Schluter Systems News

[Bud Cline]

This may be a somewhat negative way to begin a thread about a company that is in my opinion a leader of inovation in the tile industry but it is worth noting. The funny thing is apparently this little ditty has been known for some time now but I just learned of it last week from Schluter's Customer Service.

In March I purchased six Schluter KERDI Drains. Last week I installed the sixth drain and when I opened the package it contained no filter (strainer). Now this is no huge deal but every KERDI Drain I have ever installed has always had a filter in the KERDI Drain Kit. Assuming this was an oversight I contacted Schluter Systems Customer Service and this is when I was told the filters have been dropped for two years.

Well shoot! I used that little filter guy as a selling-point for the Schluter Kerdi Drain and KERDI Mat shower systems I sell.

As it turns out the filters are only available in Germany these days, seems that there have been "flood issues" with the little filter feature so Schluter Systems has discontinued the filter in this country. Too many people weren't cleaning the drain routinely I guess and of course over time a plug would develope.

I am now wondering how many consumers have those handy little filters in their shower system and don't even know about it.

So....If you have a Schluter System's KERDI Drain in your shower you may want to do a little preventitive maintenance.

[hookknife]

Thanks Bud, thats good to know

[Bill Vincent]

I don't know how YOU rated, Bud ( ), but in all the Kerdi showers I've done, I've YET to see a filter with any of the drains.

[Bud Cline]

Funny thing Bill, in talking with the Schluter Systems Customer Service Rep he made it very clear that those little filters had been non-existent for two years. In fact I got the feeling he thought I was BS'ing him for some reason and was just trying to get something for nothing. Just wait until I see Andy Acker.

I bought the KERDI Drains from a supplier in Omaha, I guess this will attest to how many KERDI Drains THAT supplier sells in a year or two.

Also, take a look at the box they come in. Look closely at the photo on the top of the box. What do you see in the picture? That's right, the filter is included in the photo. At least on all my boxes it is.

[Danny Ferguson]

I've never had a Schluter drain come without a filter too. It's been about six months since my last one though.

[Chuck]

Ive never seen a strainer.

[Bud Cline]

No and you probably won't from what I'm hearing now. That little sucker helped in selling some jobs for me I think.

Funny thing, after all this crap, the shower I installed last week came with a filter and I forgot to put the sucker in the assembly when I set the strainer package. If I hadn't made such a big deal out of how nice it was to have that filter I could have used that one on this new shower with the missing filter.

[Jim Carlin]

When the new deains were released,(nickel, copper, brass) there is a cross brace under the grate. This makes it impossible to remove the screens. I've also heard the same story about the screens causing a backup, but I believe it is that you can't remove the screen!

Jim

[Chuck]

I sell them based on them being square, pretty, and easy to screed to. Here in the Southeast, I run into weird county code issues that make it hard to get folks to switch from that stupid, 2 stager that everyone installs improperly.

[Bud Cline]

SCHLUTER SYSTEMS has announced the addition of a NEW 6' X 6' Shower Base Kit (Item # ST-183)

In addition at this pdf there is information that will answer a few questions about shower receptor techniques, very informative.

http://www.schluter.com/english/prod...rochure062.pdf

Funny you mention that Bud, In Canada I haven't seen the strainers in about a year. I jsut assumed it didn't get packaged. I've honestly done about 5 this year and it makes sense. It will catch hair and everything else. But getting it out as you know is pretty easy. Just unscrew the top and out it comes but I haven't used a brass or nickel top as Jim suggests.

[Jim Carlin]

The brass, nickel, and copper drains have only 1 screw in the middle and the stainless has 2 in opposite corners. If you look at the design it has a cross bar to support the drain cover and makes it impossible to remove the strainer.
It's time to confess. The first time I used the new style I didn't check it out very closely . I leave a test plug in the drain base to prevent debris from going down the pipe. Well I set the tile, and the drain top. Next day grouted the shower and during the normal cleanup I pull the drain cover and remove the plug. Well you can guess my surprise when I only had 1 screw to remove and found a cross bar blocking my drain plug. As they say the rest is history. To add insult to injury, ( and maybe a little salt to my wound) I did it once more on another job. Now I don't have any trouble remembering to remove it before the drain top is installed. I just keep say to myself over and over ........
Jim

[RandyL]

Gid'day lads, me again. Jim what does a brass drain cost, just out of curiosity? Haven't had one yet.

RandyL

[Jim Carlin]

Randy, The three new ones list for $109 @. Actual cost will depend on your supplier and your volume. They are pricey, but worth it. Haven't used one of the old style 3 piece clamping drains in years.
Jim

[Lazarus]

Interesting as I just installed a Kerdi System and....no strainer, tho it shows one in the pics!