Thoughts on repairing this leak on a bath?

Thoughts on repairing this leak on a bath?

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tight fart

Original Poster:

2,937 posts

274 months

Sunday 5th May
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I’ve been asked (as a friend I’m not a plumber) to look at an elderly neighbour’s kitchen ceiling that’s wood panelled and bowing from a leak above.
It’s from a bath that must be 50 plus years old with a tiled bath panel so no access.
I managed to get my arm through a cupboard to take a pic, it looks like very old brittle plastic to copper.
I can’t think of any way to repair it without replacing the whole lot, any magic mastic that may cover it?



ComStrike

322 posts

94 months

Sunday 5th May
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https://pegatanke.com/en/

Could be worth a look

g7jtk

1,761 posts

155 months

Monday 6th May
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A new combination waste/overflow assembly should do it and maybe a trap. The staining coming from the overflow suggests that remaking this might be all that’s needed.
Your local Plumber should be able to sort it out for you.
That’s what we are for.

Djtemeka

1,821 posts

193 months

Monday 6th May
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On the other hand, that old bath tub might be rusty enough to warrant changing?

Simpo Two

85,705 posts

266 months

Monday 6th May
quotequote all
Clean it up and smear a good wodge of Araldite all round. Nothing to lose by trying!

tight fart

Original Poster:

2,937 posts

274 months

Tuesday 7th May
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Djtemeka said:
On the other hand, that old bath tub might be rusty enough to warrant changing?
She’s 85 years old and recently widowed, a new bathroom is not on her priority list.
Thanks for the suggestion of an epoxy I might try that if I have to.

dundarach

5,098 posts

229 months

Tuesday 7th May
quotequote all
For £200 I'd buy a new bath and fittings and make sure.

At 85 the last thing she needs is water dripping on her whilst sitting in her chair - ask me how I know!

Aluminati

2,535 posts

59 months

Tuesday 7th May
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Plumbers mate. Undo the nut, plumbers mate around threads should do it. That’s if the spigot doesn’t turn/crack when attempting to do so.

thepritch

623 posts

166 months

Tuesday 7th May
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I’d really avoid lathering epoxy around it. Whilst there may be ‘nothing to lose’, if it doesn’t seal the trap and you haven’t been careful there is a chance you may find you’ve bonded the trap rigid to the bath and be in a worse situation with no option then but to have to remove the bath.

I’d not faff around and bodge a fix. Get a good plumber in to assess - they’ll see the problem first hand where it’s hard to know from the photo exactly the access you have and how much dexterity you have around the pipe to replace or re seal properly.

I’m not a plumber, but do a lot of my own plumbing. But having experienced dry rot in my first house due to a leaking waste pipe that the previous owner badly bodged, my senses are on high alert!

OutInTheShed

7,827 posts

27 months

Tuesday 7th May
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That's been bodged before I think?

Your only hope IMHO is to undo the waste from inside the bath. If the waste will drop away enough to clean up, you might re-seal it with something like polyurethane 'sikaflex' or similar. Or perhaps a semi-setting gunge
But if that fails, you'll need to cut your way in to the tiling, unless access via the ceiling below is easier?