Stuck Drain Assembly by Mortar

[macster2075]

Hello,
I went to replace the rubber gasket on my tub due to it being old and cracked, but was not able to.
Normally I would see some play downwards on the drain assembly to remove the old gasket somewhat effortlessly.

On this tub, I noticed there was no play at all when I pushed down. I made an opening on the other side of the wall and saw the reason there is no movement is due to the mortar

Any ideas of what I can do in this situation?

 

[wwhitney]

I made an opening on the other side of the wall and saw the reason there is no movement is due to the mortar

Any ideas of what I can do in this situation?

I don't have any great ideas about replacing your tub shoe gasket (seems like you'd have to break out some mortar to free up the tub shoe), but wanted to comment that your second picture shows a slip joint connection on the tub overflow. That slip joint fitting needs to remain accessible, so when you repair your wall opening you should install an access panel for future use.

Similarly, if the drain from the tub shoe inside that mortar goes into a second slip joint connection, then the mortar around that slip joint connection should also be removed so that slip joint fitting remains accessible in the future. I'm just speculating that there would be another slip joint fitting, because of the one visible slip joint fitting.

A code reference for you on the accessibility requirement for slip joint connections:

Chapter 4 Fixtures, Faucets and Fixture Fittings: Fixtures, Faucets and Fixture Fittings, 2023 FBC - Plumbing, 8th edition | UpCodes

UpCodes offers a consolidated resource of construction and building code grouped by jurisdiction

up.codes

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Sponsor]

 

[macster2075]

I don't have any great ideas about replacing your tub shoe gasket (seems like you'd have to break out some mortar to free up the tub shoe), but wanted to comment that your second picture shows a slip joint connection on the tub overflow. That slip joint fitting needs to remain accessible, so when you repair your wall opening you should install an access panel for future use.

Similarly, if the drain from the tub shoe inside that mortar goes into a second slip joint connection, then the mortar around that slip joint connection should also be removed so that slip joint fitting remains accessible in the future. I'm just speculating that there would be another slip joint fitting, because of the one visible slip joint fitting.

A code reference for you on the accessibility requirement for slip joint connections:

Chapter 4 Fixtures, Faucets and Fixture Fittings: Fixtures, Faucets and Fixture Fittings, 2023 FBC - Plumbing, 8th edition | UpCodes

UpCodes offers a consolidated resource of construction and building code grouped by jurisdiction

up.codes

Cheers, Wayne

I thought of breaking some of that mortar, but wouldn't that destabilize the tub?
I've never had to do this before. What tool do you recommend for breaking this stuff to minimize damaging the pipe?

I could just leave it alone and keep the old gasket in there, but I am concerned of it leaking even if applying putty around the plug.
I can't understand why they would do something like this knowing that in the future someone will have to be able to replace the gasket.

 

[Fitter30]

Can you loosen the nut that would give you some play.

 

[wwhitney]

Can you loosen the nut that would give you some play.

I think you understood the photo to be looking upward at the drain assembly. I made the same mistake at first, but I believe the photo is actually looking horizontally at the overflow assembly. The drain assembly the OP wants to work on is embedded in that mortar for some reason.

That's based on the OP saying that a wall was opened up. Is my interpretation correct, OP?

Cheers, Wayne

 

[macster2075]

I think you understood the photo to be looking upward at the drain assembly. I made the same mistake at first, but I believe the photo is actually looking horizontally at the overflow assembly. The drain assembly the OP wants to work on is embedded in that mortar for some reason.

That's based on the OP saying that a wall was opened up. Is my interpretation correct, OP?

Cheers, Wayne

Yes, that is correct. The photo is taken from behind the tub. The horizontal pipe is the overflow. The shoe is under all the mortar.

 

[Breplum]

The installers were idiots, so aside from breaking out the mortar under the shoe -which would not impact the tub stability- you might just use 100% silicone sealant on the drain to tub (or good, made for all surfaces plumbers putty). Not oil based putty.

 

[Reach4]

Does a metal drain screw into those threads? If so, are cracks in the gasket important? Maybe using plumber's putty before you tighten down the drain will block leaks?

 

[wwhitney]

The horizontal pipe is the overflow.

I think you mean the pipe shown in the 2nd photo is vertical and is the overflow pipe, not the pipe connected to the drain shoe.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[macster2075]

I think you mean the pipe shown in the 2nd photo is vertical and is the overflow pipe, not the pipe connected to the drain shoe.

Cheers, Wayne

oops, yes, you're right.

 

[macster2075]

The installers were idiots, so aside from breaking out the mortar under the shoe -which would not impact the tub stability- you might just use 100% silicone sealant on the drain to tub (or good, made for all surfaces plumbers putty). Not oil based putty.

Would applying 100% silicone in this area help at all? (in blue)
Then adding plumbers putty underneath the drain assembly?

 

[Breplum]

If there is no space between the washer and shoe and tub, then silicone won't really do much.
Tubs rely on the black washer being in compression.