Hole on underside of bath faucet?


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Old 06-06-20, 03:27 AM
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Hole on underside of bath faucet?

I have a shower/tub (looks like a 1 piece acrylic) in a house built in ~1988.) Shower head at top, single controller, and typical faucet for tub (that has the little lever you pull to route the water to the shower head), with drain and the little drain (open/close) toggle thing.to open/close drain.

My question is what is the hole on the underside of the water faucet? Seems to be a little square hole nearer the wall? I thought it might be some sort of overflow but it is above the top of the tub so that makes no sense..
(Seems I have ants coming from it but do not know its purpose.)
Thx!
 
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Old 06-06-20, 03:40 AM
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Send a picture. The overflow should be built into the trip lever for the drain stopper.

If you have ants coming through that hole then it's not part of the plumbing. Could be that the installers did not locate the faucet hole properly and had to recut the hole. It should've been sealed with Silicone or pached.
 
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Old 06-06-20, 04:07 AM
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Sometimes there is a hole on the bottom for the screw that holds it in place or it's there for drainage. I would not plug the hole to block the ants.
 
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Old 06-06-20, 04:15 AM
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My mistake. I thought I read a hole in the actual tub.
Agree with PD.
 
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Old 06-06-20, 04:50 AM
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Typically it's just a weep hole. If water gets in, it gives it an easy way to get out so that it isnt forced back down the pipe penetration.
 
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Old 06-06-20, 05:48 AM
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I should have taken a photo first -- seems I cannot upload here but i do see a screw in there e but must be open to the wall. Seems a few ants came through... already talked to exterminator guy who had sprayed around the house before for few ants in kitchen. Ordered some Gel to stuff into that hole as well

Was just curious about the hole...

Thx

I forgot to ask... but can I use that screw to remove the faucet and gain access to the wall (to spray the killer Gel)?
 
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Old 06-06-20, 11:16 AM
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Yes, you could remove your tub's spout and be able to put pesticide inside the wall but I would not bother. I very seriously doubt your shower is what they want, though they may like the soap residue. I think you would have better luck with traditional household ant treatment methods.
 
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Old 06-06-20, 02:08 PM
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Funny thing about ants and finding them in the bathroom. I think it's the draw to water. Most often my customers complain about ants and usually they say they're coming from the bathroom or they spot them in the bathroom first.
 
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Old 06-07-20, 10:35 AM
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That hole on the underside of the tub spout should not be sealed or filled. It is a weep hole. Without the weep hole, if the spout started to rust out or was not installed tight enough to begin with then water could fill up inside (between the outer shell and the water pipe inside) and leak back into the wall.

Over the years I have replaced a lot of tub spouts, which were of
zinc alloy or other metal that tends to pit and swell and corrode although not produce green or brown rust. I would make such a hole underneath if a hole was not already there.
 
 

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