Help me fix this plumbing disaster

[john6221]

So the sink in my basement bathroom was slow draining and I thought it would be a simple removal of the P-trap to clear a clog. Well, when I pulled the p-trap off, there was no clog. So naturally I went to the pipe that went through the wall into the drain pipe. I became suspicious when I noticed that the previous owner had slathered plumber's putty all over the nut...and then went I went to loosen the nut, the whole pipe fell on the floor....because it was behind held together behind the wall by a rubber union.

It seems that what happened was that at some point, the pipe that goes into the copper drain line corroded so much that it fell apart. Instead of proper repair, the previous owner used a rubber union and a bunch of plumber's putty.

Now...how do I fix this? I'm thinking that my only option is to cut out the T-junction, replace it with PVC, use a rubber union to join the PVC above and below the copper, and re-plumb the sink. Does that sound right??

[paddedhat]

That's exactly how most pros would fix it. The rubber unions you speak of are referred to as "Ferncos" which is both a brand, Fernco, and a common usage name for any clamped rubber, "From-to" fitting.  They come in two types. The most common is a rubber sleeve with band clamps at each end. The other is a "Shielded" type, with a stainless steel outer wrap that provides stiffness to the joint. I would use the second type, as they are not much more money, and they will keep everything a lot more rigid.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/1-1-2-in-x-1-1-2-in-EPDM-Rubber-Shielded-Coupling-P3002-155/100372292?MERCH=REC-_-PIPHorizontal1_rr-_-100181044-_-100372292-_-N

[john6221]

Great, thanks.

One last thing. The sink tailpiece needs to be replaced as well, but for the life of me I can't figure out how to get it loose. It's round and there is no place to get a good grip with a wrench. Is there a way to just add a new PVC p-trap to this tailpiece or do I have to replace the entire pop-up drain assembly?

[paddedhat]

You can TRY to cut it just above the stuck joint and use a tail piece extension to fill the gap. You MIGHT succeed by very gently using a pipe cutter, you also may get it done with a fine tooth blade on a hacksaw. A lot of this stuff is very thin chrome plated copper tubing that rots from the inside, so it's common to find that it's nearly eroded to the point of crumbling in your hands, or not. What could go wrong? Good luck, and go slow and gentle.

[mires]

Is the tailpiece itself in ok shape? If so, you can just remove the nut on the bottom and replace the trap with a new tubular pvc trap. As far as the copper drain goes, definitely just use 2 Fernco couplings. One on the drain side and one on the vent side. They make them to transition from CTS (copper tube size) to PVC as the 2 materials have a different outside diameter with the PVC being larger. The copper there looks to be 1.5". Then you just use a sanitary tee with a short piece of pipe going through the wall where you will glue your trap adapter on. When you cut the copper, use a new metal sawzall blade if you own one or a hacksaw will work fine too with some patience. Just make sure the blade is fine tooth and your cut is square. Deburr the cut with a file as well so that you don't cut yourself or gouge the rubber coupling as you install it. The copper side of the coupling will slide all the way down allowing you to get the perfect length of PVC pipe. Use a little dish soap to lube it up if you have to.

[john6221]

Well, there's a problem. The OD of my copper drain pipe is 1 3/8, not 1 1/2. So the fitting that I bought, the one paddedhat linked to above, is too big. What should I do now? My copper appears to be 1 1/4 but I'm having trouble finding fittings for that size.

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[john6221]

Well, there's a problem. The OD of my copper drain pipe is 1 3/8, not 1 1/2. So the fitting that I bought, the one paddedhat linked to above, is too big. What should I do now? My copper appears to be 1 1/4 but I'm having trouble finding fittings for that size.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

Well I found the fitting. Proflex 3001-1125. Now I just need to figure out how to get one locally...


Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

[mires]

Well, there's a problem. The OD of my copper drain pipe is 1 3/8, not 1 1/2. So the fitting that I bought, the one paddedhat linked to above, is too big. What should I do now? My copper appears to be 1 1/4 but I'm having trouble finding fittings for that size.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

Well I found the fitting. Proflex 3001-1125. Now I just need to figure out how to get one locally...


Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

Sorry, it's hard to tell from the pics. Just assumed it was 1.5". Go to your local plumbing supply. They will have it.

[paddedhat]

Well, there's a problem. The OD of my copper drain pipe is 1 3/8, not 1 1/2. So the fitting that I bought, the one paddedhat linked to above, is too big. What should I do now? My copper appears to be 1 1/4 but I'm having trouble finding fittings for that size.

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

Well I found the fitting. Proflex 3001-1125. Now I just need to figure out how to get one locally...


Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

Sorry, it's hard to tell from the pics. Just assumed it was 1.5". Go to your local plumbing supply. They will have it.

X2  I never have seen or heard of using 1-1/4" in drain lines. It's standard size for vanity sink drains, from the sink to the wall, but as part of the drainage piping inside the wall, it's a first for me. Hope it's available locally, might be a tough one.

[john6221]

Good news. My local plumbing supply store had Mission branded couplings in stock. Super expensive because of the weird size--$13 each. But at least I can finish the job.