Sheet Lead For Shower Pans

[Patti]

What are the thickness available?
What is the proper coating?
What strainer is recommended?
Is water testing necessary?
What are the code requirements?

Thank you for your responces and help

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PlumbRich

[Retired plbg1Participant]

We always used 4# sheet lead and and made pig ears on corners. We used tar paper on floor to sit pan on.
Used a shower drain with clamping ring on it, we filled up pan to test it with water, now you dont have to use lead they have a membrane like roofers use for that.

[DUNBARParticipant]

I agree with Retired. Lead pans were before my time in this profession but I know for a fact that the membrane comes in sheets, sold at Lowe’s for sure and is usually gray in color and is cut to length.

Lead is not good for people to come in contact with.

» This message has been edited by DUNBAR on 10 January 2004

» This message has been edited by DUNBAR on 10 January 2004

[John Aldrich1Participant]

PlumbRich, Dunbar brings up a very important issue, perhaps you should conduct an Internet search regarding the health effects on humans, and for that matter any critters, who come in contact with lead. Here is a link that is quite revealing regarding that subject.
http://www.ledizolv.com/LearnAbout/LeadHazards/benfranklin.asp

Even just occasional exposure to lead can cause neurological damage, and brain cell damage. Benjamin Franklin, a great American patriot, statesman, inventor, and scientist wrote at length about the health effects of exposure to lead. The following is from a letter that Old Ben authored on July 31, 1786 to a young friend.

“When I was in Paris with Sir John Pringle in 1767, he visited La Charite, a Hospital particularly famous for the Cure of that Malady, and brought from thence a Pamphlet, containing a List of the Names of Persons, specifying their Professions or Trades, who had been cured there. I had the Curiosity to examine that List, and found that all the Patients were of Trades that some way or other use or work in Lead; such as Plumbers, Glasiers, Painters, &c. excepting only two kinds, Stonecutters and Soldiers. These I could not reconcile to my Notion that Lead was the Cause of that Disorder. But on my mentioning this Difficulty to a Physician of that Hospital, he inform’d me that the Stonecutters are continually using melted Lead to fix the Ends of Iron Balustrades in Stone; and that the Soldiers had been emply’d by Painters as Labourers in Grinding of Colours.”

Notice that Plumbers are at the top of the list. Perhaps you should take the advice offered, and forget about working with lead in any way.

John Aldrich (Septic Tank Yank)

[Retired plbg1Participant]

In my area we worked with lead for 45 yrs. and had no effect from it. We worked with lead pipe and poured lead caulk joints.

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Art retired plbg

[PlumbRichParticipant]

hi guys,

Thank you all for your replies. I find this site very helpful.

Rich

[Author]

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