Tub replacement

[scott99]

Greetings,

I'm replacing an alcove tub/shower. I've already demo'd the old, squared and plumbed the walls in prep for the tile setup as well as replaced the valve.

I was hoping to find a new tub with the same demensions as the one I removed but am not having any luck. I wanted to do this so I could use the same drain setup.

how would the pros go about installing a new tub and setting up the drain to match? the current drain was set and concrete poured around it(probably for support?) see pictures. should concrete be set around the drain??

My first thought would be to try measuring to set the drain and then cut a access panel in the wall to connect the overflow.

ideas??

thanks
Scott

[Cass]

You will have a better chance winning the Irish Sweepstakes than finding a match...even if the spec. sheet matches odds are the tub won't...

You should bust out the concrete and remove the old trap then install the tub and reinstall a new trap and tub drain from and throuigh the wall behind the tub...

[hj]

I, and most experienced plumbers, would break the concrete and remove the drain assembly, not the trap. Then assemble the new drain on the tub, measure where it goes, then take it off the tub, and assemble it to the existing trap riser. Once that is done, the tub is set over it, and if everythign was measured correctly it will be in place to insert and tighten the drain and overflow trim pieces. It is a rare tub where we have the luxury of installing the tub and then being able to fit the drain to it.

[Cass]

That is glued ABS and it is very likely to be glued into the trap...

That is why I would likely remove and reinstall a new trap also...

[scott99]

I was afraid you guys were going to say that:) probaby why I've been puttin it off for so long.

so if all goes well do I fill the hole back up with concrete after the tub is installed?

thanks for the input.

[johnjh2o1]

I was afraid you guys were going to say that:) probaby why I've been puttin it off for so long.

so if all goes well do I fill the hole back up with concrete after the tub is installed?

thanks for the input.

The concrete should go back. This it to prevent termites from entering the home through the opening in the slab.

John

[Top Dogs]

I too am installing an American standard model 2425 whirlpool tub. The size is 60x32. 1- Can anyone tell me how much morter I should have on hand for this installation and how to set the tub in the morter so it ends up correct? 2- The spec sheet says the drain center must be 10 1/2" from the front wall stud and 16" from the side wall stud. If I install the drain at this location will I still have to dry fit the tub to see if everything lines up, then remove it and fill the hole with cement and then reset the tub using the morter this time, or will the piping and drain location be good if the measurements are accurate and I only set it once? 3- The existing 2" piping comes in at an angle and the trap is all glued together. The old shower drain was 4 1/2" from the front stud and 15" from the side stud. I will have to locate the new drain 10 1/2" from the front wall stud and 16" from the side wall stud. I guess I will have to cut off the old trap and put in a new one in order to get everything in the right location. Is there a trick to getting the drain to end up in the right spot? Any tips that might make this easier are apreciated. I already chipped out the hole per the directions with the tub. Thanks for any help. Sorry the

[scott99]

should I use mortor mix or concrete mix to fill the hole after I replace the drain?

[hj]

Our inspectors say the concrete is to keep gophers out of the house. NOTHING keeps termites out.

[scott99]

okay, so about 2 hours of chipping away concrete I can see the drain and trap that I need to remove. looks like I don't have an option of changing just the drain as there is no riser showing in order to couple a new drain to.

look like from the trap there is a 2 to 1.5 reducer coupling that the drain attaches to.

so the plan is to cut the trap out at the main pipe and replace all. is that a standard config to have which looks to be a 2 inch main and a 2 inch trap, then the reducer to 1.5 for the riser? or should I look for a 1.5 inch trap?

it also looks like there is carpet padding wrapped around the pipe and trap, I'm assuming that is for movement and I should do the same with the new setup before I fill the hole with cement?

[scott99]

question on ABS cleaner:

can you use the cleaner on the pipe and wait a period of time before you actually use the ABS glue and attached the pieces? or do you need to apply cleaner then glue in one step?

it seems the cleaner is also a solvent that melts the pipe when applied.

[jadnashua]

Not sure about abs, but on pvc, you shouldn't wait too long after you use the cleaner before you add the cement and join the pieces. Have you read the instructions on the cans?

[johnjh2o1]

If you are using new pipe & fittings cleaner is not needed on ABS.

John

[scott99]

It doesn't say on the cleaner jar if you can wait or not. I was just asking as I recall last time I used the cleaner it was almost like using the glue. definitely can tell the difference between ABS cleaner and PVC cleaner..

anyway on my trap, should I go with a 2inch trap and then a reducer coupler for the 1.5 inch riser, or use the reducer coupler off the 2inch main and go with a 1.5inch trap? does it matter?

[Cass]

NO...use 1.5" trap.....

[scott99]

thanks Cass.

Just curious as to why they had a 2" trap with 1.5" riser originally?

also when I put the new trap in should I wrap it with carpet pad(as it was) or someother type foam for isolation before filling with cement?

I found a some Oatey closest spacer foam that could easily do the trick.

[Cass]

I didn't know the original was 2"...2" is normaly for showers and 1.5" for tub shower combo...a lot of slabs leave the hole open in this area incase they want to change the Trip Waste on the tub...

[scott99]

I'm going to leave it as a tub/shower combo, so now I just need to decide on 2" or 1.5" trap, I have both. any advantage to leaving the trap at 2" with a 1.5" riser?

if I swap it out with a 1.5" it will give me a little more room to work with without having to chip out more concrete.

[scott99]

okay I need to get a crackin on this, been putting it off long enough..

I chipped out the old trap as posted above, and cut out the old trap.
I have the new tub in place and have created a few access panels, but there is not much for access as you can see.

I chipped down to about 12" and didn't seem to hit dirt so I don't know if I'm going to fill it back in with cement or not. The 2" main has carpet pad wrapped around it so I don't know if that is a way for insects to enter or not..
any advice?

the old drain was glued ABS. I'd like to redo the same but not sure what the best steps are as far as assemble so I get everything lined up? I don't think I can do it with tub in place.

is a trap with unions a good option for this?

[scott99]

pics with tub removed.

[hj]

I ALWAYS use a 2" trap with a reducer at the riser to the tub.

[dcelite]

If that's a 2" trap you might have to leave it 2". If the trap is more than 42" from the vent then they would have to use a 2" trap and reduce the riser. If the vent is less than 42" away, then 1 1/2" trap is o.k..
Do not use a union p-trap.
To set the drain, attach the waste & overflow to the tub first. Then build to it from the trap. The "U" part of the trap will be the last piece glued.

I would not pour new concrete around the drain.

DC

[hj]

A trap with a union would be a TERRIBLE idea. Very hard to tighten in that recess, and the nut can crack at some time in the future.

[scott99]

so it took me a good day to dry fit - remove tub, dry fit -remove tub,,,, to get the shoe lined up with the tub and the tub level. used 1.5" trap before reading those last posts.

needless to say had to drop everything to run and measure the distance.

I'm 32" from the stack which runs straight up but it also connects to the bathroom directly above it, from there straight up to the roof.

am I toast due to the bathroom above?

[scott99]

after a bit of research I think there are multiple vent configurations, two of which below:
- dedicated vent
- stack vent


lower level of two story:
I think what I have is a stack vent since my drain(stack) which is my main waste drain for my toilet and which my tub in question (assuming also sinks) connect to.

that same stack goes straight up the wall and the bathroom directly above it on second level connect into the same stack.

from there straight up the wall to the roof.


My tub in question is the lower level. the ptrap is 32" from the stack.

Is that also considered the vent and given the distance from ptrap to stack good with the 1.5" ptrap?

I really don't want to have to remove the tub and put in a 2" trap given the tight area and what I had to do to install the 1.5"

[jadnashua]

Normally once a pipe is used for waste, anything below it is no longer a vent. Now, will it work? Probably - it does in my house!

I'm 99% sure that my upstairs bathroom drains the same pipe that is the vent for everything on the first floor. Should it be that way, no, but it's worked for 30-years.

[scott99]

thanks for the reply.

My tub seems to drain just fine, but not sure if this meets code. I'm pretty sure I'm IRC.

In order to change to 2" ptrap I will have to remove the tub and start this process over. something I can't do once I start the shower surround.

Can anyone tell me if my setup meets code?

[scott99]

after help and local code book looks like the water closets in my setup described above was not up to snuff.. tore half the house down but found another stack.

I thought both the upper and lower level water closets, sinks, and tubs connected to the same stack. after more searching i found another stack about 8" from the other.

I've confirmed that all the fixures on the upper level are on one stack, and can confirm that the lower levels sink and water closet are on the other stack.

the only thing I can't confirm is which stack my tub in question is on. hopefully the same one as the sink and water closet on the same level. the only reason I question it is because the stack from the upper level is located between my tub and the stack which it should connect to for the lower level.

Is this setup referred to as a vertical wet vent?

assuming each level is on a seperate stack my trap in question is about 41" from the stack plus it looks like my local code allows for 6 foot trap to vent so it look like I'm good.

can someone please confirm if my setup is vertical wet vent, and also tell me how those two stacks which are about 8" from each other connect to the city sewer. do both stacks just connect to a Y then out the the sewer?