How can we efficiently seal the leak in our tub and move the spout to prevent water seepage, considering using fiberglass but find it challenging?
Asked by Clara Sørensen 
8 months ago
Last Updated: April 26, 2024
Our bathtub in the old house we just moved into is leaking. We discovered that they had used a piece of wood with a small pipe through it to patch up a larger hole, but all the sealants have worn away. It’s not a pretty sight! 😂
Any ideas on how to fix this? I’m thinking of filling up that hole and relocating the spout to the wall to prevent any more water leaks, so I can finally take a relaxing bath without worries. It seems like we might need to use fiberglass for this, but it also looks like a difficult task. 😬 Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Hey, that hole is actually for overflow.
Do you think you can reach behind this tub? It should look similar to this:
Right here, this is it.
I can get to it, but unfortunately it’s not there. The faucet was supposed to be coming out of the hole where the overflow should have been.
McCord hey, do you happen to have the vertical pipe I need? If you do, you could just connect it to the top half I’m showing here. If there’s no pipe, then you’ll have to take out the tub to do the overflow plumbing, which would turn into a big bath remodel project.
You definitely need a plumber. There’s so much confusion in this picture.
Ugh, is getting on my nerves.
As a plumber, that tub was definitely put in the wrong way and needs to be checked out.
The plumber needs to be called to fill the bigger hole
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So I don’t discredit myself here, I borrowed this from another humorous page. Lately, there have been complaints about tub spout and shower control valve problems. And then I come across this post the OP shared haha funny because it’s not. It must have taken some work to mess up the tub installation
How about we toss some grass into the tub along with the water gun. And then, the lawn mower…..
Ass gas or grass torch the stuff haha
That’s the overflow for the tub. The spout should be above it, between the taps. Someone got creative with it! 😜
We already knew that. But what’s the solution?
McCord, can you access it from the opposite side of the wall? Otherwise, you may need to redo the shower walls.
If I were you, I’d reach out to a plumber.
Looks like somebody attempted to create something that wasn’t meant to be there.
Yeah, I think is right. We should work on correcting that.
That gap in the center is for the overflow. The spout should be placed in the center of the temperature controls (I know they have a specific name, but words can be tricky). Sometimes there’s a switch by the overflow to also activate the shower head.
What steps should we take to rectify the situation and achieve that outcome?
Honestly McCord, I would recommend contacting a plumber. It might be expensive but they will understand the correct configuration as opposed to what the previous owner did
Wait, so your tub spout is where the drain overflow should be? That’s surprising. Now I’m curious about what the tub drain arrangement is like. 🧐
Yep, that’s right! I’ll grab a photo from inside the access panel. I don’t recall seeing an overflow point though!?
McCord My guess is it’s probably just a p trap under the tub, not a shoe and overflow pipe. I really hope there isn’t just a random open PVC pipe sticking up from the drain to where the overflow would go haha
I’ll make sure to check it out tomorrow and snap some photos
Check if there’s an access panel on the back of that wall. You might need to create one. If you’re renting, I would contact the landlord.
My excess water is located in the same area, intentionally placed there
We have an access panel since we own the property, not renting. It wasn’t meant for overflow. Our actual faucet was in the same spot where the overflow should have been.
Ya gotta open up the wall to put in a new shower control and fix the tub drain properly. Depending on what’s behind the wall or underneath, you might be able to do it without taking out the tub.
Ensuring the plumbing is done correctly will not enable you to enjoy a deeper bath.
The fix will vary based on your current setup. Installing an overflow shouldn’t be too difficult but make sure to be cautious when securing it to the existing drain. I recently faced a similar situation with my old bathtub where I had to replace the entire drain and overflow system because it all broke off while I was trying to tighten the new overflow pipe. The overflow pipe was simply sitting in the drain pipe, causing leaks whenever there was a small amount of water in the tub.
Consider getting a replacement the way you prefer.
So this person on Reddit is dealing with a similar issue haha.
We still have the old tub. Let’s call a plumber to fix it properly. Amazon has overflow caps to deepen your tub – they work really well.
Oh wow, thanks a lot!
Ask a Plumber is a great resource for these kinds of questions.
Jason King
If you are renting, your landlord should take care of it. If you bought the house and your inspector missed it, name and shame that inspector so others won’t make the same mistake. To fix it correctly, you’ll need to repair the drain plumbing. You may have to remove the tub to address the drain problem, but I’m not entirely sure. Alternatively, you could seal it without an overflow, just remember to never leave the faucet running unattended.
We purchased it, but the inspector failed to mention anything 😕
McCord is amazing. That inspector should definitely be banned from that profession for life. I would give him a piece of my mind. That is totally unacceptable. What a huge mistake.
McCord, are you referring to a home inspector or the local city code inspector? In my experience, hiring a home inspector has usually been a waste of money. The city inspectors are typically more thorough and provide their services for free. They already charge enough for permits, lol.
In order to enjoy a deeper bath, I purchased an adjustable overflow cover. I always keep it closed for a sleek look. It’s better than some of the plastic covers, in my opinion. However, you will still need to install a proper overflow for it to work effectively.