Drain plan for new tub..pics

[MikeyBiz]

First, thanks for the great forum and all those who help others in need.

My old acrylic tub (not set in mortar) cracked from the bottom flexing and a new (larger) tub is in the works. The new tub has a center/side drain and I hoped I could run my drain plan by to make sure I'm not missing something important.

Not sure how the pictures will display but 3 pics, #1 is the old drain set back in place x marks the spot where I cut.

Pic #2 shows the new drain roughly assembled and put in place. I had to use a waste overflow that drains directly from the shoe because a joist is in the way.

I thought my only option was to cut through the street L marked X. I then carefully removed the remaining piece of the male that was cemented in and installed a 1.5 to 2 reducing bushing. pic #3


The old setup had the 2" pipe run closer to the drain but it was so tall that the plywood under the tub was cut away and it was close to the bottom of the tub. The new plan runs 1.5 all the way to the cut and it all fits under the plywood floor.

The change doesnt seem to lengthen the distance to the vent, the trap is more or less the same elevation and the new drain looks more direct than the old. Just want to make sure I'm not missing anything....... thanks

 

[Clayton]

S-trap

Although your old tub drain may have worked fine for you, It and your proposed new tub drain would not meet code requirements. The way they are installed and connected to the "vent" creats an s-trap. It would be hard to advise the proper way for your installation without knowing the location of the fixtures served by, and the purpose for each of the drains and or vents in your photos.

Edit: spelling

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

pipe

Who installed that "abortion"? If that pipe going downward through the top plate is the drain riser there are a lot of fittings installed backwards, or improperly. If it is not the drain riser, but a vent from downstairs then it is not only installed improperly, but it has become the drain for the upstairs fixtures. The tub drain is also completely improper due to the down turn between the trap and whatever passes for a vent. A plumber working on the system might have to start with a Sawzall cutting a lot of it apart and starting over. I am fascinated by that installation and I have had to look at it several times to be sure it is as bad as I thought at first. What are the fittings at the tee going to the tub drain? Is that another down turn? If so, then besides everything else you also have a double trap and the tub should not drain at all, or very poorly at first.

 

[MikeyBiz]

Pipes in picture identified

I do believe this is what we are looking at, as identified in this new picture:
Everything is 2" except for the tub drain. This is on the second floor, 2 story home.

Pipe A goes straight up 8' to the attic into a T, a horizontal 2" line connects and it steps up to 3" pipe and continues 6' through the roof.

The horizontal line comes from right behind the toilet in this bath. vent i would guess...

Pipe B elbows down to the first floor lav sink. Vent i would guess...

Pipe C is a street ell into a sanitary tee, travels down to the basement and winds up in a 3" line into the basement concrete floor. Looks like it may join another 2" line before it up sizes to 3".

Pipe D travels through the joist and elbows down to the first floor laundry room sink. Vent I would guess...

 

[hj]

piping

PIpes C & D are not vents regardless of what they were intended for. Now they are just additional drain lines when the regular pipe is partially or fully obstructed. Again, what are those "dark" fittings between the tub and the "vent" sanitary tee? That system is completely wrong and "illegal" and needs to be trashed and reinstalled properly. I cannot see any way it can be salvaged and made proper.

 

[MikeyBiz]

The 2 dark fitting are 2, 45's. There is a 3/4" elevation change there.
Piping on the right 3/4" lower that the piping on the left.

Point C is the only place I see where water actually enters to drain from the tub. There are no other fixtures above this elevation in the house.

 

[hj]

drain

The "drop" at the street ell is illegal. The rise at the two 45's is illegal. The water flowing to the vertical pipe can just as easily run back and flow down either B or D which is illegal. This system was installed by someone with absolutely no knowledge of a proper plumbing system and as I said before, there is no salvation for it. To do it correctly would require that it be cut out and started over from scratch. An inspector who looked at this system would either have a heart attack because of all the errors, or would be laughing so hard he would not be able to write out the "pages" of revisions necessary.