Retro fitting a claw foot tub

Hello,

I have found a claw foot cast iron tub I would like to purchase for our new home the problem is the tub doesn't have a hole for an overflow outlet. I plan on using a wall mount faucet and I'm wondering what code height requirements for an overflow outlet are with the thought that the current faucet hole could be used as the overflow outlet. Your guidance is appreciated.

Donna

Can you put up a picture? I've never seen one without an overflow. I've seen them without valve holes and they almost never have a spout hole, it is usually connected to the valve.

The IRC doesn't say anything I can find about a fixture having to have an overflow. Most kitchen and laundry sinks don't. Logic says it needs to be before the flood rim.

Codes do require an air gap between the flood rim and spout unless you install some other antisiphon device, on any fixture. The over flow pipe does not count as the flood rim. The code does not allow the old valves to be placed in the tub where the holes are unless you install the antisiphon device, so mounting the faucet and spout on the wall will save you.

I would ask the local code official about that one as most tubs are designed with one.

tub

That spout hole is too low for an overflow.

hj said:

That spout hole is too low for an overflow.

Click to expand...

??? The spout hole is usually above the overflow. Did they have a really low spout in those?

If you take the spout off you will see that it is the size of a modern overflow.
then install a new tub valve that has the spout above the flood level of the tub like it should be.

This is the style I'm used to

No spout hole just valve holes and an overflow hole. Notice how the modern faucet put the spout outlet above the rim. They also make a shower stand pipe for this style.

tub

The old tubs with an "indirect overflow" had the spout mounted low on the front of the tub. There was no overflow opening in the tub itself, and the spout hole is too low for an overflow. Assuming you intend to use the tub for soaking.

Wrong, wrong, wrong...

google image search "clawfoot tub". Look closely at the pics you get.

What you are calling a spout hole IS the overflow. There is no spout hole on a clawfoot.




http://www.shop4classics.com/images/ltsupplyinstall.gif


http://www.sansirousa.com/resources/_wsb_512x309_SS67+Black+Chrome+Good+photo.jpg


It sounds like you think the overflow should abve higher than the spout? That would be ILLEGAL. You can't plumb a tub (or a sink, or anything) with the spout lower than the overflow, because of the possibility of backflow from the tub into the supply lines. ALL fixtures must have an air gap, one way or another.


http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/~vista/html_pubs/back/back.htm




If you find the overflow too low for a decent soak, you can block it - they make gaskets especially for that purpose. Then you'll have two choices:

- live with the risk of overflowing the tub someday...



edit: that last link didn't work... type in p l g b where the asterisks are, it should work. This is the relevant pic, anyways:

The old style clwfoot tubs didn't have a spout hole, but they did have a spout attached to the valves below the flood rim, against code now, not then. They also had an overflow hole too. The new spouts in the old tubs put a loop on the spout to bring it above the flood rim to make them legal. My picture didn't work, but it shows that style. The newer old style tubs had a faucet that just sat on the lip of the tub, no valve holes, just one overflow hole, I've never seen a clawfoot tub without an overflow, that's why I wanted to see a picture.

The question still remains is there any code saying a tub has to have an overflow? I think what the orininal poster is calling a spout hole is the overflow hole.