Oh good!  I just knew that the bathtub drain was draining faster than it should!

Just before we left on a weeks’ vacation to Maine, I poured a pint or so of sulphuric acid drain cleaner down the tub drain.

Man!  The tub drained quickly!  Returned from Maine on Wednesday.

Something was just telling me in a quiet way that something "just ain't right!"  The drain is just "too perfect!"

So, I open up the crawl space.  Shine a flashlight across the black plastic, and........................

Oh Crap!!!!  A river of water leading from the master bath to the front of the house.  Crap!  Crap!  Crap!!!!!

So.........I struggle into my overalls, take a couple of tools and a roll of silver plastic packing material to lay on, instead of the water and crawl under the heating ducts to the area around the master bath.  Crawling on my belly getting really wet and whacking the top of my head on exposed nails in the very confined space.  No room to breathe!

Crap!  Again!!  Crap!!!

The retard that plumbed the bathtub used a compression fitting on the black ABS 1 1/2 half inch P-Trap and a piece of brass pipe to connect it to the bottom of the bathtub which is configured for a glued ABS  connection.  In other words the fucking asshole just jammed the brass pipe up into the area of the bathtub drain, with no apparent firm connection!  In addition, the brass pipe was disconnected from the bathtub drain and hanging about 1/2 inch below the connection.

I had to crawl into that mess 4 times.  First to investigate, 2nd for tools, I did not have, like a strap wrench, 3rd to verify that the bottom of the tub was a glue fitting and 4th to install the new P-Trap and connections.  Each time was a new experience in getting soaked and getting more and more pissed off!

Picture 1 shows the glue connection under the tub.



Picture 2 shows the retarded plumbers P-Trap and brass pipe that was just shoved into the opening.  I should note that there was a considerable amount of dried out and crumbled plumbers putty under the P-Trap.



I did not include a picture of the huge amount of hair stuffed in the top of the brass pipe.  It was fucking nasty!

So, after I get a replacement P-Trap and properly glue the connections, using a rubber compression clamp, in case I ever have to open it up again. I crawl out for the last time.

With mission complete, I take a shower.  Now the damn thing won't drain AT ALL! Crap. Again, crap!!!!

So, off I go again to Lowe's for a snake.

I get home and run the snake to 19.5 feet (20 foot snake) and I hear the gurgle  and rush as the drain starts to clear.

So, with this crappy day, I figure the best way to finish it off is with 3 racks of babyback ribs and a bourbon and coke!  I told the loving wife of 33 years old that I expect her to have her head shaved by morning.  Like that is gonna happen!!!!  If the past owner was anywhere around here I would put a bullet in his ass!  And No.  There will be no pics of the wife.  

I suggest you do the usual and peep into the nursing home windows as you usually do!

Not a good day!  

I had a job where customer said there was a musty smell. Found the clothes washer was just plumbed to a depression in the dirt under the house. I have seen it all from sprinkler pipe used for drain to toilets that leaked sewage all around and the tenant just put towels around it. Plumbing deficiencies are the worst.

I've had bad experiences with sulpheric acid drain cleaner.  In the summer it created a cloud of stench that wafted through the neighborhood.  In the winter it nearly drove us from our closed-up home.  That stuff is powerful.

I've always wondered what would happen if you mixed it with Drano, which I understand is a base.  Just bad fumes, or a more violent reaction...

I wonder what other fittings or connections that you can't see are also half-assed.

Sucks, why do people cut corners on plumbing? It is guaranteed to bite you in the butt.
My brother just had to have his whole bathroom ceiling ripped out ( tile over lathe and chicken wire ) because the home owner had used galvanized pipe as the drain for the upstairs bath.
Not only that, but a bunch of two foot sections coupled together. The guy was a notorious cheapskate scrounger who probably stole the stuff from work.
He also had the exhaust fan venting into the space instead of venting outside.

Just remember (in this order):

1.) Pack a B.O.B.

B.) Fire is your friend.

If the house was old enough to be lathe and plaster then odds are his only plumbing options were galvanized pipe and cast iron, and since most people don't have the skillset for lead joints that leaves galvanized. 2 foot sections.....probably all that could be fit up between joists, I've had to do a bunch of 2ish foot sections of abs before on a remodel, the laws of space and time only allow you to fit so large of a piece of pipe in.

T

Do only women shed hair?

'

Bald men can't

I had and am currently having a plumbing nightmare myself. So I feel your pain and understand the suck you went through lol

Yes they can but it ain't from their heads..


ewww.....

For those who have not been initiated.  Take the hint!

Do not - ever - put spaghetti down the garbage disposal!!!

Why you ask?  Well!  It gets hung up in the main drain.  Everything else backs up, water, soap, etc. too.

Years and years ago, my girls put an entire pot of spaghetti down the drain and the whole house backed up.  Crawled under and found where the main drain out of the house had a rubber coupling which joined two sections.  Opened it up - and I had a bucket with me.  Yeah.  Like that was enough!  At least where this pipe was, there was enough room to sit up rather then lying on the ground.

Next thing I know, I got a lap full of cold, wet, spaghetti and everything else that was behind it.

My own fault.  I shoulda known better!

At least you know who's hair it is you are dealing with. When I moved into my apartment the tub was slow draining. Started digging around, pulled about a pound of hair from the drain. Apparently the previous long haired tenant also had cats.