Fitted a p-shaped bath last year for a customer, who is now complaining that the overflow is leaking. The overflow is fitted to the knob that opens the waste and is high on the side of the bath...which is ok. However when the bath water is let out the subsequent backflow up the overflow pipe connected at the waste end means there is sitting water that pulls the seal out of shape. The design of the overflow pipe is such that it curls down from the overflow in the bath down to the waste but hangs below the trap. Therefore the weight of the water flowing back up the overflow pipework pulls it out of shape and the seal breaks.
We have tried supporting the pipe so that it no longer hangs below the trap and even cleaning the washers at the compression fitting, but it is still leaking a little. Other than bunging the whole lot up with some mastic what can be done? The pipe cannot be shortened as it has a smooth end with washers to fit into the compression joint!!!
IS this a design fault or can it be overcome?
We have tried supporting the pipe so that it no longer hangs below the trap and even cleaning the washers at the compression fitting, but it is still leaking a little. Other than bunging the whole lot up with some mastic what can be done? The pipe cannot be shortened as it has a smooth end with washers to fit into the compression joint!!!
IS this a design fault or can it be overcome?