Hi all, got myself a 1928 bungalow that I'm slowly working to remodel. I'm currently busy with the attic, but the bathtub drain has given me problems twice in the past year. We've got an old drum trap of course, and the tub starts to drain really slowly after a few months, then I try to clean it out with some Glugg or Drain-O and it ends up clogging completely. Both times I've been able to clear it with a plunger and a lot of effort.
From all the horror stories I've read about the drum trap caps, I don't even want to try opening it (it's in the bathroom floor). I'm thinking of just getting rid of the drum trap and putting in a p-trap. I have full access from the unfinished basement. I'm going to tackle the plumbing later, and don't want to turn this into a big plumbing job (i.e tearing into the main stack, etc), but just want to get it to work properly and then I'll come back and make it clean and fully updated in a couple years.
My concern is needing to add a vent line to the drain line if I take the drum out and put a p-trap in. I'm pretty sure I need this, but would like some help from you guys on this.
Here is a sketch of what it looks like in the basement. You can see the drum inlet and outlet are at 90 degrees to each other and the branch going into the main stack is at an angle (i.e. not perpendicular to where the tub drain comes down). Also, the sink and toilet come into the man stack just above where the tub drain does.
What I would like to do is the below, but I'm thinking this won't work without a vent. Is that correct?
Here's a way I could add a vent. Things are pretty tight with the vent stack, main sewer stack and such, so it will be a bit tough to get access, but it's doable. Also, I'm basically thinking of bringing the tub drain straight down a couple feet to line up with where the tub's wye is in the main stack already. No problems with that, right? You can see there would be a knee in the drain line because of the way the main stack wye is angled. I'm also thinking of using couplers where the arrows point. Again, this would all likely be replaced in a few years and I just don't want to work on getting the old lead joint broken out. If this is simpler than I'm thinking, I'd appreciate some guidance.
Thanks for any and all help. I can upload pics as well, but the space is tight and a bit cluttered, so I think the sketches give an even better view.
From all the horror stories I've read about the drum trap caps, I don't even want to try opening it (it's in the bathroom floor). I'm thinking of just getting rid of the drum trap and putting in a p-trap. I have full access from the unfinished basement. I'm going to tackle the plumbing later, and don't want to turn this into a big plumbing job (i.e tearing into the main stack, etc), but just want to get it to work properly and then I'll come back and make it clean and fully updated in a couple years.
My concern is needing to add a vent line to the drain line if I take the drum out and put a p-trap in. I'm pretty sure I need this, but would like some help from you guys on this.
Here is a sketch of what it looks like in the basement. You can see the drum inlet and outlet are at 90 degrees to each other and the branch going into the main stack is at an angle (i.e. not perpendicular to where the tub drain comes down). Also, the sink and toilet come into the man stack just above where the tub drain does.
What I would like to do is the below, but I'm thinking this won't work without a vent. Is that correct?
Here's a way I could add a vent. Things are pretty tight with the vent stack, main sewer stack and such, so it will be a bit tough to get access, but it's doable. Also, I'm basically thinking of bringing the tub drain straight down a couple feet to line up with where the tub's wye is in the main stack already. No problems with that, right? You can see there would be a knee in the drain line because of the way the main stack wye is angled. I'm also thinking of using couplers where the arrows point. Again, this would all likely be replaced in a few years and I just don't want to work on getting the old lead joint broken out. If this is simpler than I'm thinking, I'd appreciate some guidance.
Thanks for any and all help. I can upload pics as well, but the space is tight and a bit cluttered, so I think the sketches give an even better view.
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