bathtub waste

[dotto]

Hi guys. The slope of a friend's waste bathtub is not great. The dirty water evacuates but not very quickly. The waste outlet is in the middle of the bathtub connected up with a shallow trap. As i can not alter any pipe work, i was thinking of getting rid of the shallow trap and replace it with an extandable connector connected up to the bath outlet on one end and to the existing waste pipe on the other. The extendable connector, from the bath outlet, would go down to the floor level giving a greater force to the water as opposed to the existing shallow trap and then up to the existing pipe work. Do you think that would work slightly better than it is now? Your expertise would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[ChrisOxford]

Do you mean do away with a trap altogether? This would be very smelly, as there would be no water seal to prevent odours from the drains working their way into the bathroom.

Presumably, it's always been like this, and hasn't gradually got worse and worse?

 

[Charnwood]

Foul air?? Put a HepVo in the run somewhere to stop it.

 

[dotto]

Hi ChrisOxford. There won't be any foul smell as the flexible extendable connector would go from the waste outlet to the floor level and then up again to the existing pipe work. By going up the the existing pipework it will create a water seal so no smell getting in. Am i right in assuming that the flow of dirty water will have a greater force that way and would evacuate better than it is now. I know that the right thing to do would be to raise the level of the bathtub but it has been rested on timber battens and glued on them so i am thinking of an uncomplicated fix that would work better than it is now even if not ideal. Thank you.

 

[Nige F]

As Charn says - a hep valve with a 90 degree adaptor - and while it`s apart clean the waste pipe with a sani snake

 

[dotto]

Hi Nige and thanks for answering. The Hepvo valve is out of the equation as there is or is going to be no smell for the reason mentioned above. I just did not want to buy a couple of extensions only to find out that my idea would not make any improvements. Any feed back about my idea would be very very welcome. Thanks a million.

 

[Charnwood]

Am i right in assuming that the flow of dirty water will have a greater force that way and would evacuate better than it is now.

I'd have thought not because the water is still going to the same place.
The 'force' is provided by the head of water, which is from the top of the bath water to the lowest level, which will be your flexible extendable connector. You will not be adding to the head of water by very much from what you've already got.
Not only that, it will have all that extra water to push uphill.

 

[dotto]

So do you think that because the flow is not that great it will be more prone to blockage due to hair and soap or he should get away with it?This friend of mine has only just bought this flat.....so no much history I am afraid. Thanks for answering.

 

[cantaloup63]

Can you guarantee that you will always have a proscribed water seal to the correct depth if you remove the trap?

 

[dotto]

Hi cantaloup63. Yes I can guarantee that. At the mo, the shallow trap has a water seal of only 20mm. If the extendable connector in question is run at floor level and then up as stated before, i' ll have a water seal of at least 100-120mm unless the extendable connector jumps up as if by magic.

 

[Nige F]

Hi Nige and thanks for answering. . Thanks .

No probs . Just had a thought - there was a thread about waste grid design here a while ago - the ones that are just a series of round holes are more restrictive than the ones with radial ( like spokes) slots . Maybe that`s slowing the bath emptying

 

[dotto]

Hi Nige and thanks again for your input. The bathtub outwaste is already one with spokes. Do you think that slow flow of water is a big issue......by saying that I mean will it require me to go round the flat and to have to unblock it every month or will it have no consequences really? As I said, the waste pipe has a fall in the right direction but is not that steep. Thanks again.