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nanaofive

really upset about Liberty maufactured home

nanaofive
16 years ago

Hello! We are attempting to find a leak in our main bath/shower between the wall of the bath and bedroom. We purchased a new tub surround and faucet since the other one was cracked. This is a 1997 Liberty we bought in 2001. After removing the surround we discovered there is no access to get to the plumbing. Just to convince myself that we were correct, I called Liberty main office. The gentleman I spoke to said, there should right behind the tub enclosure, but gave me the number for the manufacturing plant in Sheridan,Oregon and sure enough there is not an access to it, so I guess we are forced to cut a hole in the drywall in the bedroom and then try to repair that after the faucet is fixed. My husband says there sure will be an access after we're done! Anyone ever run into anything like this? Thanks for listening and any advice anyone may have. Nan

Comments (11)

  • christopherh
    16 years ago

    This seems to beither a design flaw or just sloppiness by the plant. But it's really no big deal. Just put an access panel behind the plumbing and you can make it attractive in the bedroom by doing some decorating. Again, in the overall scheme of things, it's no big deal.

  • christopherh
    16 years ago

    I gave this some more thought and realized that in all the homes I grew up in and have owned, none have had an access panel for the tub plumbing. I have a 2 bath home now and there are no panels. I have owned split level homes and no panel. The house I grew up in had no panel. My friend has a $500,000 home and now that I think about it, the bathroom plumbing is against the kitchen. So I know there's no access panel there either.
    The more I thought about it I realized that a panel would have been obvious. So if you need to access the plumbing, you cut a hole in the drywall and do what has to be done and replace the drywall. Because that's what I would have to do.

  • adirondackgardener
    16 years ago

    You're correct, Christopherh. Manufacturer's (and stick builders) do not generally provide access panels for plumbing connections. For items such as a whirlpool pumps that require service they should, but not for things such as shower diverters. We assume that homeowners would prefer to make simple openings in the inexpensive sheetrock than to look at small doors oddly located in their walls forever.

    We do try to locate shower and tub plumbing to minimize the inconvenience, such as by not locating the plumbing on the exterior wall two or three stories up, or back-to back with another shower.

    I'm a bit confused though. Did nanaofive already install the new surround?

    Wayne

  • nanaofive
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks for your respnses. No we haven't installed the shower surround yet. We have purchased it and a new faucet but have not been able to get to this project as my husband has had to 2 procedures in the past two weeks for a suspicious paratracheal nodule and hasn't been up to snuff. We have removed the old one and prepared the wall behind it. Now we need to cut the hole in the bedroom wall. After reading your responses it makes since to me why there wouldn't be an access. Patching the drywall in the bedroom should not be too difficult. Can you suggest the proper way to cut into the wall? I thought we should measure, then use a utility knife and carefully cut the drywall. Is this correct? Nana

  • adirondackgardener
    16 years ago

    The reason I asked about if you've installed the new surround yet is that typically, we would prepare the rough plumbing for the shower from the shower side of the wall. Then we would install the surround, them finish by installing the controls and the shower head with the shoper in place. The problem may occur if you need to access valves inside the wall, which hopefully, that isn't an issu. If it is, you may need to relocate shutoff calvees to a more logical location.

    I'll admit that plumbing has never been my strongest suit, but I hope this may help.

    Wayne

  • adirondackgardener
    16 years ago

    I can't believe the typos in my last post. Sorry.

    Wayne

  • alviec
    16 years ago

    "This seems to beither a design flaw or just sloppiness by the plant."

    Is this not a defect? If this was a design flaw, how did it pass "compliance" testing to get the label?

    You guys should really not mislead a consumer into believing that if "something was left out at the factory" is ok, it is not. Is it ok for the manufacturer to leave an electrical wire loose inside a wall?

    Whether the person posting this realizes this or not, there are additional issues with the home when it springs a leak. Though they may not rear their ugly head immediately, it will make an appearance not long after.
    My advice is to thouroghly inspect the home from the floor above to underneath the home to ensure everything is ok. If the home had a leak very long, the bottom batting will be sagging excessively. MOld can grown in between the batting and the bottom side of the floor, including the floor joists. Then to the walls. Is there mold growing in the cavity of the walls? Wood and sheetrock do absorb moisture, not to mention the OSB wood used for the flooring, which in time become weakened due to moisture.
    Don't let them lead you into disbelieving in me. Otherwise, you will find my predictions to be true.
    Ask yourself this, "Do I enjoy my good health"?

    And you guys quit trying to pass of a mobile home as a reference to a "stick built" home. The manufacturer relates a mobile home to a car.

    Geez, you guys are really deceptive. And don't get upset with my comments. It's a free speech thing, besides it being the truth.

    If the manufacturer did not follow 24 CFR 3280 guidelines, and had a design flaw, they failed to manufacturer the home to compliance.

    Period.

  • christopherh
    16 years ago

    "...If the manufacturer did not follow 24 CFR 3280 guidelines, and had a design flaw, they failed to manufacturer the home to compliance.

    Period..."

    I agree. And they should be punished. So go get 'em Alvie. Get the specs for EVERY manufactured home company's models and find out who is violating those standards. And report back to us with your findings. I want the NAMES of EVERY
    MANUFACTURER and the EXACT violations of 24 CFR 3280.

    But I really don't think you'll do anything like that. It's easier just to rant and rail against an industry because you didn't know how to research your home's company and got shafted. So we have to listen to your constant whining.

  • alviec
    16 years ago

    I loved being called a whiner. It make me feel good that you guys are the brightest of the bunch and I'm way off down here under the steps.
    I pity the fools that will belive in what you state. But that is their choice. I know better.
    Look at your rants to taunt me. You look really silly. You want to distract the consumer from me. That's fine. I have no arguement with that. It is expected, when someone tried to uncover something that others don't want revealed. Its bad for business.

    I think that if you would like to quote me, try to do it in a more diplomatic manner. It will make you appear a little better. More than blatantly exposing yourself for what you really are.

    I would bet you are a really nice guy. But your tactics to be aggressive towards a person posting on this forum, doesn't appear to make you the person I would want to know. What a shame.

    As I have said before, you guys punch, kick all you want. I have a right to place a post here if I feel like it. That is, unless the administrator finds something objective to my posts. I would honestly think they would look more towards you guys than to me. I am not attacking you. Why should I?

  • adirondackgardener
    16 years ago

    To the original poster:

    As was said earlier, it is not a design flaw. Ask any local plumber if they provide access panels behind shower diverters or if the code in your area requires it. None of the codes in the states I build in does.

    Wayne

  • christopherh
    16 years ago

    "...As I have said before, you guys punch, kick all you want. I have a right to place a post here if I feel like it. That is, unless the administrator finds something objective to my posts. I would honestly think they would look more towards you guys than to me. I am not attacking you. Why should I?..."

    Alvie, nobody's "attacking" you. All I want you do do is BACK UP your claims, that's all.
    And yes, you DO have every right to post. And I'll defend it. But don't get all upset when you're challenged, that's all. If you continue to disparage an entire industry with outrageous claims, you will be challenged to back up those claims. What's wrong with that?

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