"bad plumbing" Topic

So our tub won't drain. After a few experiments with plumber's chemicals we come to the conclusion the bloody plug, the lever operated one, has fallen off the rod it was attached to and is blocking the pipes. (Which is especially irritating, because when it was attached it never closed the drain properly and we had to use a rubber plug)

Anyone know how to get this thing out, without taking the pipes apart? Apparently it once screwed on to the lever-and-rod contraption which operated it.

Dynamite? Maybe over kill but I bet it works.

Other than that not too sure maybe a hook made from wire to grab it?

Yep fishing expedition would be your best bet. Remove the over flow cover, get wire as mentioned above, make a hook and go fishing. A dentist mirror and a flash light might help you aim you hook.

LLC aka Ron

If you can flip it around you might be able to use the thing it was attached to. If it fell the right way you might not even have to flip it around.

Just see if you can screw it back into the thing and pull it out like that.

I thought they made those round so that they wouldn't fall back into the hole.

Well, I thought with the rod corroded and broken off (this plumbing is older than a lot of people on this board) that my chances of fishing anything out were pretty impossible, but I was bored so I went and messed with it more. After a few minutes I caught the edge of the plug under the rubber gasket and moved it a fraction, enough for water to start draining, and after another frustrating 15 minutes I got it to move again, and finally I got the entire plastic piece of crap out of the pipe altogether. There's definitely no repairing this, but at least the drain works now.

Somewhere, some plumber's children are going without a steak and shrimp dinner tonight.

And no colorful words to say about the plumbing? I have a pipe in the basement (of the house we are selling, tg) that I've exchanged many conversations with over the years.

Good Job Jana.

Plumbing is the only thing I can do reasonably well that my wife feels comfortable letting me do and not worrying about having to call a professional to fix my efforts.

I'll have to put this in my box of tricks.

Depending on the age of the house, there should be an access panel on the other side of the wall from the faucet. If you can find it and open it, you can do all sorts of nifty things to your plumbing – including replacing that stopper. Its pretty straightforward and you can deprive some plumber of an extra lobster.

I should note that it age isn't necessarily an indicator as my 35-year-old house only has one for the tub, and not for the shower. My mom's house, which is the same age, has all of the necessary access panels.

Wyatt

There's no access panel. I'd have to stand on the washing machine in the basement to reach any tub plumbing, and we really wanted to avoid taking pipes apart.

My husband picked up a replacement plug assembly and I had it installed before supper. It works as well as the old one originally did, which is to say it leaks, but at least there is one in place, and not a gaping hole in the wall.

As for colorful words about the plumbing, that's not the sort of thing I'd repeat here. :)

Well done Jana- Now every time theres a plumbing problem guess who gets the 'trouble ticket'.

Turned out our pipe to the kitchen was cracked. L/L's brother came from Indiana to fix it(he's a home repair contractor). Punched a hole in the bedroom wall to get at the pipe,after a weekend,we had it back w/a new PVC line and the wall patched up. Now just a paint job,and she'll be good as new. Problem w/ the sink drain was fixed too. During the pipe repair,we had to relocate the cat downstairs to the garage,where she still had her stuff with her(food ,water,box,toys,blanket).

Had to realign and tighten the kitchen sink pipes a bit. Turned out a washer/o-ring was loose. Took care of it myself. Missus pointed the problem out to me.