Disastrous Bathroom Refit Part 2

[Deleted member 15266]

You will remember after having bath fitted it leaked due to difference in size between waste pipe and pipe from bath. Got so fed up I phoned emergency plumber who, as Kevplumb advised, fitted a universal connector and straightened the pipework. It has worked great with no more leaking from there - total charge £54.

However, we still have 2 leaks and the cowboy who fitted the sink and bath doesn't seem to have the know how to remedy them.

Leak 1 from sink right up the top where the taps are connected to the sink by the copper pipes he made. He obviously doesn't want to take the sink back of the wall probably because he chipped the bit where the screws are! Query: Would a touch of silicone or something similar stop the drip? We don't have any tools that could reach up there.

Leak 2 from the big silver knob on the bath that is part of the pop up waste. If water goes over the top of this knob water drips down the other side. We suggested that he removed it put silicone in and put it back on. He said it was the fault of the washer that came with it and he couldn't help the washer supplied. Also he says "you shouldn't ever run a bath so deep it touches there!"

I really can't stand to have this cowboy back in my house. Is there anything we can do ourselves before I phone the emergency plumber again? We can't see how you disconnect the pop up waste. Is it any easy job?

 

[bathjobby]

For leak #1; you need a 'tap spanner', couple of £s from B&Q or similar and is designed to get up into that tight spot and onto the tap connectors, assuming these are individual hot and cold tape and not a monoblock.
Leak #2, sounds like you understand what needs to be done but usually a lot of effort the get the bath out to get to the thing for a few minutes worth or work putting silicon on the washer, but well worth it for peaceful sleeps.

 

[Deleted member 15266]

Are you saying you have to remove the whole bath to remove the silver knob thing?

 

[bathjobby]

Depends where it is situated. If it is at either end of the bath and you have either a front panel or side panel that can be removed, then you will be able to get at it just be removing the panel(s). If for example it is on one of the long sides of the bath and the side it is fitted to is up against a 'back' wall (which is usually the case when fitted here), then you may be able to get at it by sliding as far as you can under the bath and reaching up the other side to it. But if this is the case you will be working blind and very stretched, but worth trying first. Just overdo the silicon before refitting it so that any knocked off by blindly fiddling it back into the hole in the bath (need a second person to screw the knob on in the bath) will still leave enough to do the job and its easy to wipe off any excess inside the bath. Let us know what you have and how you get on..

 

[tim00]

debbiea, the silver lever you describe appears to be a "plug" trip lever that has a mechanism that goes down the rigid overflow pipe to the waste shoe and pop-up plug, its operated by a gauged mechanical device and whatever alterations you make could cause difficulties with the waste and pop-up arrangements.
With this set up there is nearly always two screws on the trip lever plate that can be used to open up or adjust the mechanism. They will also give you access to the sealing washer - if it's there.
All above on the assumption you have a USA style waste and overflow.
Perhaps i assume wrong.

 

[ChrisR]

I'm sure tim knows what he means but he's lost me!

Most bath pop up wastes have a big knob at the overflow. There will be a wee hole in the outside for a small screwdriver or allen key. Once the knob is off you'll see what holds the gubbins to the bath, probably a screw or two - it varies.

The bit which is probably leaking is the overflow connection on the outside of the bath, where there should ba a thick rubber washer between bath and plastic overflow bit. The washer can easily be off centre on some designs. Try centralising and tightening up, otherwise getting gooey with the silicone.

Taps - you need that spanner (more than a couple of quid). No use putting anything on the outside. Try Fernox LS-X on the joints, once dismantled.

 

[Deleted member 15266]

Chris, that is what I thought. Since my cowboy plumber won't do either of these do you think I would be best phoning in the emergency plumber again rather than tackling them ourselves, bearing in mind we'd have to buy tools etc?

 

[oilman]

That emergency guy was good value IMO. Might be worth asking him to do the other bits if you don't want to have a go. However unless you are old and are not long for this world, getting the tools and doing it will give you a bit more knowledge for when something else crops up that you could fix. Always useful to be able do things like this, even if in the end you get someone else to do it in the future.

 

[--tom]

Chris and Oilman, would you explain a little more about the correct way to install these mechanical pop-up arrangements?
Also, whats the best method of installing and adjusting the type of pop-up bath plug that relies on a spring - i call them toe-tap plugs.

 

[ChrisR]

Can't really generalise - they're the sort of thing you can only work out once you have the item in front of you.

 

[Deleted member 15266]

Discovered yesterday where the leak is coming from on my basin. Water is running from the top of the basin down the tap hole. Although there doesn't appear the be a gap there obviously is a slight one. Should I just run some silicon round the base of the tap where it meets the basin?

 

[ChrisR]

Worth a try - clean and dry first with methylated spirit. If you can loosen the nut and get a bit more in you'd have a better chance of it working

 

[oilman]

Chris and Oilman, would you explain a little more about the correct way to install these mechanical pop-up arrangements?
..........

Chris's answer is about the only way, I've never touched one anyway, nor would I want to esp for a customer. Keep it simple, a plug in a hole on a chain works, why make it unreliable?