# They never want to tell. The clues always do



## Pa class 3 city (Jan 31, 2017)

So today I was helping out a past employer of mine at a service call. Leak coming from 2ond flr tub shower. So I setup down stairs; drop cloth, ladder, sawzaw. First layer, ceiling tiles. Next layer, cheap wood paneling with about 3 gallons trapped water on my head. Off comes the jacket. Next layer, tongue and groove planking followed by a ton of sopping wet rotten cotton. Off comes long sleeve shirt. After some guesstimating and a little more cutting I find the trap. It's an abs drum trap. The brass waste overflow threaded tailpiece is rotted out at the tee. Ok ez peezie. Chiseled out the remaking threads, cut a new threaded tail piece to length, taped it up and installed. Test; still leaking. The branch arm to tub drain has a small spot leaking. Crap, needs a whole new assembly. I hate double work. So run out get a new one. I was great full to get some fresh air, the house reeked of fumunda cheese and cat piss. Ok, I get back and start working again struggling a bit doing it solo. While leaning over the tub I notice a tub of "Safe for plumbing pipes" drain cleaner setting next to the toilet. I pick it up, it's almost gone. The pieces of the puzzle are starting to come together. I call in the tenants son. A young man weighing in at had to be 400 pounds in an extra medium shirt that was half his size and a pair of extra medium sweat pant shorts that were sucked up into his leg fat rolls to the point of looking like some kind of hideous speedo. I say to him that they really should not be using acidic drain cleaners on clogs especially with a drum trap where the inlet to the trap is at the bottom. He responded by saying well it's been giving us draining trouble since we moved in. I responded you should have let you landlord know or called a plumber your self. So I get back to work and get everything tied together. Test. Sob, it's still leaking, the freaking abs trap adapter. Try tightening the furling nut, no luck. Upon taking a closer look the trap adapter is chewed up where the furling seats. Ok triple work now. Need fresh air. Leave to get new trap adapter and a few misc. pvc fittings and a fernco for an approved adapter to join the two dissimilar pipes. Return and finally get it all back together. Test no leaks, drains supper slow. Jeez. Remove the clean out plug on drum trap. Aquarium rocks. Nice. So this guys has a bunch of scummy fish tanks with turtles and stuff in them. Ahhhh, clue number 2. Now I don't believe this guy when he says this was draining bad from the start of them moving in. The drain line is only 5' from the stack. I was able to clear it with a little hand snake. The clog was right at the inlet to the stack. I hate ceiling leaks. An at first easy fix turned into a heck of a time. I left feeling sorry for their land lord. I did take pictures of everything if the land lord wants them. Phew, glad to be home, wood stove blazing and venting to my new pals.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Sounds like good clean fun!.......:laughing:

On a serious note, to this day, I will sometimes look at a job and think, oh this will only take an hour or two, and I wind up being there for three.

Try to use paragraphs next time.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

sounds like section 8 housing( welfare)..who got the bill for the repair? landlord or tenant?..


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## Pa class 3 city (Jan 31, 2017)

Land lord is getting the bill. I don't think there is to much section 8 in k town but there have been a couple over the years. Pretty much middle class town. Just some bad apples. Or at least to ignorant for their own good/bliss


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

I would tell landlord to ditch them tenants fast!!


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

so did you cut out that drum trap so the future aquarium rocks wont
bind up in it?? I have never even seen a abs drum trap used....


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## fixitright (Jan 5, 2012)

Master Mark, Philosopher and Statesmen.

Now that is funny.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Tommy plumber said:


> Try to use paragraphs next time.


I didn't even read it. Toooo long.


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## rwh (Dec 17, 2014)

Master Mark said:


> so did you cut out that drum trap so the future aquarium rocks wont
> bind up in it?? I have never even seen a abs drum trap used....



There is one on each tub in my late '70s home. Entire house is ABS. ABS is very uncommon here, except for late '70s houses and trailers.


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## KoleckeINC (Oct 22, 2011)

Im jealous. Work is work. Any day the sawzall comes out is a good day. And why not carry 5 of everything? I keep Rubbermaid totes for 2" and 1 1/2" pvc.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Pa class 3 city said:


> So today I was helping out a past employer of mine at a service call. Leak coming from 2ond flr tub shower. So I setup down stairs; drop cloth, ladder, sawzaw. First layer, ceiling tiles. Next layer, cheap wood paneling with about 3 gallons trapped water on my head. Off comes the jacket. Next layer, tongue and groove planking followed by a ton of sopping wet rotten cotton. Off comes long sleeve shirt. After some guesstimating and a little more cutting I find the trap. It's an abs drum trap. The brass waste overflow threaded tailpiece is rotted out at the tee. Ok ez peezie. Chiseled out the remaking threads, cut a new threaded tail piece to length, taped it up and installed. Test; still leaking. The branch arm to tub drain has a small spot leaking. Crap, needs a whole new assembly. I hate double work. So run out get a new one. I was great full to get some fresh air, the house reeked of fumunda cheese and cat piss. Ok, I get back and start working again struggling a bit doing it solo. While leaning over the tub I notice a tub of "Safe for plumbing pipes" drain cleaner setting next to the toilet. I pick it up, it's almost gone. The pieces of the puzzle are starting to come together. I call in the tenants son. A young man weighing in at had to be 400 pounds in an extra medium shirt that was half his size and a pair of extra medium sweat pant shorts that were sucked up into his leg fat rolls to the point of looking like some kind of hideous speedo. I say to him that they really should not be using acidic drain cleaners on clogs especially with a drum trap where the inlet to the trap is at the bottom. He responded by saying well it's been giving us draining trouble since we moved in. I responded you should have let you landlord know or called a plumber your self. So I get back to work and get everything tied together. Test. Sob, it's still leaking, the freaking abs trap adapter. Try tightening the furling nut, no luck. Upon taking a closer look the trap adapter is chewed up where the furling seats. Ok triple work now. Need fresh air. Leave to get new trap adapter and a few misc. pvc fittings and a fernco for an approved adapter to join the two dissimilar pipes. Return and finally get it all back together. Test no leaks, drains supper slow. Jeez. Remove the clean out plug on drum trap. Aquarium rocks. Nice. So this guys has a bunch of scummy fish tanks with turtles and stuff in them. Ahhhh, clue number 2. Now I don't believe this guy when he says this was draining bad from the start of them moving in. The drain line is only 5' from the stack. I was able to clear it with a little hand snake. The clog was right at the inlet to the stack. I hate ceiling leaks. An at first easy fix turned into a heck of a time. I left feeling sorry for their land lord. I did take pictures of everything if the land lord wants them. Phew, glad to be home, wood stove blazing and venting to my new pals.


All you had to do to fix that trap adapter was to smear some wax ring around it,it would never leak again :whistling2::whistling2::whistling2::whistling2::laughing::laughing:,but it does work


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## Oorgnid (Apr 5, 2016)

sparky said:


> All you had to do to fix that trap adapter was to smear some wax ring around it,it would never leak again :whistling2::whistling2::whistling2::whistling2::laughing::laughing:,but it does work


The fact that you know this, worries me.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Oorgnid said:


> The fact that you know this, worries me.[/heQUOTE]
> 
> Hey if it's a job where I'm most likely not gonna be paid anyways or fight for my money I will fix it as fast as possible and get the hell out of there,they not gonna pay you for all those hours running around getting parts and whatnot,I done learned which people are gonna be ok paying the bill and which ones are gonna ***** and whine,the whiners and *****ers get the wax ring fix:thumbup:


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

sparky said:


> Oorgnid said:
> 
> 
> > The fact that you know this, worries me.[/heQUOTE]
> ...


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Tommy plumber said:


> sparky said:
> 
> 
> > Sparky, just make sure that you add a disclaimer on your invoice.
> ...


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## jnohs (Jan 27, 2012)

If you know how to sell. And present the plumbing issues properly. They will pay everytime....


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

jnohs said:


> If you know how to sell. And present the plumbing issues properly. They will pay everytime....


Oh how wrong this statement is,some people no matter how well you talk the talk and make the sell,once they see the bill all bets are OFF,you obviously have not yet encountered these type people and you better pray you never do


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## mtfallsmikey (Jan 11, 2010)

Ya know, I don't think I've ever seen an ABS drum trap, we used ABS exclusively until PVC hit the market, cuz it was cheaper.


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