Shower Stall Rough-In to Code?
#1
07-18-10, 06:20 PM
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Shower Stall Rough-In to Code?
I have a Lasco Bathlock shower stall installed in our basement bathroom and I'm not really pleased with a few aspects of the work. It was done before I owned the house so it's not a matter of calling the installer and asking them. One problem is that the pipe holding the shower head is still free to move back and forth. Not good for the drywall above the tiled area! The other concern I have is with a lack of any blocking to support the valve that shuts off the water. At this time the weight of the valve is entirely held up by the hot and cold supply lines (copper). I'm planning on fixing the shower head pipe and the drywall but I'd like to bring the whole thing up to code if anything's not! (Indiana)
Thanks in advance!
ChristopherT
Thanks in advance!
ChristopherT
#2
07-18-10, 06:54 PM
Christopher, it's probably not a pure code issue, but definitely sloppy workmanship. The "plumber" should have been sent to the first grade before being let loose on the public.
Now, I know you can't access behind the shower unit, right? Are the walls above and beside the shower finished yet? Where does the shower head exit the wall? In the shower or above it? When you take the control valve cover off can you see behind the valve? There may be a way to do it. Let us know.
Now, I know you can't access behind the shower unit, right? Are the walls above and beside the shower finished yet? Where does the shower head exit the wall? In the shower or above it? When you take the control valve cover off can you see behind the valve? There may be a way to do it. Let us know.
#3
07-18-10, 07:55 PM
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Originally Posted by chandler
Christopher, it's probably not a pure code issue, but definitely sloppy workmanship. The "plumber" should have been sent to the first grade before being let loose on the public.
Now, I know you can't access behind the shower unit, right? Are the walls above and beside the shower finished yet? Where does the shower head exit the wall? In the shower or above it? When you take the control valve cover off can you see behind the valve? There may be a way to do it. Let us know.
Now, I know you can't access behind the shower unit, right? Are the walls above and beside the shower finished yet? Where does the shower head exit the wall? In the shower or above it? When you take the control valve cover off can you see behind the valve? There may be a way to do it. Let us know.
the studs. The walls are all finished in the bathroom.
The shower pan appears to be sitting on another, as it's about an 10"-12" step up into the shower itself. ChristopherT
#4
07-19-10, 04:13 AM
From the laundry side, measure up and cut a sizeable hole in the wall at the point of attachment for the valve. You can then attach framing lumber in behind the valve and attach it to the studs on either side. Then from the shower side, screw the valve ears to the newly installed framing. Make your wall repair, or even better, make an access hole and trim it in. As for the shower ear, it may need the same lumber and screwing from the shower side.
Ouch! 10" means they had a problem with exit draining and had to raise the base to accommodate it.
Ouch! 10" means they had a problem with exit draining and had to raise the base to accommodate it.
#5
07-19-10, 04:29 PM
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Originally Posted by chandler
From the laundry side, measure up and cut a sizeable hole in the wall at the point of attachment for the valve. You can then attach framing lumber in behind the valve and attach it to the studs on either side. Then from the shower side, screw the valve ears to the newly installed framing. Make your wall repair, or even better, make an access hole and trim it in. As for the shower ear, it may need the same lumber and screwing from the shower side.
Ouch! 10" means they had a problem with exit draining and had to raise the base to accommodate it.
Ouch! 10" means they had a problem with exit draining and had to raise the base to accommodate it.
Time for 1 strong cup and then I'm going to take a look at the shower head. The stall is about 27" square and the current shower head is a hose attachment. I'm thinking of putting a rain head on that would spray down into the center of the shower. The wood work should be fairly easy to do. What kind of problems do you think they had? It does drain fairly fast currently. ChristopherT
#6
07-19-10, 06:46 PM
You'll have less problems with the rain head than you will with the hose attachment. Remember everytime you unhook the wand and use it, you put pressure on the shower neck pipe. It is really thin and you will eventually break it (been there). You don't touch the rain head. You won't get more water out of the rain head, just more of a spread of the water that does come out. More coverage if you will.
#7
07-20-10, 06:59 PM
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Originally Posted by chandler
You'll have less problems with the rain head than you will with the hose attachment. Remember everytime you unhook the wand and use it, you put pressure on the shower neck pipe. It is really thin and you will eventually break it (been there). You don't touch the rain head. You won't get more water out of the rain head, just more of a spread of the water that does come out. More coverage if you will.
There is one bracket holding the pipe to the stud halfway between the valve and the showerhead elbow. At this time I'm going to remove the rest of the sheetrock in the laundry room (behind the shower unit not the actual wall!) and start measuring where all the blocking should have gone! 
ChristopherT
#8
07-21-10, 04:57 AM
Great idea. Glad you have the impetus to do it right. If you do run piping up and overhead to a rainhead, and have a Delta control valve, the pipe must be copper. Don't ask why, but cpvc must have too much restriction in it or something. Even Delta's instruction manual specifies any run over 3' must be copper. Just food for thought.
