-iron real tub I have ever seen has a round plate for the overflow, often combined with the flipper for the drain.

[Molly Brown]

You tub drain was clogged so you called someone to snake it out for you. The person who did the work removed the overflow plate and pushed the snake in from there. In doing so he moved the tube and overflow gasket or maybe even caused the gasket to fall off altogether. You need to open the plumbing access panel behind the tub and confirm that this is what really happened and if so call that guy who unclogged your tub drain and have him fix it for free.

[Molly Brown]

You tub drain was clogged so you called someone to snake it out for you. The person who did the work removed the overflow plate and pushed the snake in from there. In doing so he moved the tube and overflow gasket or maybe even caused the gasket to fall off altogether. You need to open the plumbing access panel behind the tub and confirm that this is what really happened and if so call that guy who unclogged your tub drain and have him fix it for free.

[aemeijers]

OP has already stated he has no access panel (few builders bother to put those in), and no place to put one, since tub wet wall backs up against the kitchen cabinet wall. If he can't solve problem through overflow front trim plate, he's SOL. Fix will be expensive.

[szeik]

Yep. I have snaked it out this way myself after I watched a plumber do it once. Our tub connects to the kitchen sink further on down the line and I get these weird backups where water starts backing up into the tub and it smells bad and the only way to snake it out is from the tub overflow.

I do have access from underneath. The basement is not finished. But there is not a lot of room to get up at things. Floor joists etc...

I don't even remember which plumber was the first one to snake it out that way. I've used several. I've had this problem for years now and never fixed it since it only happens every now and then and it's not a ton of water. But I'm sick of it now and want to fix it.

Is it a big job for a plumber? There's no access behind the tub without ripping through the cabinets and I would live with the leak before doing that.

Steve

[jamesgangnc]

You might be surprised how easy it is to remove kitchen cabinets. Typically just some screws from inside. If you have a couner on top of it lossen the screws into it from under the adjacent cabinets and you will be able to lift the counter enough to slide the cabinet out.

[HeyBub]

Aside from the obvious solution of requiring everyone to shower, your best bet is to CREATE an access panel behind the tub.

Cut a large opening through the kitchen cabinet and adjoining wall. When done, cover the hole with a removable plate of 1/4" plywood or similar.

An access panel is standard - unless impossible (like the tub is adjacent to an outside brick wall).

[Vic Smith]

If the kitchen sink is backing up into the tub it's the sink line that needs snaking.

If you can't get in from the basement, you pull whatever cabinet is in the way. If you have to pull the sink/countertop first, you do that. It's not a big deal for the plumber if you have the cabinets cleaned out and tell him you'll take care of re-caulking or re-grouting the counter backsplash. Maybe an extra hour or two, depending if he runs into "issues."

I can't take a bath in a tub that gets pipe filth in it. My tub drain slowed once to the point where getting in a full tub caused the overflow tube to fill, then sloshing water sucked back drain crap particles into the bath water. After that I cleaned the drain before it got bad. Not with a snake.

--Vic

[aemeijers]

SHOULD be standard, yes. IS standard, no. And when house is designed, tub wet wall should back up onto a closet or similar space where SWMBO won't gack at the sight of 'that ugly thing'. I've known people who drywalled over their access panels just to shut the missus up, even though they knew damn well they'd have to hack another hole there sooner or later.

Anybody who puts a wet wall on an outside wall should be beaten. Usually can't avoid it in a kitchen, but you can usually bring the feed and drain lines straight up through the floor to avoid freeze and access problems. Straight shot through the cabinet base, and make any turns down below.