A Guide to Bathtub Conversion Fitting
A bathtub conversion is a simple process that involves the conversion of a normal bathtub into a shower stall. The plumbing for this type of endeavor is relatively easy to accomplish and generally requires no more expertise than the fitting of a basin. Once done, you can enjoy your newly remodeled bathtub or shower in no time. Below are some tips on how to make a bathtub conversion fitting as easy and straightforward as possible.
Firstly, when preparing for your bathtub conversion, make sure that your old bathtub drain hole is plugged with new hardware so as to avoid leaks. You should also have a bucket with at least a half gallon of water available for filling the tubs with. The installation process itself is very easy. All you need to do is drill a small hole in the floor of the bathtub and then insert an adaptor hose through the newly drilled hole and onto the drain pipe.
Next, you should drain the existing water supply from the bathroom to avoid any plumbing complications later on. Afterward, you should connect the other end of the plumbing hose to a garden hose to connect it to the bathtub. If there are existing faucets in the bathtub, simply attach them to the drain pipe and drain the water out of them. In any case, there will be one drain hole in the lower part of the bathtub. This hole should be drilled and the plumbing connected to it.
After that, you should line the tub up with the existing holes in the floor and insert the drain pipe into it. Then, you should fill up the bathtub with hot water and place a cloth over the drain hole so as to avoid any leakage. Put on rubber gloves prior to starting the job. The reason why you should wear gloves is that glazed ceramic tiles can become quite slippery.
Once the bathtub is filled up with water, you should turn on the stove, but do not turn on the fireplace yet. Once you have done so, you should wait for at least fifteen to twenty minutes so that the tepid air inside the tub warms up. The reason why you should wait for the water to become heated is because you need time to install the new drain. It is also important that you remove the old trap after installing the new one in order to prevent any leak or overflow.
Before finishing the bathtub conversion, you should wipe off any water or condensation and put on rubber gloves. Turn on the gas and pour some propane into the newly fitted tub. Then, you should close the plumbing pipes with the help of t-shaped pipes that are connected to each other. You should leave enough space between the pipes so that you can reach them easily.
