Bathtub drain not connected to drain pipe; bathwater draining into foundation

[SanDiegoMike]

Hello. We bought a small single-story house in San Diego last year (built in 1970), and there was a mildew smell in the master bedroom/bathroom area. The exhaust fan in the bathroom was broken so we thought that this was the cause of the mildew. The house inspection didn't turn up anything really substantial, but the mildew smell persisted even though I installed a new bathroom fan, and cleaned everything thoroughly with a fungicide. Figuring that the mold might be hidden deep inside the walls, we tore down all the walls to the studs in our mold hunt, but still really didn't find much. However, there is a second bathroom adjacent to the master bathroom and seems to share plumbing. I noticed that the area under the second bathroom's drain seemed to be wet. Then realized that the tub drain is not connected to the drain system, and this bathwater was draining directly into the hole of the foundation; the bathwater doesn't seem to be collecting, and seems to be draining into the earth. We are worried about the foundation...has anyone heard of anything like this?

 

[SHEPLMBR]

Yes that looks like a brass slip joint waste. It rotted out. Looks original. take it all out and replace with a pvc one.

 

[CT-18]

That is on a slab. Someone has to dig all that up and find the waste line where everything rotted away and try to make new connections. That is not going to be fun at all.

 

[Kaorder59]

Really shouldnt be a big deal need a new waste and overflow reconnect the new where the old ties in usually with some type of band. Definitely want to get it fixed asap that amount of moisture under a slab, here in Texas, will tear it up pretty easily. http://www.integrityplumbingrepair.com

 

[SHEPLMBR]

That is on a slab. Someone has to dig all that up and find the waste line where everything rotted away and try to make new connections. That is not going to be fun at all.

NO, but necessary. Or let it keep leaking.

 

[CT-18]

For sure necessary, but no fun. I would imagine it will be costly.

 

[pasadena_commut]

Isn't that the waste line just to the left and in front of the drain in the bottom picture, just with the trap missing that should connect the two? Hard to tell from the picture as there are not many depth cues. If it is then put on a new trap at that point and that will stop the leak.

However...

What is down in that hole? All that tub water had to go somewhere and if it has been draining out of that pit into the soil beneath for years there may be large void beneath the house.

 

[Debo22]

Isn't that the waste line just to the left and in front of the drain in the bottom picture, just with the trap missing that should connect the two? Hard to tell from the picture as there are not many depth cues. If it is then put on a new trap at that point and that will stop the leak.

However...

What is down in that hole? All that tub water had to go somewhere and if it has been draining out of that pit into the soil beneath for years there may be large void beneath the house.

The trap is most likely buried near the studs. To me it looks like someone tried to change the tub strainer and the shoe broke and spun on them, from above they thought the strainer was unthreading but wondering why it wouldn't come out.