Heating and cooling (HVAC), waste removal, and potable water delivery are among the most common uses for plumbing, but it is not limited to these applications. This article lists our in-depth articles on inspecting, testing, and repairing problems with cast iron building plumbing drain waste vent piping, piping materials, clogged or noisy pipes, and types of pipe hazards or product defects. Bellwether's wide ledges provide storage space for towels, toiletries, and other items. Inspect the shower drain carefully, removing it's grate if you can, so as to check too for leaks around the drain flange. I am requesting you for providing the same. It doesn't matter whether it's the shower on the first floor or the second floor. Often on city lots that are flat and poorly drained, builders or building owners were pressed to decide how to get rid of rainwater spilling off of building roofs and through the gutter and downspout system. Plumbing uses pipes, valves, plumbing fixtures, tanks, and other apparatuses to convey fluids. Any help would be appreciated, thanks. At the time of our inspection that system had been changed and downspouts were routed to above-ground drains (unfortunately still too close to the building to assure a dry basement). anyone out there have an idea? Our photograph above shows that the rope trying to secure the galvanized drain line to the cast iron sewer piping confirm a history of leak troubles and improper plumbing connections. Gasket expands to fit inside service weight, heavy weight and no hub pipe. Drain Pump Series Removes water from areas where gravity flow is not available such as laundry trays, wet bar sinks, lavatories, air conditioning condensate and dehumidifiers. Because it’s not malleable, it is cast (hence the name) in a mold to create things like pipes and cookware. What was this fitting for?it has 2” pipe that goes up thru roof all by itself and a 3/4 leg on the bottom? I continued the process about 25 feet and 3 holes down the sludge was deeper than the last one. A drain cleaner is a chemical product that unblocks sewer pipes or clogged wastewater drains. Flanged cast-iron drain pipe will cost $23 to $75 per linear foot for 4” to 12” pipe, with a minimum replacement charge of $3,000 for labor, fittings, valves, and accessories. The cast iron pipe hub and stub were wiped with oil to remove water, avoiding a dangerous steam flash when lead was poured into the fitting. Shopping for a Toilet Flange . And with this buildup comes slow drains, clogs, and stoppages. Whats next? Replacing the entire vent system would be devastating to the building interior walls (10+ water closets, 12 sinks, dishwasher station all connected). With this in mind, any cast iron pipe installed under the slab will require replacing in the next 5 to 20 years. My question is could I use PVA & Mortar mix or would this combination react with the rusty pipe? Nice going Lilia. FlexOn Toilet Flange for 4" PVC, ABS, Cast Iron or Lead Pipes-Includes Spacer System to Correct Flange Elevation from 3/8"-1 1/8" 4.4 out of 5 stars 232 $22.79 Unprotected-steel in concrete is exposed to corrosive effects that can damage the steel or in turn the concrete. About the sludge, if the sludge is actually sewage deposits (and not corrosion for example) it sounds to me as if the main drain was blocked, partly blocked, or lacked adequate slope. Instead, give us a call and we can discuss your options. British Gas have inspected the pipe & told me there is no leak & I could cover it with concrete. Steeltubesindia.net says This avoids overloading the city sewer system during periods of heavy rainfall. And after decades of use, it’s natural for the materials that run through the pipes to stick to and build up along the inside walls of the pipes. However, many houses in the area were built using PVC pipe even as far back as the late 1970s. There is that rust and rot of the metal, the brownish color might actually be a reaction that produces hydrogen, I would guess, because the smell was indeed pretty nasty. It will need to be bent over, well cut and sauder to only move it over a slight amount half inch or so, will have to replace the old nipple and toilet supply connection. If you need to get Beyond careful visual inspection I think you would want to contact a company that provides equipment for electronic survey of existing Pipelines. by Karl Burggraf / karlburggraf@yahoo.com. For a small-scale project that's not going to be cost effective but perhaps in your situation it would be appropriate. Chris. As I mentioned earlier in the post, cast iron systems can last up to 50 years — and 50 years is a very optimistic number. Click to Show or Hide Citations & References, HOME INSPECTION EDUCATION COURESES (Canada), HOME INSPECTION EDUCATION: HOME STUDY COURSES. All of these things contribute to cast iron sewer pipe corrosion — not can contribute; does contribute. There are also machines that can be used to remove this buildup, but again, if the pipes are already weak and corroding which is highly likely, it’s wasted effort and money spent. In fact, the big players in reducing the longevity of a cast iron system are grease and drain cleaner chemicals. Richard,Connecting the water appearance with the shower operation was a key diagnostic step. With cast iron one cannot use the supplied rubber gasket (you will need an extra wax ring) and you need to pre-drill the flange as per the instructions (the self drilling screws won't cut through the cast iron). If nothing ever touched the pipes, the cast iron could last for 75 or more years. How to Remove the Screws on a Toilet Seat. Most modern cast iron connections are made using rubber or plastic fittings that no longer require heating and melting lead. Even though this is a new installation the shower drain is badly rusted and the screws on the shower drain cover rusted through. Can also be used in conjunction with dishwashers and garbage disposal. There is a galvanized nipple, coming off a copper and brass supply line for the toilet, it is too close to the junction of the copper and cast that is leaking, matter of fact they do touch and this will need to be dealt with as well, that is a bummer. Stains on the upper section of piping indicate that this drain system has been leaking. Inside the was about an inch deep of sludge. It’s probably either made of PVC but glued to a PVC outflow pipe, or it’s made of cast iron and integrated into the cast iron … And given that cast iron pipes have a life expectancy threshold, deciding whether or not to replace your cast iron system is a good question to start asking yourself. But you can still find homes built up to 1985 that were built with cast iron systems. So what is the life expectancy for a cast iron sewer system? John, I'm not a corrosion expert, but I think the safest bet would be to, 1. gently clean off surface rust from the gas pipe, 2. spray the exposed metal surfaces with an expoxy paint, 3. follow British Gas' advice permitting covering the pipe with concrete. To repair a cast iron pipe leak, we cut out the portion with the leak and replace that section with PVC. Water may be entering the floor around the shower drain, or from a bad trap, or even from another shower leak point, following the drain to the point of exit at the floor drain. John Cranor [Website: /www.house-whisperer.com ] is an ASHI member and a home inspector (The House Whisperer) is located in Glen Allen, VA 23060. Then added 2nd application of the glue - smell seems to be gone but I am worried that this is just covering a bigger problem. Try the search box just below, or if you prefer, post a question or comment in the Comments box below and we will respond promptly. In the Dallas/Fort Worth area, builders continued to use cast iron pipes until around 1980. The integrity of a cast-iron pipe is compromised when sewer repairs are made. But think about your sewer pipes. So that is another bummer for sure. SLAB DUCTWORK - catalogs the functional and environmental problems found when HVAC air ducts are routed in or below floor slabs. But we found that not only was it pointless but it was getting harder for us to do. Or use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia. If the flange isn’t both made of PVC and held in the outflow pipe by a rubber gasket, there are 2 other likely options. Almost all of the systems we’ve come across in the last few years need to be replaced. Every time I use the shower, The cast iron pipe in the basement leaks severely, which pipe is best between galvanized and pvc pipe for cool water supply. The pipe is completely dry and shows no sign of water leaking down to the floor. If you have roof gutters connected to drains that enter the building and are routed to the sewers, (a step still permitted and even required in a few communities), reconnecting the drains from outside ground-level to a nearby storm drain may be a better approach. It supplied drainage from one side of the house to tee up with another one to lead out from the middle of the house's crawl space and out to the streets sewer. Troubleshooting and Repairing a Toilet Water Supply Line Leak, Brown Tap Water? So, "lay it on me,". Moderator reply: Contractor added new vent after tearing into newly painted drywall - to no avail. I am searching for standard weight chart of cast iron spun soul waste pipes. Though PVC is the most common type of material used to produce toilet flanges, they also come in copper, cast iron, aluminum, stainless steel, and brass. Yes plumber coming over to morrow. 4 x 5 5 59.6. However, we’ve seen a 50-year-old system that was fine and a 20-year-old system that was falling apart. If you see a discharge during dry weather, please call 311 - DEP (Department of Environmental Protection). You only need to install special diaelectric fittings (or brass, for example) between dissimilar metals - so you wouldn't go directly from iron pipe to copper without using an intermediate fitting, either a special diaelectric fitting (those have built-in plastic insulation components) or a brass fitting. Apologies for the delay. (SEWER GAS ODORS). Coming across these situations time and time again is why we no longer do repairs on cast iron sewer systems. Roto Rooter thought that the elbow under the concrete was probably corroded.Does this sound right and should I get a second opinion? A reader (Conrad) provided us with the photographs and case history of the successful track-down of sewer gas odors in a building. I talk at length on the blog about why we not only recommend but will only replace a cast iron sewer system. We understand replacing the cast iron sewer pipes under your home is an intimidating venture, particularly when it comes to cost. I had a down spout removed from the side of my house and it exposed a large cast iron pipe that's open just sticking out of the side of my house. Watch out: sewer gases may be both unsanitary and also risk of a very serious methane gas explosion. No, the moisture definitely moves away from the pipe and the floor isn't wet, just slightly damp. For steam (1-pipe): 1" for up to 28 sqft, 1-1/4" for up to 62 sqft Approximate surface areas are (per section): 1.6 sqft for 4x19, 2.0 sqft for 4x25, 3.0 sqft for 6x25 cast iron slenderized (cast tube) and 2.25 sqft for cast iron ray style. Cast iron is incredibly strong and can be long-lasting. We found his company through the internet, yet still felt fully comfortable choosing them. 2 x 5 5 25.0 The best approach is to route these drains to a nearby city storm drain, pumping if necessary but best by gravity. Wondering if it could be from saddle that connects our old cast iron pipe to new plastic system that the City installed? CAST IRON DRAIN PIPING at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice. And everyone’s experienced a slow drain from time to time so if any chemical drain cleaners are used, those contribute greatly to the corroding of your pipes. 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