I just had the following interchange with my good tenant. This is the same family whose water heater was leaking for over 2 months before they told me. Son brought up the rent and casually said:
Tenant: Do you have something to put on the bathtub?
Me: Ummmm what's the problem?
Tenant: I think the thing on the top needs something.
Me: What thing?
Tenant: Maybe some epoxy?
Me: What needs epoxy?
Tenant: The round thing.
Me: The drain or the overflow?
Tenant: I think we need epoxy, do you have anything?
Me: I am confused, I'll come down and look.
Tenant: Ok
After looking at the OVERFLOW cap, it was fine but the entire area around it (the ACTUAL TUB) is rotting and rusted and porcelain chipping off), I suggest using Caulk to fill in the HOLE all the way around.
Me: OK, come with me and I'll give you some caulking. It will save me a trip walking back down here.
Tenant: Ok.
Me: All alone walking back to house to get caulk. Tenant nowhere in sight.
Me back at house with caulk.
Me: Here's the caulk, just push the tip sideways and it will come out. (special can with self propellant)
Tenant: Do I need to add water?
Me: NO just push the tip and it will come out. Spread it around the drain in thin layers and let each one dry before adding another. Smooth it out with your finger.
Tenant then proceeds to liberally apply a thick coat all over and I walk out growling under my breath.
Hopefully it will at least fill in the gaping hole and coat the rusted, falling apart tub.
I have NO idea how this happened. All I can figure it they cleaned it with something totally caustic, like Muriatic Acid and left it sitting on there and it ate the porcelain and now the tub is falling apart around the overflow plate.
I went on the net and bought a BIG oversized overflow cap to cover it all. Hopefully it will arrive before they further kill the tub. At least it will look better.
I am still shaking my head wondering how anyone can 1)Not tell me for 2 months about a leaking water heater (bill doubled on water), 2)Let lime from our hard water build up to a point on the kitchen faucet that it actually corroded the metal and had to be totally replaced, and 3)Managed to somehow destroy the actual porcelain over iron tub around the overflow plate.
This is a family whose house is spotless and neat and they are nice people. I just don't know.
Arrrraaaaghhhhhh!