45
While caulk is fairly elastic, it handles better under compression than tension. By filling the tub all the way, you expand the gap quite a bit. Once the caulk is applied and the tub drained, the caulk compresses. During normal use, the caulk will likely never be in tension. As you'd have to add more weight than a tub full of water, before the caulk had to ...
21
I'm not sure where some of those cracks came from, but it doesn't look like anything a good quality bathroom caulk won't fix. Here is the big secret to caulking anything in the bathroom:
Clean those surfaces as good as you possibly can. Like cleaner than you've ever cleaned anything in a bathroom. After its super clean, clean it again with alcohol to ...
18
Let's look at the three pictures above.
#1 - This is probably the most common install. You cement board is on the same plane as the flange. It is thicker so it ends up hanging over.
Tip - If you are using cement board by itself I would strongly suggest using 1/2 inch. Also I am a strong supporter of hardibacker since it doesn't allow water through or ...
14
You can buy bathtub splash guards such as the ones found here.
You should be able to find similar ones at your local hardware store. Most versions install in seconds, using easy peel and stick adhesive backings. No tools, no mess, and usually no waiting for caulks and/or glues to dry.
13
It's called a "standing waste". It works just like you say. The cone at the base of the inner tube seals against a flange and the water must fill the outer tube (attached to your floor) before (over)flowing down the inner tube. Here's a pic since words are useless for describing this kind of thing.
Here's some in-depth discussion on resolving a clog on ...
13
There would be no such thing as "excessive wear" on a bathtub drain - unless there was caustic material being poured down the drain which ate away at the drain pipe and joints.....although from the sounds of it this is far from the case here.
For the sake of discussion let us assume that the tub is a quality name brand product.
It may be that there was ...
13
It seems pretty unlikely that the drainpipe would freeze in your crawlspace. Even if there was a 20 degree wind whipping through it (which there isn't: it's enclosed), the only way that could be is if there was standing water in the pipe to freeze. That would mean a trap in the crawlspace which would be highly unusual. And if you really had a frozen pipe, ...
12
That's just.... nasty. The spout looks fine but the faucet is both too far out and not square. There's a large gap at the base that looks like it can leak water into the wall space.
The "plumber" was either drunk, half-asleep or incompetent. There is no excuse for work that sloppy.
11
If it rinsed down the drain and hasn't clogged yet then you're in fairly good shape. Clumping litter definitely can be saturated and breaks down. I'm assuming this is some sort of clay based litter (I use a pine based product myself) with fairly small granules and not a lot of stone.
Also I'm presuming that you haven't been flushing the line out with ...
11
The lettering on the drain cover leads to a number of similar (but not exactly the same) products all over the 'net. What is consistent about this particular company's line of products is that the words "snap-in" appear frequently.
The image above differs from yours in that your "tab" area is much thinner and does not show clearly any tabs. If you are able ...
10
Your tub has an overflow drain. You just have to find it. Remove the two screws next to the combination drain toggle & overflow plate. Now gently pull up to reveal the overflow hole and the drain plug:
Get out your snake (you've got a snake, right?) and thread it down the newly revealed hole. Also remove the single screw holding the drain screen. Use ...
10
I remove galvanized pipe whenever possible. A brass nipple will be a much longer term connection, due to much lower reactivity to water caused corrosion.
However, if the plumbing elsewhere is galvanized, it may only be a symbolic gesture.
9
Will it be used as a shower as well? If so, sheetrock is the wrong material for the surround. It's going to act as a sponge if water ever finds its way to it.
What you could do is put backer board on top of the sheetrock, then coat the backer board with a waterproof membrane (I like the Redgard product for that) then tile. Be sure that the backer overlaps ...
9
I had this problem in my last house, but rather than Jaydles' fancy putty, I just grabbed a cheap tube of silicone caulk and ran a bead around the outside of the tub wall. A couple seconds to squeegee it off after the shower, and things stayed nice and dry.
If you're not great at drawing straight lines, use good-quality masking tape to get those perfect ...
9
If that was the case the bathwater would melt the ice plug in short order (unless it was totally blocked). I suspect a common debris plug.
Also, it usually takes much colder weather to freeze things in a crawl space. Geothermal heat typically prevents it unless you have a lot of ventilation.
Cast iron corrodes and accumulates very hard crud over time. You ...
8
Go to your local hardware store and purchase a strap wrench:
The rubber strap wraps around and grips the cover. Then you rotate the wrench anticlockwise to unscrew the cover off the tap. The strap prevents scratching of the finish which would normally occur trying to unscrew the tap with the jaws of a regular wrench. There are also regular-style wrenches ...
8
In all the shower installs I overseen, the company I worked for maintained that caulk is to be used in any inside corners except where excessive/standing water is. For example, caulk corners where tub and walls meet, and vertical inside corners where the walls come together. DO NOT caulk where the floor and walls meet, I personally seen caulk creep out of ...
7
What did you use to connect your tub spout?
I plumbed my bathroom with Pex and was heavily cautioned NOT to use Pex to run from the main valve to the tub spout because it would create exactly the issue your describing.
Since the inner diameter of Pex is slightly less than regular copper (or threaded brass fittings, which is what I used) it will create a ...
7
Any Sheetrock, including green moisture resistant, is not intended for use in showers or any environment with repeated direct water contact. You can paint it , but the results will be the same, FAILURE ! Do not attempt to put tile on Drywall either. There are some new high tech backings or you can use good old fashion concrete board or hardi-backer for ...
7
You need to replace the diverter, which in your case is also part of the spout. This should be a relatively easy and cheap replacement. Usually the spout is held on with a set screw located in the bottom - you loosen the screen and the spout will twist/pull off. Replace it with a new spout and diverter, tighten the screw and enjoy!
7
The backer should go OVER the flange, for better water drainage.
Because the backer board tends to bow out when 'lipped' over the tub flange, you should:
Install the tub
Install shims on the studs to 'pad out' the backer so that it just clears the tub flange and overhangs it a bit (but doesn't 'land' on the rim of the tub) but leaves a 1/4 to 3/8 inch ...
7
You should NOT place a vapor barrier BEHIND the backer board.
Where, pray tell, would any such collected vapor/water go?
Answer:There's nowhere proper for such moisture to egress.
The current best practice is to place waterproofing OVER the backetboard and just UNDER the tile. Thin sheet membranes like Kerdi or NobleFlex are examples
. Paint on ...
7
I called USG,the maker of Durock cement board Next Gen, and they advised using no vapor barrier so that the wall cavity can breath and allow any moisture to evaporate. Their online instructions/diagrams show no use of a vapor barrier.
7
One more thing is to keep water in the tub when you caulk until the caulk dries. It's a pain to work this way, but flex in the floor under the tub when there's weight in it can help open up a gap in the caulk over time if it was caulked with no weight in the tub. Given that your caulk is doing a critical job it shouldn't have to do means you don't want to ...
6
With one of these: Enamel Repair Kit
You simply sand out any rust in the chipped enamel, then paint on a new enamel coating. The finished repair should be permanent, and if well-done nearly undetectable.
6
I'm not familiar with the second approach but, as you say, it would address the root issue of the tray flexing when in use and should prevent the problem recurring. It also does seem to be rather radical.
The main drawback I can see is that you are causing more "damage" to the tray and therefore increasing the risk of the repair failing.
I'd ask the ...
6
Yep, use a paintable latex bathroom caulk. We always use PolySeamSeal (now owned by LockTite, available at Lowe's).
6
Background:
All new valves sold in the USA must meet a Federal anti-scald standard meant to prevent sudden surges of hot water. A typical inexpensive 'cycling' anti-scald cartridge works on pressure only, and does not sense temperature. For example you're showering and the sprinklers go off, the cold water pressure drops, and the valve will reduce the hot ...
6
The installation instructions you linked specifically say to "Apply a generous bead of polystyrene compatible adhesive" on the back wall studs first, then on the side panels.
These installation instructions are the authoritative guide for how this product should be installed, so yes they should have been glued. Hopefully it's not too late to unscrew, add ...
6
4-1/4" and some larger wall tiles have bumps cast in that act as spacers. Unless you want a larger gap, no additional spacers are needed.
Whether your particular tile has them is uncertain. They're often necessary to prevent sagging with heavier tile while the mortar or mastic sets.
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