Acrylic bath needs sides of waste hole sealing?

[mooncat]

Hi I am new to this forum, I have been a fully qualified plumber for 10 years and I have years of experience in assessing insurance claims and investigating leaks/causes of leaks on behalf of insurers but I have never come across a leak from water travelling through the side of a waste hole in an acrylic bath through the fibre glass and then out of the underside a good 250mm away from the waste. The bath manufacturer says that the only part of the bath that is guaranteed as being water tight is the inside but not the sides of the waste hole and that the installer is responsible for sealing them by rubbing sealant into the edges!
Has anyone else ever come across this?

Atb,

Andy

 

[justlead1]

Hi Surly the bath has delaminated around the waste, which providing the joint underside of the bath is ok suggests its a bath fault?

 

[mooncat]

That is exactly what I said to the customer but the response from the manufacturer was that the edge of the waste hole was porous fibreglass and that the bath would leak if the plumber didn't seal the edge; apparently I was at fault for not sealing the cut edges of the waste hole? I fitted a new waste today and rubbed LSX into the edge of the hole and I told the customer again that I think the bath is not fit for purpose.

Am I going mad?

 

[turnpin]

Hello Mooncat and welcome imho if the manufacturer cut the hole and did not seal it`s raw edges surely they would have covered their liability by stating that the installer must seal it in the instructions supplied with the bath good luckregards turnpin

 

[mooncat]

Good point turnpin, and there was no mention of waste installation in the instructions! Have you ever come across this problem before?

 

[turnpin]

Plenty of leaking wastes caused by badly fitted components but not as you have described the actual bath leaking through a raw edge suspect manufacturers trying it on imhoregards turnpin

 

[PlumbBobBob]

manufacturer is talking carp and trying to get out of supplying new bath in my opinion.

 

[REDSAW]

get hold of trading standards, then tell them you have done so but make sure you have a fitting guide from them.
not fit for purpose.imo.

 

[unguided1]

I agree with the above the bath waste hole has become delaminated by the sound of it, what bath is it and where did you get it from, because if it was me I would be tearing it out and taking it back making loud moaning noises.
Clearly if the fibre glass does not have enough resin in it, then the bath is not fit for purpose and if you have a hefty customer they could put there foot clean through the bath.

 

[mooncat]

Thanks for the replies.
The bath retailer is Summers Hill Bathrooms Kingswinford West Midlands and the bath is a Pheonix. I checked with the customer today that there have been no more leaks and urged him to take it further with the supplier before the tiling has been completed and it becomes too late for an easy replacement job (it is siliconed to the wall as it is). I have told him to look at this forum so that he can see I am telling him the truth that you would expect the edges of the waste hole to be waterproof! I will get a copy of the installation instructions and then talk to the customer about trading standards.

 

[REDSAW]

could be worth finding your local fiberglass moulder and asking his opinion.
i think it is sub-standard made in china crap. not enough resin used. or incorrect resin?.

 

[markfxy]

I've had this problem with an acrylic bath with ball and claw feet the water was dripping from the boltholes on the feet! when iI read the installation instructions it does state that you must seal the inside of the waste hole with silicone once it had dried out i sealed it as per instructions problem solved.

 

[mooncat]

I found a thread on another forum from 2006 where someone had the exact same problem. I think I will just put this down to experience. What worries me is how many Fibre glass reinforced Acrylic baths I have fitted over the years; are they all dripping a little! I think the only thing that has saved me is the over use of silicone on the wastes. This one when I removed the waste only had a small area of the raw edge that wasn't covered in silicone from the original fitting. I don't think that there was anything in the instructions about it as I did read them but without getting a copy I won't know.
I suppose the main thing is that the bath has stopped leaking although it took a week to leak the first time and then it would leak on and off.