re-bath problem help please!

[srob]

Hi everyone!  I have a rental where the previous owners had a re-bath installation, with a pre-fit cover installed over the old cast iron tub and a surround added, etc. It is a few years old but in great shape. The problem is that the tenants are complaining that the tub feels squishy...apparently water has gotten in between the rebath covering and the old tub and has no way to get out!

I unscrewed the drain and tried to shove a scewdriver through the opening in between the old bath tub and the cover to create a channel for the water to drain out, but there is a bunch of adhesive that I can't penetrate. I also caulked around the fittings and borders to try to stop any new water from getting down there but they say it is getting worse. The local rebath company will not touch it, saying they didn't do the install, and the plumber doesn't know what to do either other than putting in a new bath tub and surround, which would cost me over a grand. The tenants want me to come and take another look at it but I don't know what to do about it.

Has anyone heard of this problem and do you have any ideas?

Thanks!

[lthenderson]

I would probably try with something thinner like a narrow putty knife and see if you can't get through the adhesive around the drain hole. You also might try stepping on the water to force it towards the drain hole.

Another option might be to drill a hole in the cast iron tub from underneath if accessible.

Neither of these really solve things unless you can figure out where the leak is to prevent it from getting worse.

[paddedhat]

See if you can rent or borrow a heat gun. It's like an industrial grade hand held hair dryer. Now, with gloves on, try to carefully heat the plastic surface o the liner, at the drain opening. You want to get the plastic as hot as possible without melting or creating scorch marks on the finish. There is a good chance that this will soften the adhesive enough to allow you to pull the liner off the old tub surface.

Sorry you are in this mess. I can't stand bath fitters, and have talked to friends and clients that they screwed over they years. "one day bath remodel" is nothing more than a low quality $200 tub surround and a $200 tub liner with a 2000%+ mark-up. They are a fraud.

[srob]

Thanks guys I will give it a go this week...might try heating it up like you said. It is in a basement so drilling through the bottom is not an option unfortunately. Kind of stinks that for the price they paid for this retrofit, they could have put in a whole new bathroom. I think that the previous owner paid 4k or something like that.

[srob]

thanks paddedhat! I bought a cheap heat gun at HD and it did loosen up the adhesive enough to shove a screwdriver in there and drain the water. I left a 14g copper wire in the tract to hold open the void and put it back together, so hopefully it will drain on its own in the future.