D-Day Done

Friday was my D-Day.  We scheduled the plumber to fix the continuing toilet pipe leak and install a cheater vent in the bathtub drain. 

Two separate issues.  Both big, awful, gross problems.

I was totally prepared for a big hole in the bathroom wall behind the toilet.  (I took a million "before" pictures)

Paper towel + Garbage bag = Prepared

But guess what?  Demolition averted!

He was able to address both issues from the kitchen ceiling. 

Way Before

Before

After

Hallelujah.  Seriously.

Given the work that needed to be done, I'm over the moon with two 1 foot by 1 foot holes in my kitchen ceiling. 

Let me break it down for ya:

New hole

He cut a new hole just in front of the cabinet.  It's where we thought the cheater vent would go.  But no. 

A) not enough space in the 2nd floor wall cavity to run a pipe upward

and B) that big piece of plywood (which the bathroom tiles are affixed to) runs right against the outside wall. 

There was no way to macgyver something up in there without affecting the bathroom floor or wall. 

Next!

Bigger 1st hole

Instead, he opened the first hole a bit bigger and added the cheater vent about a foot back from the trap.  You can see it here...where the yellow glue connects the black vertical pipe going upward. 

I love her.

Although not ideally located...she'd be better at 2+ feet from the trap...we agreed to put it here since the bulkhead at the front of our bathtub/shower gave us the space to do it.  Meaning this was the best (only) place to put it. 

The pipe goes waaaaay up, far past the overflow of the tub.  That part...is perfect.

Also needing to be addressed:  the leak.

First fix

Better fix

A little clay/play dough/putty secret weapon.  Otherwise known as "plumber's epoxy."

It's not a forever fix.  But it's enough to hold us over until we are forced (or choose) to do a kitchen/upstairs bathroom reno. 

Yes, the two go hand-in-hand now because of the steel drain.  If it leaks again, it need to be replaced.  Entirely.  Starting point being kitchen floor (it's brand spanking new below that from our basement reno) all the way up behind the bathroom wall where it turns into the vent through the 2nd floor roof.

Thus, kitchen -and bathroom- reno.

For now, we are back to enjoying our main bathroom again.  The best part?  There are three.

No leaking.
No hearing gurgling in the bathtub when you flush the toilet.
NO SMELL.

Normal!
We're enjoying normal.