primitive has problem

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=287x8391

Oh my.

Ecumenist  (1000+ posts)      Sat Mar-13-10 02:31 AM
Original message
 
Okay, We got problems

We recently bought a home, (we've been in it 5 months). It's a 2 story home and it was a bank owned, so they didn't have to disclose anything. We have a master suite that includes a "garden tub" that we'd never used until the last two weeks. The tub was used for the first time about 10 days ago and a second time tonight. There is a room beneath the master bath on the first floor and about 4 days after the first use of the tub, I went into the downstairs bedroom and noticed an odor that smelled like it had been wet in there. I opened the windows after searching for the source of wetness, (didn't find anything) and the next day it was gone.

Tonight, my husband took a soak in the tub and as far as we knew, everything was peachy keen. About 2 hours later, I was getting ready to retire and realised I had to place my phone back on the cradle to charge it. The cradle is in the downstairs bedroom. When I walked into the room, I noticed that it looked like someone had turned a shower or an overhead sprinkler and gotten the room wet on one third of the room. I looked for the source of hat was obviously a deluge of some sort. Finally, I looked up and lo & behold, the water had come through the bloody VENT!! There was still droplets of water on the vent in the ceiling. The wall perpendicular to the one where the vent is is VERY damp to the touch.

How is it possible for water to POUR through the vent from a tub upstairs? I'm talking about the vent for the heat & air and should we have it inspected, the crawlspace between the floors ...AND OMG, if there's problems that has caused in the area between the floors, will our homeowner's insurance pay for it? This is the worst thing that could happen at this point but I also know that this is something we need to jump on.

Five months minus two weeks, of going without bathing?

here_is_to_hope  (1000+ posts)      Sat Mar-13-10 04:40 AM
Response to Original message
 
1. The leak is most likely at the tub drain or just past it. 

The water may be collecting under the tub and then flowing to the vent opening, not really coming out of the vent but out through the vents hole in the ceiling.

This is a right away repair because of the damage sitting water can do to drywall and wood.

Lift the tub or gain access to it's underside, the leak should be obvious.

I don't know of any insurance that would cover this though!

Warpy  (1000+ posts)        Sat Mar-13-10 12:33 PM
THE DEFROCKED WARPED PRIMITIVE, #09 TOP PRIMITIVE OF 2009
Response to Reply #1

2. That was my guess, too

It's not the water supply or you'd be drowning full time.

Get a plumber in there to take a look at the whole business to find out if it's something he can deal with without pulling the tub completely out. That's not likely to be the case, so brace yourselves.

In any case, do not use that tub until it has been fixed. You might be able to escape permanent damage from two drenchings, but don't push your luck because you won't escape much more.

I don't think your homeowner's policy is going to pay for it unless you've got some sort of homeowner's warranty policy and that usually isn't the case on a REO property sold as is.

marybourg  (713 posts)      Sat Mar-13-10 12:49 PM
Response to Original message
 
3. Check with your insurance company. Mine once paid, not for fixing the leak, but for damage to our carpeting *resulting* from the leak.

Hassin Bin Sober  (1000+ posts)      Sat Mar-13-10 04:28 PM
Response to Original message
 
4. It sounds like you will be opening a ceiling up anyway.

Perhaps the repair can be made from below once the ceiling is open?

What's a garden tub?

franksolich's question, too; isn't that something that should be outdoors?

Wash. state Desk Jet  (1000+ posts)      Sun Mar-14-10 05:34 AM
Response to Original message
 
5. It could be that the drain became lose in the tub.

There is a drain tightening tool you can by for about $10.00. A drain tightening tool is also used to install. Also there is a gasket between the tub bottom and the drain. If that gasket went bad ,that too could be it. In short try tightening the drain ,it turns clock wise to tighten. If it moves easy,that's yer problem.

that is something to check on before you call someone in to cut into the ceiling down below in order to find the problem and fix it.

By the way is that tub a whirlpool bath? spa ?

[Specbid]

Ecumenist  (1000+ posts)      Sat Mar-13-10 02:31 AM
Original message
 
Okay, We got problems ...

You sure do...why are you wasting water by bathing? Why do you hate the environment so?

[NHSparky]

And a garden tub at that.  Have you no love for Mother Gaia?

Oh, and DUmmies, why is it ya'll NEVER hire home inspectors before you make purchases such as this?  A good one would have found the existing water damage, that is, had it not been caused by a malicious former owner who loosened the union on the drain piping.  Nah, foreclosed homeowners have NEVER sabotaged their own homes, ever, right?  Not one of them has ever poured asphalt down the toilets, stripped out wiring, ripped out drywall, no, never!!! (/mock horror)

[The Village Idiot]

I hope to gawd that this is not an outdoor bathtub.

I might get sick.

Obviously they have a drainage problem

[kenth]

Dummies never could figure out their plumbing.

[The Village Idiot]

Dummies never could figure out their plumbing.

yet they never stop playing with it and poking things where they don't belong

[terry]

What's a garden tub?

franksolich's question, too; isn't that something that should be outdoors?

I googled garden tub images and got a bunch of pictures of tubs.  The only thing that all seemed to have in common is that they have no shower.

garden tub images

[GOBUCKS]

A garden tub is a huge oversized tub that requires an very large bathroom. It's separate from the shower, and has become a hallmark of modern McMansion construction. I doubt you can find an upscale home built within the past ten years or so without one. The DUmmy's motivation with this post wasn't to get advice on a leak. It was to brag about living in an expensive home with a garden tub, while the other DUmmies are in little apartments with hiphop blaring from the upstairs neighbor, or even in a little camping trailer. More likely, the DUmmy saw a garden tub on HGTV, and immediately posted about it at the DUmp, hoping to impress the DUmpmonkeys.

[Specbid]

Dummies never could figure out their plumbing.

Except for undergroun :hammer:dpanther. She's got her head screwed on straight. 

[The Village Idiot]

Except for undergroun :hammer:dpanther. She's got her head screwed on straight. 

lol

[Specbid]

lol

"undergroun :hammer:dpanther" I don't know how I did that, but I kinda like it. ugp certainly wishes she had a "hammer."

[shadeaux]

We have a garden tub and we don't live in a McMansion.  Mine has a whirlpool too.

I can count on one hand how many times I've used it in the almost 2 years we've lived here.  It's a waste of water and electricity. My opinion.  That thing is very hard to clean. We shower or use the smaller tub.

That's bull about the bank not having to disclose anything.  We looked at bank owned homes and we were told they would be sold "as is".  If the DUmmies had hired a home inspector they would have known about that leak.  They fill the tub and leave the water in it while they inspect the rest of the house.

That's what they did at both of our other homes we sold.

DUmmies get what they pay for.

Side note

I've seen garden tubs in mobile homes too.

[Ree]

I HAD ONE IN A DOUBLE WIDE WE USED TO LIVE IN

[happy1ga]

I guess I am a "water-waster", too. I take a bath in mine everyday. It helps enormously if you have muscle or joint problems to soak. Plus, great bubblebaths.

[dandi]

 

We have a garden tub and we don't live in a McMansion.  Mine has a whirlpool too.

I can count on one hand how many times I've used it in the almost 2 years we've lived here.  It's a waste of water and electricity. My opinion.  That thing is very hard to clean. We shower or use the smaller tub.

That's bull about the bank not having to disclose anything.  We looked at bank owned homes and we were told they would be sold "as is".  If the DUmmies had hired a home inspector they would have known about that leak.  They fill the tub and leave the water in it while they inspect the rest of the house.

That's what they did at both of our other homes we sold.

DUmmies get what they pay for.

Side note

I've seen garden tubs in mobile homes too.

Absolutely, a good home inspection is a must. I might add that even though, technically, bank properties are sold "as is," if there's a substantial problem found in the inspection you can often get them to knock some money off the accepted offer. Especially in this market.

[Karin]

Some of those home inspectors are worthless.  In CT, the bank kind of dictated who we would get.  The previous owner was a cheap-ass DIYer who caused many expensive problems for us.  Including freaking electrical.   Previous husband knew nothing about building & construction skills, so it was all expensive contractors.  Aside from the whining, I guess my opinion is, don't be naive, do your homework or have someone highly recommended do it for you. 

[Ralph Wiggum]

It's a 2 story home and it was a bank owned, so they didn't have to disclose anything.

So you didn't even bother getting it inspected on your own?

[vesta111]

So you didn't even bother getting it inspected on your own?

These tubs are becoming something of the past.  I have one and not one day goes by that I don't want to rip it out and expand the shower 4 feet.

Few people use tubs today, new hotels have just state of the art showers. 

I love my tub baths, a time to relax and ease sore body parts.  However once I started doing the shower thing I have not had one yeast infection.   

I would rip that darn thing out and replace it with a shower that can seat 2. has a over head rain shower attachment, perhaps 8 high power spray nozzles and a steam room capability.

This is my wish list, if I were to win the lottery.

[delilahmused]

A garden tub is a huge oversized tub that requires an very large bathroom. It's separate from the shower, and has become a hallmark of modern McMansion construction. I doubt you can find an upscale home built within the past ten years or so without one. The DUmmy's motivation with this post wasn't to get advice on a leak. It was to brag about living in an expensive home with a garden tub, while the other DUmmies are in little apartments with hiphop blaring from the upstairs neighbor, or even in a little camping trailer. More likely, the DUmmy saw a garden tub on HGTV, and immediately posted about it at the DUmp, hoping to impress the DUmpmonkeys.

Wow, and here I just thought I had a nice big tub in my master bath. Didn't know there was a special name for it.

Cindie

[DumbAss Tanker]

Wow, and here I just thought I had a nice big tub in my master bath. Didn't know there was a special name for it.

Cindie

Well, it depends, if it's outdoors, we call it a 'Stock tank.'

[GOBUCKS]

Well, it depends, if it's outdoors, we call it a 'Stock tank.'

If it's in a sushi joint, it's a koi pond.

[diesel driver]

"undergroun :hammer:dpanther" I don't know how I did that, but I kinda like it. ugp certainly wishes she had a "hammer."

He/she/it is still waiting for Lord Zero to pay for an adadictomy so he/she/it can become a he, or something like that....

Another argument against Obamacare....