How would I block up a bath overflow?

[uptown47]

Hi all,

Probably a strange question this and I'm not hopeful that there is an answer to it but I thought I'd ask the experts just in case.

We discovered that our bath is leaking through the overflow. Whenever the bath is too full then we get water dripping through the kitchen ceiling downstairs.

I'm assuming that the overflow isn't connected as the kitchen sink has been plumbed in by the same guy (the previous occupier of the house) and that didn't have an overflow connected to it either.

It's very difficult to keep the level of the water below the overflow because we have a teenage daughter who, despite being told about the height of the bath water, needs re-training every couple of hours or so....

So... I wondered if there is some way of permanently blocking / sealing the overflow?

To get the bath out would destroy half of the bathroom (see pics). The overflow is also rotated in order to lift the plug up and down (see pics).

I'm not sure if the chrome front bit would just pull off and allow me to get behind it to seal it with something or whether it, by sealing it, would stop it rotating and therefore knacker up the mechanism that lifts the plug up to drain the bath.?

I've taken a couple of pics to show you what I mean...

Untitled

• uptown47
• 28 Apr 2011
• 1

Untitled

• uptown47
• 28 Apr 2011
• 1

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated?

Cheers

John

 

[Diyisfun]

If you cant connect the overflow, I suppose you could fill it with silicone. That would seal it

 

[JohnD]

Take the bath panel off and connect the overflow properly

It will be a flexible plastic hose that screws or pushes onto the spigot that pokes through the hole in the bath. There may be a plastic nut that needs tightening to pull the fitting tight to the bath as well.

If you can't visualise how it works, buy a cheap plastic bath waste and tinker with it on the kitchen table. It's about as difficult as tying your shoelaces. Easy when you see how.

 

[Diyisfun]

I was thinking that he cant get the bath panels off.

 

[uptown47]

I was thinking that he cant get the bath panels off.

I can't really get the bath panels off. The front of the bath has been tiled so I'd have to break all the tiles to get to the front of the bath. Something I really don't want to do...

Diyisfun, when you say "fill with silicone" I presume you mean the silicone sealant?

Does the chrome thing just pull off then to get behind it ? Or is it fixed through from the back of the bath (i.e. the wall side of the bath?)

Thanks for all your help and suggestions so far...

John

 

[JohnD]

I can't really get the bath panels off.

Oh yes you can. One day you will have to, so you might as well get on with it.

I really don't want to do...

That I believe, and can sympathise with. But compared to the cost of buying a jacuzzi bath and having it fitted, and of course maintaining it as there will be a lot of pipes and connections under the bath, maybe even a pump as well, you really need to be able to get that panel off. One day you may need to get it off in a hurry. I am appalled by anyone who fits a bath panel in a way that makes it difficult to remove for maintenance.

You also need to remove the panel to let the wet dry out, before the rot gets too bad. If there is a chipboard floor it will be crumbling. The problem is going to get worse, not better, so get that panel off!

I suppose you could chisel or cut an access hole through the wall in the adjacent room, if you prefer.

 

[Diyisfun]

JohnD, I cant get my bath panels of without doing damage & needing new panels.
Should I have a problem, that's what I will do but if no problem (touch wood) leave it.
as for Johnny T, I guess you must be thinking along the same lines.
I think the chrome waste may have a grub screw holding it on, not sure on that.

 

[jono_h]

Surely even if you fill up the overflow holes with silicone, water will still be able to get through the spindle that operates the plug mechanism?

 

[tryitandsee]

The tiling and everything looks good, therefore are you sure the tiler has not secretly incorporated an access panel to get under the bath. I'm sure you've looked, any cracking in vertical grout? Or has an access hatch been put in other side of wall, taps are on! Or is that the outside wall onto your neighbours

As John D says, eventually you will need to go there! better do it in a controlled way rather than in a panic when water pouring into the kitchen.

 

[uptown47]

Hi all and a big thank you for all your replies.

TryIt, unfortunately there's no access hatch and beyond the wall is the en-suite bathroom from our bedroom so no access from that side either.

I'm not going to break all the tiling to plumb a drain on because I'm not confident doing the tiling and, at the moment, I can't justify the spend to get someone in to do the work.

I do appreciate the comments regarding a possible 'disaster' leak under the bath but I think if that was the case I would just turn the stop cock off. Obviously I would then be forced to destroy the tiling but it would be a last resort.

There doesn't seem to be a way forthcoming for blocking up the overflow so I think I'll just have to live with it until we decide to get the bathroom decorated and then plumb it in properly then.

Thanks again for all your help and advice, much appreciated.



John

 

[big-all]

turning the stop cock off will not stop the flow off water from the hot tap if you have a vented system untill the 100 or so gallons in the system have drained out

you do realise you are NOT covered by your house insurance if your bath floods the house

 

[Al-Glasgow]

Im with JohnD

Break off tiles, I get jobs like these on a daily basis.
People just assume, your a plumber, so he will fit his arm through a cavity wall, repair the grating/overflow......job done.

I say break all tiling, and refit a solid PVC panel when repair is complete and tested.

FWIW, I would replace your full mechanical popup bath waste, it will buy you at least 5 years if fitted properly.

Al

 

[bookahandyman]

tell your daughter that she will have to pay for decorating the kitchen ceiling if she does it again. generally if they see a financial consequence of their actions they listen. take a fiver off her every time it happens, she'll soon learn

 

[globalstreet]

The easiest way would be take off the Chrome cap from overflow, to see if you could find the leaking place or block the overflow.

 

[xr4x4]

We get this all the time.

People want sleak looking bathrooms and don't care how the plumbing has been compromised to get it looking like that.

There will be a smal hole in the overflow handle, undo the screw and the handle slides off.