Repairing copper drain line

[HoosierMark]

House was built in mid 1960s. Second floor toilet drain has a hole about a foot down from flange. Area has a combination of straight, 45 and 90 degree elbows. Plumber says cut it out and replace with pvc to new flange and a fernco rubber fitting. I am concerned where rubber fitting will tie into drain it will catch things flushed down it since copper edge will be inside. Are there any other options? The area has a combination of tub drain and washer drain.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

Every fernco coupler has pipe edges to deal with.

I'd guess it'll be fine (but I'm an electrician, not a plumber.....)

 

[T444e]

I'd replace the rotted out copper with PVC and use a Proflex plastic x copper coupling to account for the difference in OD.

 

[Shiftless]

That’s at least a 3 inch diameter drain pipe right? An eighth of an inch ridge or so shouldn’t cause any trouble at all. Relax and worry about something else.

 

[Firebrick43]

House was built in mid 1960s. Second floor toilet drain has a hole about a foot down from flange. Area has a combination of straight, 45 and 90 degree elbows. Plumber says cut it out and replace with pvc to new flange and a fernco rubber fitting. I am concerned where rubber fitting will tie into drain it will catch things flushed down it since copper edge will be inside. Are there any other options? The area has a combination of tub drain and washer drain.

Your plumber is correct.

You have edges inside all pipe fittings?

I half of the copper drains in my grandfathers house 4 years ago with no problems. I need to do the other half as my uncle who lives there now said the original copper in the other half is starting to leak.

 

[The Cobbler]

if theres a rotted hole now there's a good chance there's more coming. maybe think about replacing more

 

[nadogail]

I don't use PVC for Drain, Waste and Vents. I use ABS.

When I was cutting out Cast Sewer lines under houses, I used Fernco Couplers and ABS pipe.

 

[T444e]

I don't use PVC for Drain, Waste and Vents. I use ABS.

When I was cutting out Cast Sewer lines under houses, I used Fernco Couplers and ABS pipe.

I've never seen ABS installed where I am. If his plumber is saying PVC, it means PVC is the common material in his area for DWV piping.

 

[dave*99]

Must be a regional thing but I see very little ABS in houses, Home Depot and the plumbing supply house in NJ. PVC is fully stocked.

 

[Shiftless]

.

 

[larry4406]

Regarding the Fernco, if there is any concern with sag or misalignment at the joint, get one with the metal shear band.

I would do as your plumber suggests.

 

[HoosierMark]

Update idea: hole area with multiple small pin size openings is about the size of a dime. Considering using a light coating of flex seal on a piece of plastic cut from the side of a milk carton. Stick this to leaking area. Covering it with a piece of rubber similar to fernco material and secured by a hose clamp. Then see how it holds. I can place a furnace vent cover over the ceiling access hole so it looks like a return air duct. Since my favorite plumber is very busy right now, it seems like a way to get toilet back in operation and area easily checked. Basically it will become a mini fernco fitting.
I agree worse leaks may be on the horizon but due to the pipes being Above kitchen sink and in wall behind it,it would be a major undertaking. I would like to save that change over for a major kitchen upgrade.

 

[larry4406]

It’s your band aide….

Temporary has a way of becoming permanent….

I have flex seal tape on our bath tub buying time for master bath renovation.

I patched a plastic laundry tub by smearing JB Weld on the bottom of the basin, layering a section of flattened beer can over it, then covering all with more JB Weld. Been in place now likely 3-5 years now.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

Update idea: hole area with multiple small pin size openings is about the size of a dime. Considering using a light coating of flex seal on a piece of plastic cut from the side of a milk carton. Stick this to leaking area. Covering it with a piece of rubber similar to fernco material and secured by a hose clamp. Then see how it holds. I can place a furnace vent cover over the ceiling access hole so it looks like a return air duct. Since my favorite plumber is very busy right now, it seems like a way to get toilet back in operation and area easily checked. Basically it will become a mini fernco fitting.
I agree worse leaks may be on the horizon but due to the pipes being Above kitchen sink and in wall behind it,it would be a major undertaking. I would like to save that change over for a major kitchen upgrade.

Go for it. It's just poop-water.

I once built a duct to adapt a new furnace to an old plenum using cereal box cardboard, then wrapped the whole solid with a roll of aluminum foil tape. Pretty sure it's still like that today (20 years later).

 

[Uncle murph]

Update idea: hole area with multiple small pin size openings is about the size of a dime. Considering using a light coating of flex seal on a piece of plastic cut from the side of a milk carton. Stick this to leaking area. Covering it with a piece of rubber similar to fernco material and secured by a hose clamp. Then see how it holds. I can place a furnace vent cover over the ceiling access hole so it looks like a return air duct. Since my favorite plumber is very busy right now, it seems like a way to get toilet back in operation and area easily checked. Basically it will become a mini fernco fitting.
I agree worse leaks may be on the horizon but due to the pipes being Above kitchen sink and in wall behind it,it would be a major undertaking. I would like to save that change over for a major kitchen upgrade.

For anything other than a absolute emergency repair (middle of a snowstorm and it’s your only toilet) I wouldn’t consider anything so sketchy,in all likelihood it will be permanent until it leaks again.

 

[rooster59]

I'd replace the rotted out copper with PVC and use a Proflex plastic x copper coupling to account for the difference in OD.

This. Probably 3007-33 Fernco Proflex or Mission PK-33 if everything is 3”

 

[T444e]

Regarding the Fernco, if there is any concern with sag or misalignment at the joint, get one with the metal shear band.

I would do as your plumber suggests.

What you want is a shielded coupling which is what the Proflex coupling is.

 

[HoosierMark]

Checked out the fernco fitting 3007-33. That will not work as the distance between the 45 and 90 degree angle fittings is too small. It is only about 1 to 1.5 inches. That is why a cutdown fernco rubber fitting is my only option short of cutting the linens out and replacing things with pvc.

 

[T444e]

I'd take it back to straight pipe and rebuild from there before cutting down a Ferco coupling. Especially when trying to compress enough to account the the 3/8" difference in OD.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I vote for PVC.

 

[T444e]

I vote for PVC.

If it was me, and it was with cast iron and galvanized , I'd rip it all out (almost did at home), and repipe with PVC. I have about 20' of cast iron left in the house with about 5' under slab, should have just saw cut to the sump crock when I replaced the floor drain in the basement. I even replaced the cast iron out to the septic tank. The last 15' in wall will be replaced in the next couple years.

Personally, I don't understand replacing piping just where it leaks, it's typically a sign the system is at the end of its life. Pay now or pay later, but either way you are paying, and paying more piecemealing repairs.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

If it was me, and it was with cast iron and galvanized , I'd rip it all out (almost did at home), and repipe with PVC. I have about 20' of cast iron left in the house with about 5' under slab, should have just saw cut to the sump crock when I replaced the floor drain in the basement. I even replaced the cast iron out to the septic tank. The last 15' in wall will be replaced in the next couple years.

Personally, I don't understand replacing piping just where it leaks, it's typically a sign the system is at the end of its life. Pay now or pay later, but either way you are paying, and paying more piecemealing repairs.

That's what I did.

A year after I bought my 1937 home we noticed a black spot starting on the basement ceiling drywall. It was a corroded/leaky galvanized pipe.

I proceeded to remove all ceiling drywall in the basement and replaced every inch of both drain line and supply line in the entire house (including the stuff under the slab, cast iron, which was mushy). The line outside to the street had already been swapped to PVC.

Only cast iron pipe left in my home is some vent pipes.

As with many things, "small problems" are often your signal that everything is near life expectancy.

 

[rlitman]

Update idea: hole area with multiple small pin size openings is about the size of a dime. Considering using a light coating of flex seal on a piece of plastic cut from the side of a milk carton. Stick this to leaking area. Covering it with a piece of rubber similar to fernco material and secured by a hose clamp. Then see how it holds...

Milk cartons are made from HDPE. Nothing will stick to them. Also, the Flex seal isn't buying you anything here if you're clamping rubber to the pipe. But if the pipe has a corroded hole in the bottom, it's likely it has a corroded trail along the entire bottom and will collapse when you tighten your hose clamps.

 

[Hank11]

Pull it all out and go back with pvc. Don’t wait for the plumber, just diy. Pvc plumbing is one of the easiest things you can do to a house. Not fun, but pretty easy to do. Hard to screw up.

 

[HoosierMark]

Update on repair. Two fittings are 1/2 inch apart. Very tight working area. We applied roof cement to area followed by piece of thin plastic half inch wide over it. Followed up with a stainless steel hose clamp to keep it all pressed against pipe. Only expense was a little time and hose clamp. Appears to be working fine. It is on a sloped part of pipe so water only runs over it. That explains the limited dripping. The area will be left open for a couple of weeks to monitor. If it fails we will remove bigger section of soffit and install fernco and pvc. It’s son’s house and he was happy to experiment with it.
Thanks for all the advice and comments.