# Leaking Shower Drain - Screw Gasket



## plumbing (Dec 3, 2011)

"Plumbing Putty" will work best!


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## eclipsis (Dec 5, 2011)

Hello,

The gasket is dried and cracked so I wasn't planning on using it at all. I was going to fill the entire space with silicone. You are saying to fill the entire space with plumbers putty instead?

My only concern is if I ever need to take it out, guess I could always dig it out from the top.


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## plumbing (Dec 3, 2011)

use a little plumbers putty and then screw drain cover in semi tight then take excess off, then you wanna wait about 2 min then wait for it to set up then tighten it up until tight. that should work "that's what i would do". You can also put some on your sink's if you have extra, silicone is for trim like where tub/couch/toilet meets tile so i wouldn't put silicone over drain. last resort you can unscrew the tub take off existing silicone "if any" and get a new drain all you have to do is screw it in with some putty.

*so yes try that first:thumbsup:*


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## plumbing (Dec 3, 2011)

BTW do you have a tub tool?


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## eclipsis (Dec 5, 2011)

I don't have access to the bottom of the shower/drain. I haven't tried to unscrew the drain cover either - thought the nut on the bottom may fall off. All I did was see the dry gasket and pull that out. I do not have a tub tool and very little experience with plumbing.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

I suggest that you go get another rubber gasket--thats an Oaty---a plumbing supply will have that or you could buy the whole drain set just to get the washer---

Packing that with 100% silicone MAY work---I will admit that I have done it and had it work--However it's a funky fix--with no guarantee..

If you try it--clean out the hole like your kitchen ceiling depended on it--

Silicone will only stick to a clean--dry (absolutely) surface---use alcohol for the final cleaning--
hair drier--then pack it with silicone---wait 24 hours before using the drain--


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## ben's plumbing (Oct 6, 2011)

while these may work....as mike said its funky....that gasket is still available clean up end of pipe clean out socket and install new gasket for a professional repair ... ben


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## eclipsis (Dec 5, 2011)

Yeah, filling it with silicone/putty is my last resort. I went to Lowes and found their Oatey drains, but they are all the no-calk ones with a compression ring that screws in on top of the gasket.

On mine, I guess the gasket just screws in? I'm not sure how its supposed to create a seal with no compression ring.


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## ben's plumbing (Oct 6, 2011)

eclipsis said:


> Yeah, filling it with silicone/putty is my last resort. I went to Lowes and found their Oatey drains, but they are all the no-calk ones with a compression ring that screws in on top of the gasket.
> 
> On mine, I guess the gasket just screws in? I'm not sure how its supposed to create a seal with no compression ring.


yes the gasket just taps in for a snug fit...put alittle dishsoap on gasket get something about as round as gasket push it in over pipe then tap the rest of way....ben


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

By the way---do NOT use plumbers putty---that will leak---badly.


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## eclipsis (Dec 5, 2011)

Ok, so I guess I'll look for a new gasket. Lowes and Home Depot are out, they both have the new style with compression ring on top - could I use the gasket from that one? I may have to find a non-chain hardware store and see what they have.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

I believe the gaskets are the same---a plumbing supply house is handy if there is one close---

File or sand the top of the pipe so it doesn't have a square edge to snag the rubber--
A 2" pvc coupling make a good driver--along with a thin wood scrap---to tap that into the hole--


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## eclipsis (Dec 5, 2011)

Thanks for the help! 

Yeah, I have lots of cleanup to do on this pipe. It seems like it was almost melted off rather than cut. Would you recommend anything on the gasket (silicone/putty) or will it seal by itself? Will let you know how things go.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Those thongs are so tight that no extra goo is needed---just some dish soap to help get it into the hole---A block of wood helps--about 1/2" x1"---and maybe 5 or 6 inched long-tap around and around--those are not fun to install---


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## hammerlane (Oct 6, 2011)

Have you tried contacting Oatey for a replacemet?

http://www.oatey.com/Channel/Shared/ProductGroupDetail/157/Rubber+Caulking+Gasket.html


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## eclipsis (Dec 5, 2011)

I don't think mine is the standard "no-calking" gasket from Oatey. The original gasket seems to be threaded on both the inside and outside (maybe a result of being in the drain for 10 years?) and is also thicker. The new ones all seem to have a compression ring (far right of image) that expands the gasket. Mine has no compression/calking ring.


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## ben's plumbing (Oct 6, 2011)

eclipsis said:


> Thanks for the help!
> 
> Yeah, I have lots of cleanup to do on this pipe. It seems like it was almost melted off rather than cut. Would you recommend anything on the gasket (silicone/putty) or will it seal by itself? Will let you know how things go.


 they have inside pipe cutters..i think 12-15 dollars..


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## eclipsis (Dec 5, 2011)

Just to confirm, there is a difference between the gaskets correct? Mine seems to be larger and seal by its size. The new ones seem to have a "calking ring" that screws in on top of the gasket to flatten it out. This won't work and I'll have to find the old style with no ring.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Wrong gasket--sorry---You may have to make some calls --that is a compression gasket--you need a barbed gasket----

That pipe was hacked off with a dull saws all blade---you need to trim that back and clean it up--

You can still get those gaskets as I did get one a few months back ---plumber poured in lead instead of using the gasket---failure--


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## eclipsis (Dec 5, 2011)

Any suggestions on where to get one? Seems Lowes and Home Depot all have the compression ones with the ring.


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## ben's plumbing (Oct 6, 2011)

was the old one leaking....I thougth we got one from ace hardware..


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## ben's plumbing (Oct 6, 2011)

hey guy go to ebay type in shower drain gaskets....fernco makes a universial for your shower...says it for the ones with build in strainer.....:thumbup:


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

ben's plumbing said:


> hey guy go to ebay type in shower drain gaskets....fernco makes a universial for your shower...says it for the ones with build in strainer.....:thumbup:


Depot stocks those in the Fernco display---


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## eclipsis (Dec 5, 2011)

The only one I see on Home Depot's website says its for cast iron

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Would that work in my case?


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## ben's plumbing (Oct 6, 2011)

eclipsis said:


> The only one I see on Home Depot's website says its for cast iron
> 
> http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
> 
> Would that work in my case?


 I believe fernco #psd-200 should work


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## eclipsis (Dec 5, 2011)

ben's plumbing said:


> I believe fernco #psd-200 should work


Any idea what the difference is from PSD-210. I found a PSD-210 local, but will have to get the PSD-200 online. I'm not really in a hurry, so if the 200 is preferred, I can wait for online delivery.


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## eclipsis (Dec 5, 2011)

It seems that 210 is "For Mustee or Owens Corning 1 piece molded shower base" while 200 is "For American brass and Aluminum, Armstrong, Casper, Garvin, Intercon and Kohler".

Looks like online order it is. By the way, I found them on Amazon for $3.80 + $3.80 shipping.


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## ben's plumbing (Oct 6, 2011)

eclipsis said:


> It seems that 210 is "For Mustee or Owens Corning 1 piece molded shower base" while 200 is "For American brass and Aluminum, Armstrong, Casper, Garvin, Intercon and Kohler".
> 
> Looks like online order it is. By the way, I found them on Amazon for $3.80 + $3.80 shipping.


awesome we bet it again yes the 200 seems to be the one it says casper which is your gasket....good job.. ben


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## eclipsis (Dec 5, 2011)

Finally received the gasket from Amazon and it's not the right one. Easily fits around the pipe and installed simply by hand. It doesn't have enough width to properly compress against the drain body and the watery freely runs between the outside of the gasket and the drain body.

I guess only option now is to try the Wing Tite drain or tear into the ceiling below to access the bottom of the drain?

Has anyone used the Wing Tite before? I'm not sure I understand how I cut out the old drain with only top access... what happens to the nut on the bottom? It just falls down the pipe?

Looking like I may just have to call a plumber, although they may have to cut into the ceiling anyway...


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## ben's plumbing (Oct 6, 2011)

sorry to hear that....did you say you tried the 210 from local store....if not worth it before you proceed.....


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## #1plumber (Dec 25, 2011)

What you have there is an old lead stub coming up through the brass strainer. No gasket will seal to lead. What you can do is take a hammer and gently tap the lead and form it to the strainer. Once you do that, make a thin bead of 100% silicone around where the lead meets the strainer. Let that set up for 24 hrs before using. The way to make sure it is fixed for good though is to cut a hole in the ceiling and replace the strainer.


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## eclipsis (Dec 5, 2011)

#1plumber said:


> What you have there is an old lead stub coming up through the brass strainer. No gasket will seal to lead.


I don't follow. This drain has been sealed with a gasket for the past 10 years (I believe, I recently purchased the house). But the gasket was hard and brittle when I removed it.

I purchased the local PSD-210 and it is indeed thicker. It seems like it would work but with the extra thickness I'm having issues getting it into the drain body. The directions say to use a hammer and "caulking tool". I'm not sure what this tool is or where I can get it. Any tips/tricks? I'm using dish soap with no luck. Perhaps the 210 is just too big.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Call Oatey---they are decent people to work with and can mail you the part---the off the shelf gaskets are to thick---


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## eclipsis (Dec 5, 2011)

I was able to get the PSD-210 into the drain with a bit of force. I pulled the pipe slightly out of the body and start the gasket around the pipe. The I tapped both into place with a hammer. 

Doing a test now, but as I don't have access to it (ceiling below drain is not damaged so I didn't tear into it) I can't really be sure its not leaking.


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## TheEplumber (Jul 20, 2010)

Sounds like you're making progress. FYI- caulking iron is like an offset cold chisel - used to pack the lead after pour a lead and oakum joint. Try a cold chisel to help seat your gasket.

Sent from my DROID2 using DIY Chatroom


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