How to Install Tub Plumbing
Bathtubs are a convenience most of us take for granted without ever stopping to think about the labor involved with installing them. The Achilles heel of these modern bathing tubs is their plumbing. Careless, imprecise work when plumbing these fixtures is the cause of most of those maddening, seemingly impossible-to-stop leaks that can keep us awake at night. Exact measurements and precise plumbing are the two essentials to avoid the frequency of these repairs. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Marker
- Drill and bit
- Copper or PVC plumbing pipe
- Hacksaw or pipe cutters
- Flux
- Torch
- Solder wire
- Pipe connectors
- Plumber sealant
Instructions
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Check and confirm local building codes that list bathroom requirements. Most most codes require that bathrooms take up a space at least five feet by eight feet. Review the codes to get the required distances or clearances between fixtures. Remember the standard tub is 60 inches long and 32 inches wide and the tub space must be exactly square.
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PVC is preferred to copper by some plumbers. Use the bathroom code guidelines to draw a rough layout of the room and decide the bathtub location. Confirm the locally permitted pipe material and required sizes for your tub, usually a 3 inch PVC for the main drain and a 2 inch PVC for the vents and drainage lines. Decide based on codes and the layout whether the tub will have right or left end fixtures.
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Select the vent location for the tub. Situate it within a few feet of the tub according to the local venting code. Extend the vent through the ceiling into the attic to tie into another vent, or through the roof as a standalone vent.
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It is a good idea to replace aging pipe with the new tub. Lay out the drain line for the tub. Tie this line into the main drain line in the crawlspace or basement of the house. Seal the openings created when these are installed per local codes.
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Run the hot and cold supply lines by first dry fitting them in place. Refer to the tub manufacturer's instructions and local codes regarding required water pipe locations. Drill holes into the subfloor using a drill and bit for these lines or pipes.
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Sawed to their proper length, 2 by 4s used for staking can serve as brace boards too. Saw two 2 by 4 boards at 16 inches and nail them flat between the wall studs to provide adequate bracing for the separate water supply lines. Stub out and tie in the two water lines at the recommended height recommended by the tub manufacturer, usually 19 to 22 inches above the floor. Anchor the pipes with clamps to the 2 by 4 boards between the studs.
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Attach the copper supply strap to the studs for the hot and cold water extensions for the faucet handles. Align the strap so the pipes fit into the pre-cut notches along the strap. Solder the pipes to the strap.
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Generally avoid 90 degree turns for navigating plumbing around obstacles. Install 90 degree elbows to the two water lines. Drop-ear elbows are required for most codes. Attach the threaded brass nipples to the elbows. Cut notches into the wall studs, or use 45 degree elbows, per code, to navigate laterally around other pipes and wall obstructions.
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Tips & Warnings
Recruit a helper for this job.
Call a licensed, insured plumber if you do not have experience with plumbing copper pipe, or use PVC to avoid sweating pipe and torches.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit a flowering plant resting on a bathtub ledge image by David Smith from Fotolia.com pvc image by pearlguy from Fotolia.com Exterior Plumbing 8 20080713-1210426 image by SIGNSofMIND from Fotolia.com batter boards image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com pipelines image by Falk from Fotolia.com
