# kinked supply for roman tub



## lintjosh (Dec 26, 2006)

any advice on straightening a kink on the supply tube of a roman tube _without_ cutting into the sheetrock?

I was thinking of disassembling the handle and snaking 3/8 pex tube into it, then leaving it there so it doesn't kink again.

any other ideas. . . .

thanks


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

Don't you need an access door in the sheetrock anyhow?


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

mdshunk said:


> Don't you need an access door in the sheetrock anyhow?


Only for the pump, the tub filler is probably on the other end.


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

Geez, and all this time I've been thinkin' somebody might need access to the drain and valve too. :sad:
What a waste.
Oops, I guess they do!:whistling


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

neolitic said:


> Geez, and all this time I've been thinkin' somebody might need access to the drain and valve too. :sad:
> What a waste.
> Oops, I guess they do!:whistling


We bury both with stone on a regular basis, if it was installed correctly and tests out leak free why the hell do you need access to it? Repairs to the valve can be made from the top side.


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

They aren't all roman tubs, and it sounds like the OP wouldn't mind a little access right now?
Also seems to be a corollary to Murphy's Law:
The harder it is to get to,
the more certain it is that you will have to.:laughing:


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## Putty Truck (Oct 6, 2007)

lintjosh said:


> any advice on straightening a kink on the supply tube of a roman tube _without_ cutting into the sheetrock?


Nope. I hate playing fast and loose with my insurance carrier (who just renewed with no increase).

It always amazes me why a plumber should care about walls. Git yer single jack and 'ave at it, mate.


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

neolitic said:


> They aren't all roman tubs, and it sounds like the OP wouldn't mind a little access right now?
> Also seems to be a corollary to Murphy's Law:
> The harder it is to get to,
> the more certain it is that you will have to.:laughing:


I guarantee you, on the work we do, the customer is not going to be happy with a removable section of slate or stone in their bathroom. These people pay tens of thousand of dollars for it to be done right the first time.


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

It's true, I don't work many "Gold Coast" standard jobs,
But it's also true that I design most of my jobs.
I work hard to allow for access.
Some times you might be amazed (especially with rare earth magnets).
I've got a couple of marble platforms that it might take you a while 
to figure out what piece comes out!
But your customers are in a different world than mine.
No question about that.
(Read, Ø snark level, here)


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

neolitic said:


> It's true, I don't work many "Gold Coast" standard jobs,
> But it's also true that I design most of my jobs.
> I work hard to allow for access.
> Some times you might be amazed (especially with rare earth magnets).
> ...



All of our jobs have a designer, most have an architect too. It is done the way they want it done. I buried the roman tub filler at my house for that matter.


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## Tiger (Nov 21, 2007)

I'm with Putty Truck on this one.  I have to install conduit in finished homes. I don't care if there's access or not. I can make my own access.

Dave


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

Guys with the bull in the china shop mentality are the ones who I call as a last resort for jobs. Guys who have finesse and take pride in running wires or pipe with the least penetrations are the ones who get called first. You can and will work as you have been taught and feel you have the right, but we also have the right to pick and choose who we want to hire.

I've heard from talented electricians along the lines that the mark of a good experienced electrician is not having to cut access and the mark of either a hack or a newbie is measured by the repairs they cause.

If I have the choice between somebody who can run wire or pipe with minimal repairs or somebody who is going to come in with total disregard I wonder which one is going to get my business?


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

Mike Finley said:


> Guys with the bull in the china shop mentality are the ones who I call as a last resort.....


Sounds like maybe you've had to "eat" some warranty repairs too?:whistling


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

One more reason why it pays to work with tradesman that exhibit the right qualities.


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## threaderman (Nov 15, 2007)

I've plumbed- in many jacuzzis,roman tubs ,whirlpools,and in very high-end homes.I always stress the need for access.How do you test supply lines anyways,all you're getting is a static reading?Regardless,waste and over-flow gaskets eventually fail.Washers in supply line connections under the deck may eventually fail,especially hot side.The prudent person allows for access.I've even repaired/replaced pumps from the exterior of the home,two stories up a ladder to a access panel on the out-side of the home.Parts fail with no-fault on the installers end and sometimes take a while to show up,better to be safe.We don't plan to fail but sometimes fail to plan!


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## Putty Truck (Oct 6, 2007)

What are we supposed to do then, Mike? Wiggle our 18" biceps thru a 2" peep hole to repair a 1/2" x 12" flex? Or maybe say a few holy words over it and the demons will depart?

Where's my single jack....


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## Ron The Plumber (Oct 10, 2006)

New install work is good for 1 year thats all you need to know, if you install something and it last better then 1 year you did the job right, chances are it will last many years beyond the warranty period. If everything we put in last a lifetime, there would be no work for us to do.


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

No, don't get me wrong, when you have to rip open, you have to rip open. 

But I've seen some guys that will rip open a square openning on the face of a corner and I've seen guys who will rip open the entire corner, bead and all, torn up and away, ripped assunder. The first guy opens up a hole and sees if he can work with it, he might have to tear the entire corner out, but he will do that if he has to and not until he is sure he has to. The 2nd guy comes in with the attitude of I'm the plumber, I make holes! and tears the sh*t out of the place tearing out the corner, makes a 10 minute repair into a 2 hour repair, then you're standing there repairing this gaping giant maw wondering what the *****? Did the guy need to be able to crawl inside the wall? :laughing:

On the electrical side, I've been told many times by great electricians that they take pride in avoiding cutting holes and consider it a badge of honor to demostrate their experience in the trade. I've also seen some that I would consider hacks and the amount of holes they cut seems to be in direct proportion to how much of a hack they are.

I had one guy a long time ago cut my sub floor open, right through the hardi backer that was already installed for the tile coming in later. It was the difference from running a wire down from a box 3 feet from the bathtub he was wiring and across the floor or running the wire up the wall and over across the attic and down the wall behind the tub (which was open studs)!:blink: 

That was absolutely ridiculous.


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## Double-A (Jul 3, 2006)

Why would you _not _want some access for inspection or repair? From any point of view?

Are you doing your client a good service by pretending that access will never be an issue or because your warranty period is more likely to expire before there is a problem?

The "Looks good from my house" hack is exactly the kind of subcontractor I don't want to hire under any circumstance.


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## lintjosh (Dec 26, 2006)

I agree 100% about having an access hole. When it's a job I begin, I always tell the customer there _has_ to be one because you never know what might happen.

The situation here is that the entire bathroom is tiled up the butt, and there's no good place to put an access panel without it being in your face. Customer is one of those very picky types.

I told the customer that, most likely, I will have to open the wall a bit to fix it. I was just wondering if there were any other options (tips or tricks, etc.) on fixing it. . . .


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