Tub overflow seal "....not designed for constant exposure to water" ?

[itbedave]

I'm posting this on behalf of a friend who discovered water pouring into her kitchen from above where her son was taking a bath last weekend. They'd had a toilet leak in that bath before that caused drywall damage in the kitchen. The plumber at the time (2010) had to access that area through the kitchen ceiling as well to check the tub area for leaks. At that time, they replaced the tub fixtures, including the drain and overflow.

So she's had the same plumbing company come out today to look at the new leak. He said it was coming from the top of the overflow. When she told them they had done the work to replace the overflow, he decided he needed to call his manager. The work on the invoice, mind you, was only warrantied for 2 years. :-\

The manager told her they were willing to give her 50% off their work today, and that "...those seals are not designed for constant exposure to water." So she believes her 3 kids are to blame for filling the tub too high and causing that seal to fail. I obviously have a very different opinion.

I've got two kids in a 14 year old home with entry level contractor pack plumbing fixtures and my overflow hasn't failed once, in spite of their best efforts! Am I right to be suspect of this plumbing company and their statement that work they did 4 years ago could fail that easily.

They'd already put thousands into repairing the bath and kitchen from the last problem. Now there's concern about how long it's been leaking, If there's mold, not to mention the costs of again fixing the kitchen ceiling where water came through the cabinets this time. :-(

Would appreciate honest feedback and advice. Thanks in advance.

[BrntToast]

sounds like BS to me

i can say personally my overflow is submerged every time we use the bath tub

i took off the cap on the overflow and turned it upside so that the tub will fill higher with water

did that over 10 years ago and its still not leaking

[Budget Appliance Repair]

I agree with BrntToast on this, I to call BS.

 

It's just a rubber gasket around the overflow plate - sometimes also includes the stopper handle.  My bet is the installers didn't tighten it down good and if there is a stopper handle in the center of the overflow plate and it is used it probably has worked it way looser and is now leaking when you run the water to the overflow.

 

Or they let the gasket fall out out of position before they tightened it down so it just leaks.

Edited April 28, 2014 by Budget Appliance Repair