Bathtub drain leaks, should i paste...

[GoodOne]

Hi Good Morning,

I got a bathtub drain leaking. As pictures shown, i tried with PT around thread and really tighten it hard but worry to break the plastic pipe, however it still leaks. Any other option that i should approach? Should use a paste instead?

>Arrow pointing at the leaking stops.

 

[GoodOne]

Is plumber's mait good for this job?

 

[Madrab]

Really depends where it's leaking from. I know you have added you pictures but it doesn't really tell us if it's leaking through the waste/overflow section at the black nut and leaking at the trap connection as well as the overflow pipe connection.

1)There may not be enough thread there to allow the trap to tighten up enough so the seal can compress and become water tight. Judging by the tool marks on the white plastic nut I'd say that's one issue, you shouldn't need tools to tighten that nut for it to be water tight. Once tightened up can you still move the trap side to side?
2)the overflow pipe should self seal, unless the pipe itself has expanded too much
3)the waste section itself should have rubber seals that make that watertight.

I'd probably change that waste to a new single piece overflow type.

 

[GoodOne]

1) I think the leak is through the overflow section because the backnut holds the overflow compartment (the black pipe). When i opened the trap i could see leak coming from the back nut thread as picture shown.

not be enough thread there to allow the trap to tighten up

2) As the third picture shown that the trap is leaking as well from where you could see the droplet, it might be the as what you said not enough thread. Can i add any kind of seal here?

 

[GoodOne]

If you see the video, it the water leaks just below the backnut on the thread, which holds up the overflow compartment.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8rb393s4v6oftb5/20161110_120729.mp4?dl=0

and here is the photo of it.

 

[REEMS]

Is there a big black flat washer under the plastic nut.

 

[GoodOne]

Is there a big black flat washer under the plastic nut.

Yes there is.

 

[REEMS]

You could replace the bath waste with a combined waste and over flow, the overflow spigot is built into it your overflow pipe would just push over it.

 

[GoodOne]

You could replace the bath waste with a combined waste and over flow, the overflow spigot is built into it your overflow pipe would just push over it.

You mean this kind..

 

[REEMS]

Yes mate that,s the one then you only have one rubber washer between the bath and the wasteplug insert go,s in from inside the bath and water trap will screw on bottom.

 

[GoodOne]

Win it! just with Plumber's Mait

 

[Madrab]

Really shouldn't have to use anything to seal up a waste/trap connection. IMO using anything else apart from the seals provided and sometimes a little silicone to take up any imperfections in a fixtures moudling/finish when connecting a waste/trap system is a bodge and it may leak again in the future. Do it properly for long term peace of mind.

 

[magicmushroom666]

I've got a horrible plastic bath waste which gave me no end of trouble. Would seal fine when cold, but after a hot shower should start weeping. Eventually i smeared a touch of LS-X on the mating surfaces and job done its been fine for a few years since. Looks like the thread is covered in ptfe? I dont think the thread is supposed to be performing any sealing and adding that will just make it harder to do up.

 

[GoodOne]

Thanks guys, will keep that in mind in future. Will try to avoid this kind of bodge jobs again

 

[jeff the gasman]

A properly assembled bath waste with a little plumbers mait to seal the threads will never leak.