Pam's Foreclosed Palace :)

Users who are viewing this thread

Sparking5

Electrician, JIW
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Midwest
Hi!

Been doing other nonplumbing projects lately. (I just left a post in Wells section). I am enjoying "camping out" in this slum palace which I boughtfrom a bank--foreclosed). I moved in 2 weeks ago once I got the shallow well jet pump resolved. Running water is critical. I only have 1 exterior faucet, cold at kit sink, supply to remaining upstairs toilet & bathtub (circa 1937). I have not turned water heater on yet.

I am hoping the water is good enough to wash hands & dishes for now.

I am pail flushing the toilet cause I removed the tank to insulate it & gave it a good cleaning AND it had a rubber washer leak. Think it will work fine when I take the time to re-install it (bought new tank-to-bowl hardware & already installed a 1/4 tunr shutoff). Seems to flush fine w/ pail.

The lav sink does not drain at all, had leak on supply & loose drain piping....fixed leak & trap BUT I can not get a snake beyond about 18". I have tried 3 different ones plus some other creative things. Something stops me dead. This house was filthy but mysteroiusly this sink looked shiny clean? When I first ran water in it I found what looked like scouring powder residue in trap. I was wondering if the sink drain was saboutage by former owners cause they were losing the house?

It's a cheap basic wall hung, trap goes into wall at a Marvin to galvanized El down, then under bath floor to the tub & 1937 drum trap. :) Bath floor is solid wood oak. Then I thought I'd attack the tub drain & try to clean/snake all out for general purposes. Tub does drain some.

Well, I couldn't get the stopper/plug loose to remove. How's that detach? It's a flat metal disk that raises & lowers. There was 1 center screw that I removed but don't see what the does. I tried gently prying and unscrewing. Can't get ot up enough to see. Had same in mstr bath I totally gutted but I used a sawzall on that one & I don't remember how it was assembled. (I should of studied it after I got it free). I removed the overflow cover & it's pipe to expose some of the drain piping & gainmore swing room for wrenches.

If I remember right I can get a small snake to the drum trap from tub side. There is a nice access door on top of stairs to this. But of course the drum trap is tough to reach. Someone in past has slightly mangled the square knob. I tried several ways to remove cover but Istopped cause I was also slightly reshaping the square.

I bet pictures would help.

That was over a week ago & I haven't done anthing else yet. Oh, I did run a snake in can down 1 of the 2 vent stacks from roof. This one went to the gutted bath. I damn near lost the whole brand new snake down stack cause the end was not attached to the can. Is that normal? Somehow I caught it.:) I didn't know I was at the end already. About 25'.

Any suggestions? I'll take some pictures to add to this thread.

I expect some venting & septis tank/dain field issues too. This house has not been maintained well for 50 years.

Thank you for any help & humor!
Bye

Photos:

1. Lav Drain
2. 1937 tub interior
3. View of tub dwv guts
4. THE Drum Trap!
 

Attachments

  • pam's foreclosed palace upstairs bath 003 (2).jpg
    pam's foreclosed palace upstairs bath 003 (2).jpg
    25.6 KB · Views: 551
  • Pam's Foreclosed Palace Upstairs Bath 007.jpg
    Pam's Foreclosed Palace Upstairs Bath 007.jpg
    34.3 KB · Views: 527
  • Pam's Foreclosed Palace Upstairs Bath 009.jpg
    Pam's Foreclosed Palace Upstairs Bath 009.jpg
    33.1 KB · Views: 556
  • Pam's Foreclosed Palace Upstairs Bath 010.jpg
    Pam's Foreclosed Palace Upstairs Bath 010.jpg
    34.1 KB · Views: 576
Last edited:

Brownizs

In the Trades
Messages
193
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Springfield, IL
I like the last picture. Reminds me why we had to had to re do the drain line to our tub, due to that particular trap starts leaking after 60+ years. Bad side also, is you cannot snake the older style traps, but the lead is good for weighting decoys for hunting, along with fishing weights.
 

Master Plumber Mark

Sensitivity trainer and plumber of mens souls
Messages
5,533
Reaction score
354
Points
83
Location
indianapolis indiana - land of the free, home of
Website
www.weilhammerplumbing.com
that looks like fun, fun, fun

you got yourself into it....didnt you..?? yep..

I hope it was a great deal for ya.



snake the drain on the lavatory and simply
put a new trap on it --if you cant snake it , hire it done...


instal a new tub drain on the tub..... Dont fool around with
the DRUM TRAP its going to give you years of trouble
so just get rid of it all together....

if you have a sawzall and steel cutting bi-metal blades,

I suggest you just get nasty and cut that god awful drum trap

completely out of there and then clean out the line....

then re build the whole thing from the cut off pipe witha no-hub clamp and then a pvc trap and drain....

its all pretty easy and a delightful experience if
you have not done it before..

especially if you dont dry out that drum trap first......


that would cost you about 400 to 600 here to do it all
 

Sparking5

Electrician, JIW
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Midwest
Thanks for the advice, info & humor. I especially like recycling the drum trap for hunting weights. I think i'll probably sell it to the local scrap yard for $90 a ton. :)

I may not of posted the photo that shows how nicely the tub access door is trimmed out.

I did get a good price on this house. But the main reason I bought it is it's right next door to my 82 yr old Mom,a new widow. I can now keep an eye on her easily & it's handy.

Looks like I will be pulling up the 1937 oak floor in bath and/or making an opening in the kitchen ceiling directly below. Good thing I planned on resurfacing the kit ceiling w/ beadboard.

When I saw that drum trap I figured it would have to be removed eventually.

Good thing I got a sawzall, metal blade, friendly local plumbing supply house, good collection of cuss words, patience & an electrician bro-in-law who used to be a plumber. I'll probably call him in for a consultation. Especially since he was chanting in my ear last year to buy this house....Huh! LOL! Damn Robert!

I'd like to save this original bathtub, not sure why. Just seems to be the thing to do...Like buying this house.

I'll surely be back for some more info.

Wish me luck.
Bye
 

Attachments

  • Tub Access Door, Nicely trimmed out.jpg
    Tub Access Door, Nicely trimmed out.jpg
    33.2 KB · Views: 829
Last edited:

Sparking5

Electrician, JIW
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Midwest
Mikey,

I clicked on your link. That's what I thought a D9 Cat was. I was thinking that a couple days after I got insurance on this palace, full replacement, that maybe an electrical fire might be a good thing! As an electrician, I know that could of easily happened all by itself.

Naw, I gotta give this old house all the lovin' it needs and deserves. It has not beenwell maintained since the 60's so I got a nice little project here. At least the work site is handy. I just fall out of bed and go to work. :D

Bye
 

hj

Master Plumber
Messages
33,602
Reaction score
1,040
Points
113
Location
Cave Creek, Arizona
Website
www.terrylove.com
plbg

The drum trap is cast iron not lead, so you cannot melt it down for anything. The good news is that the drum trap is cast iron, because if it were lead it would have a fine thread cover and be impossible to work with. The cover is a brittle pot metal and will break/peel off very easily using a hammer and screwdriver or thin chisel. Then you can put your snake into the outlet and clean it, although your snake will probably not do a very good job of it. Then screw a new cover with a paper gasket, available at most hardware stores, and tighten it. Snakes are very seldom secured in the drum because there is no way to get in there to do it.
 

Mikey

Aspiring Old Fart, EE, computer & networking geek
Messages
3,024
Reaction score
17
Points
38
Location
Hansville, Washington
I feel your pain...

Sparkie-

My house is only 33 years old, and we're in the final year (I hope) of a remodel that started out as a one-room repaint 3 years ago. There are two architects on our street, and both suggested the 'dozer approach, but I fell into the remodel trap. We'll spend around $50K, I'd guess, by the time we're done (close to $5K on tools -- I never met a tool I didn't like), whereas a teardown/rebuild would be around $400K. OTOH, the rebuild would be (IMHO) spectacular, and exactly what I want, whereas the remodel will be nice, but we're still trapped in the original shell. Bottom line, of course, was the bottom line -- I estimate that professionally done we'd have spent around $150K, and we couldn't have lived in the place while it was being done. Also, there'd be other adverse financial consequences I don't want to go into here. And, of course, we wouldn't have had all this fun.

Having done all this, however, the idea of the disastrous event has entered my mind. It surely won't be an electrical fire, since I've done all of the new work (but some of that old work does look kind of shaky, now that I think of it). I think it'll be Hurricane Michael that does the job.

I wish you well.
 

Sparking5

Electrician, JIW
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Midwest
Glad the drum trap is cast iron cause I can get $120/ton vs $90 for steel. :)

This house does have good bones & large enough. Has alot of character & charm, if you don't "look under the hood". Quite a few construction-type men have seen it and say it has alot of potential. Fortunately, I can do nearly all the work myself.

I have built a new house, actually a duplex w/ my Dad & sister. I know the blood, sweat & tears of a new build. Sweat Equity Rules! Tho, somewhat different than remodel.

I think I have now seen all the dirty secrets of this house and can get 'em resolved w/ enough time and effort and...............you guys! :D

Thanks for the support.

Guess I'll go install the rebuilt toilet tank now so I canhave a modern fancy-smancy toilet that FLUSHES.

I'll get at the drum trap in the near future. Glad it drains some now but I hear ya that it needs to be removed soon.

(The toilet seat is new)

Bye

Bye
 

Attachments

  • Pam's Palace Throne.JPG
    Pam's Palace Throne.JPG
    35.9 KB · Views: 850
Last edited:

Plumber1

Plumber
Messages
1,417
Reaction score
1
Points
0
Location
Florida
tub

If that plug on the trap isn't pot metal, it will be brass and it's soft and you can drill and chip away at it till it comes out.

Like HJ says, clean the drain from there and put a new plug on the trap. Put it back together or better yet replace the whole waste and overflow.
 

Sparking5

Electrician, JIW
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Midwest
Pot metal & Lead

Pot Metal....is that like Diecast? Speaking of lead, I found a coffee can of loose lead dust (think for pouring lead..my Dad was a master electrician and used it on the job. He was great at it. Whenever the area utility company needed a pored lead electrical pipe connection they called for my Dad) and some 1/4" sheets of lead, about 1' X 3'.

How do I dispose of it or use it? I know it is hazardous. Maybe the local plumbing union apprenticeship school would like it. I saw a demonstration of pouring lead there.

Bye
 

Sparking5

Electrician, JIW
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Midwest
Good News!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My toilet is operational now. It flushes and everything!!!!!

See......................... :D

The sign "Pam's Palace" was made by my daughter in 5th grade.

Bye
 

Attachments

  • P1010026.JPG
    P1010026.JPG
    32.1 KB · Views: 741

Sparking5

Electrician, JIW
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Midwest
In the photo above...What else do I need? A flushing toilet, toilet paper, "Pam's Palace" plaque & a basic plumbing book w/ lots of pictures. I should of put my laptop in the photo too.

Yah...I guess a draining lav would be useful, a new finish on the tub would look nice, heated water is a nice comfort and maybe rebuild that mstr bath I totally gutted downstairs.

There is a nice view from this toileton 2nd floor and there is a walk out flat roof right next to it.

P.S. Hearing a Master Plumbing being alarmed at this house does cause me some concern. Now you are starting to scare me. :)

Bye
 

Attachments

  • View from Throne.JPG
    View from Throne.JPG
    31.3 KB · Views: 430
  • Door to 2nd floor Balcony-Roof.JPG
    Door to 2nd floor Balcony-Roof.JPG
    28.2 KB · Views: 478

Mikey

Aspiring Old Fart, EE, computer & networking geek
Messages
3,024
Reaction score
17
Points
38
Location
Hansville, Washington
Cool!

You da woman! Looks like you even might've painted behind the tank? Add a magazine rack and it's very homey. Enlarge the window, and you go from mundane to House Purty. Did you even trim the scuttle hole or is that a different one?
 
Last edited:

Toolaholic

General Contractor Carpenter
Messages
894
Reaction score
6
Points
18
Location
Marin Co. Ca.
Good for you, been remoreling homes 43 years and

from the few pix ,I have a good KARMA feeling ,about your home!

That place needs you and ,and You needed it.

best luck to you and Mom Tool
 

Sparking5

Electrician, JIW
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Midwest
Thanks Mikey & Toolaholic!

I do sortof feel it's got Karma and almost like it is glad I am here to fix this old girl up....Get her back to her original, well built roots.

The access door/scuttle: That's the original trim from 1937. It may of been hard to tell but that bath has original oak flooring too. The whole house does. I'm looking forward to refinishing them later.

Bye
 

Brownizs

In the Trades
Messages
193
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Springfield, IL
HJ, you are correct, in that Pam's is metal. The one we pulled out of our bathtub was a lead Drum trap, not Cast.
 

Sparking5

Electrician, JIW
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Midwest
Update: Back to working on foreclosed palace

Hi!

...Many photos below....

I have been gone from this site for awhile to work on several other projects. One is my former house that I just finished remoceling to get listed for sale.

Now, I can focus work on this foreclosed palace that I have been "living" in for 8 mths w/ very limited amenitites. I have been camping out here more like a squatter than living. Maybe hillbilly is a fancy word for it???? You do what ya gotta do and it helps that I am single and low maintenance, especially for a woman. Ha!

I just got my pump running again last night so I again have a flushing toilet. (In next year or two I will have a deep well installed...first things first).

I posted in this thread instead of a new one because it has the history of this 2nd floor bath I am starting to work on. My dau is coming home for christmas from LA, CA and she said she is depressed when she thinks about my current "home" for her to visit and lack of facilities. She will be sleeping/showering, etc at my Mom's right next door....chicken! Ha! I got a flushing toilet for her and now working on a bath sink for handwashing....her christmas gifts. LOL!

I gained access to all 2nd floor bath supply & DWV via kitchen ceiling. (I wanted to recover kit ceiling w/ beadboard anyway). I am thinking, as a rule, if one ever gains easy access to galvanized, then they should replace w/ plastic or copper, right?

I could only get a snake about 18" down hand sink wall vertical pipe and I think I know why. The pipe was packed full at the bottom 90 so I did cut that out last night as first step to demo'ing this galvanized. I slapped some duct tape on end to stop the slow dripping. But, this ties into soil and I don't if when I flush if it could spray out there. (Hard to describe...I cut the vetical portion of sink drain out).

I am semi-skilled, rusty plumber so looking for tips here. Maybe good idea to quickly draw out what is here. Trot to local plumbing shop for parts and replace w/ plastic (I don't like to sweat, not skilled enough).

I am hoping to not tangle w/ the cast iron stacks...soil & vent?????????

Not sure what my specific questions are yet or if there is a logical place to start first. I might, FIRST, replace all dwv from sink & tub to tiein to 5-6" cast iron at toilet. This would remove that admired drum trap.

I was going to try to restore the tubfaucet but I sortof chewed it up a bit not knowing exactly how to remove this 70+ years corroded thing the correct way. Maybe I should just get a new similiar one from my local plumb shop. (I do not buy fixtures/plump parts from big box store case I think some of there items are lesser quallity, intended by manu.).

Once again, long post.....I and LA dau thank you for any advice/info/tips you can offer to speed this project along. I guess dau is used to fancier stuff living in LA.


SInk...will close w/ vanity or beadboard wainscot....
P1010001.jpg


View thru trimmed out access panel to tub.....
P1010002.jpg


Same, can see kitchen below.....
P1010003.jpg


Kitchen ceiling...
P1010004.jpg
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks