Bathtub overflow doesn't do its job, AquaCanada

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UrbanNest

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Hi there peeps!

I had the bathtub position relocated (brand new plumbing except for the column) and a brand new free standing bathtub installed. When the water reaches the overflow, the overflow does not do its job. If I don't stop the water flowing into the bathtub= disaster waiting to happen.

When I pop open the bathtub's drain stopper and I close quickly, the overflow then starts to evacuate water.

I first thought perhaps the pipe connecting the freestanding bathtub was sticking too deep into the floor drain, I shortened it, hoping this will allow more air but the problem was not resolved.

I contacted the bathtub manufacturer who said this is clearly a plumbing problem.

I contacted the plumber who said this is clearly a bathtub problem.

Any ideas are very much appreciated. I am about to move out of the apartment and rent it out and I'm very concerned about potential water damage.

Thank you
Charif

aquacanada-brize60.jpg
 
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Terry

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What brand and model of tub do you have?

Water comes out of the overflow into the tub?
Or does it leak below and onto the floor?
 

UrbanNest

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What brand and model of tub do you have?

Water comes out of the overflow into the tub?
Or does it leak below and onto the floor?
Hi Terry,

The bathtub is by Agua Canada.

So it is weird. Here it is... there is a pop-up drain in the bottom of the bathtub. I close the pop-up drain and fill the bathtub. When the water reaches the overflow, nothing happens. As if the overflow is blocked. Therefore, I must shut off the bathtub filler otherwise the bathtub would overflow and spill over.

However, with the water level above the overflow, if I press the pop-up drain and close it back quickly THEN the overflow starts to work i.e. water starts to drain out of the bathtub, through the overflow, into the drainage system, until the water falls below the overflow level.

I hope I explained it clearly!

Thank you for your advice,

Charif
 

John Gayewski

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Sounds like you have an integrated overflow and your stopper is possibly installed incorrectly.
 

Tuttles Revenge

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From my experience the rate of flow from the filler is greater than the rate of flow that the overflow can handle. Same with bathroom sinks. The only guarantee of preventing spill over is stopping the water manually or installing some sort of limiter on the filler that prevents it from allowing more water to enter the tub than the overflow can handle.

Your kitchen sink doesn't have an overflow... how many times have you flooded your kitchen?
 

Weekend Handyman

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From my experience the rate of flow from the filler is greater than the rate of flow that the overflow can handle. Same with bathroom sinks. The only guarantee of preventing spill over is stopping the water manually or installing some sort of limiter on the filler that prevents it from allowing more water to enter the tub than the overflow can handle.

Your kitchen sink doesn't have an overflow... how many times have you flooded your kitchen?

I am not a plumber.

Ya ... the overflows on the vanity I recently installed in the bathroom will not keep up with the water going full blast. Nice that it buys you some time in case you are having only a mid sized brain fart tho.

Weird that is not draining at all ... do you have the make/model of the waste/overflow you are using?
 

UrbanNest

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I am not a plumber.

Ya ... the overflows on the vanity I recently installed in the bathroom will not keep up with the water going full blast. Nice that it buys you some time in case you are having only a mid sized brain fart tho.

Weird that is not draining at all ... do you have the make/model of the waste/overflow you are using?
It is an integrated stopper and overflow. Bathtub is by the company Aqua Canada.

It does not work AT ALL unless I open and close the stopper, then the overflow starts to evacuate water quite fast.
 

Jeff H Young

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It is an integrated stopper and overflow. The only thing I installed is the drain fitting between the bathtub and the floor drain. it seems or are familiar with this exact problem . Id contact them If i couldnt tell the problem

Contact manufacture sounds like a Agua Canada specific problem
 

Tuttles Revenge

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I opened up the installation instructions for one of their freestanding tubs at random. It looks the same as most freestanding tubs with integrated overflows. There shouldn't be any way for the overflow to be blocked if the drain plug is depressed/stopping water. If it is, there is likely 2 things happening. Either the overflow is blocked or not made correctly or the wrong drain assembly is installed.

The manufacturer doesn't provide a very detailed schematic but it looks the same as many other tubs that I've installed over the years without ever encountering that problem.

aquacanada-brize60-install-1.jpg
aquacanada-brize60-install-2.jpg
 
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Calvin R Rivera

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I attended a similar case 3 years ago, and we can easily handle this problem by installing a limiter on the filler. I solved the issue by using this method, you can also stop it manually, but I think fitting a limiter will be more comfortable.
 

Rocky56

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Hi Terry,

The bathtub is by Agua Canada.

So it is weird. Here it is... there is a pop-up drain in the bottom of the bathtub. I close the pop-up drain and fill the bathtub. When the water reaches the overflow, nothing happens. As if the overflow is blocked. Therefore, I must shut off the bathtub filler otherwise the bathtub would overflow and spill over.

However, with the water level above the overflow, if I press the pop-up drain and close it back quickly THEN the overflow starts to work i.e. water starts to drain out of the bathtub, through the overflow, into the drainage system, until the water falls below the overflow level.

I hope I explained it clearly!

Thank you for your advice,

Charif
Hey there! I don't know if you ever solved your overflow drainage but I have a similar problem that I suspect is an air-lock.

This year our tub was left running to return and find water spilling over. It was a disaster!

I recently filled the tub up to over the top of the overflow and nothing happens, no drainage.

Then on release some water down below through the pop-up drain, the overflow popped and gurgled and started to drain for a bit, and then stopped. So I think the drain is patent, but perhaps not draining from an air-lock?

Any thoughts on this and importantly, ideas for fix it?

Meanwhile, beautiful hardwood floors will be replaced etc...

Thanks in advance,

JP
 
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Reach4

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Forget the air lock thing.

I think that a tub overflow that can full keep up with a full-on tub spout is unusual. I suggest a loud timer to remind you to turn off the tub fill if something diverts attention. I use one that attaches magnetically to the inside of my medicine cabinet.
 

Jeff H Young

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One common sense approach is to run snake down overflow . if snake goes down then your overflow works ,
Agua Canada free standing are integral overflows and much different than a standard tub. heck you might have the wrong drain installed
 

Rocky56

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Forget the air lock thing.

I think that a tub overflow that can full keep up with a full-on tub spout is unusual. I suggest a loud timer to remind you to turn off the tub fill if something diverts attention. I use one that attaches magnetically to the inside of my medicine cabinet.
Thank you!

Took the cover off and the plastic pipe underneath is incorrectly installed. It does now drain, albeit slightly less than the water inflow, with the cover off.

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