Leaking shower drain

[JWG]

I was in the basement this AM while my wife was showring and saw a small drip that appears to be comeing from the shower drain in our master bathroom. What is the procedure for repairing/replacing the drain? I have access to the drain/p-trap etc. from the basement.
Thanks.

[LazyPup]

JWG..Please accept my appology for the delay in responding, I just finished writing a book on another subject that i have been researching for over ten years and i have been distracted by getting it all together.

To answer your question on the shower drain. There are numerous methods used by the most common is a shower drain basket assembly that installs in nearly the same manner as a kitchen sink basket.

Normally once the basket assembly is in place a short vertical tailpiece of 2" PVC fitted from the drain basket to the P-trap input and it is all glued in place.

If you have a slight leak it is most likely a result of the plumbers putty seal under the basket upper flange having dried out and cracked.

You stated you have access from underneath so the repair should be rather simple. Unscrew the locknut, then you should be able to push upwards on the pipe from below to expose a small gap between the flange and the shower floor. Hopefully you can get about 1/2 gap.

While someone is holding the drain assembly up from underneath, clean as much of the old putty out as you can, then form a rope of plumbers putty about 1/4" to 3/8" diameter and work it in under the flange and retighten the nut.

An option which is preffered by some is to use clear silicone sealer instead of the plumbers putty.