Bathtub clog - galvanized and cast iron


  #1  
Old 06-12-08, 08:35 AM
B
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 15
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Bathtub clog - galvanized and cast iron

Hi all,

This is a follow-up to my earlier post. I will be grateful for any guidance.

I have a solid clog in my bathroom drain. The assembly is a p-trap going to a 2-foot horizontal galvanized branch drain, which connects to a cast iron vertical stack. The clog is not in the p-trap, and I've augered the horizontal galvanized branch (pulling out some large unpleasantness) to the place where the galvanized meets the cast iron stack. I could NOT make the auger turn the corner at the 90 degree cast iron/galvanized junction - and even if I could I'm not sure how I would know whether the auger were going down the waste portion or up the vent portion.

I was unable last night to remove the galvanized branch pipe with a 10 inch pipe wrench, which is unsurprising given the age of the plumbing (many many decades).

What should I do? Here are a few options in my mind:

1. Use a snap cutter to take out the three-way joint on the cast iron stack (thus also removing the galvanized pipe), augering down the waste stack (although the clog might really just be in the 90-degree joint anyway), and then replacing with PVC curved waste elbow and replumb with pvc and mission couplings. Naturally, I don't have a snap cutter, but maybe I can rent one. One thing that I like about this option is that the stack would remain accessible for future cleanouts since the mission couplings and the PVC waste elbow would be easy to remove in the future.

2. Get more serious about removing the galvanized pipe with a larger wrench, by cutting it out, etc. Leave the three-way joint in the cast-iron stack and simply replumb with PVC.

3. Hacksaw off the majority of the galvanized pipe, while leaving the threaded portion that fits into the three-way section. This way I don't have to deal with that threaded portion at all. Now, with better access to the 90-degree intersection, auger down the waste stack. Use a mission coupling to connect the unthreaded end of the galvanized to a piece of pvc pipe, and then replumb with pvc.

4. Something else?

Thanks for all of your help.

-Bill
 
  #2  
Old 06-12-08, 08:56 AM
W
Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 44
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
westnlas

I think I would try running snake down from the top of the vent. Another option might be to pour drain cleaner down from the top of the vent. Once you get it unclogged and cleaned up, it may be good for a long time. I have also had some success with the attachments that go on a garden hose. The rubber expands to seal the pipe and the water shoots through the pipe under pressure. If you need to remove the piping, it might be best to cut everything out from below the cast fitting and join the new in with a nylon connector. I have cut cast with a sawsall and a metal cutting blade. It's slow, but it works. Good luck with it.
 
  #3  
Old 06-12-08, 09:01 AM
B
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 15
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Top of vent stack not accessible

Thanks Westnlas, for pointing out something that I forgot to mention. The top of the vent stack is inaccessible. I went up onto the roof. It does not vent there, but must tie into the toilet's soil stack in order to vent. The tie-in that I believe to be there would occur in a part of our unfinished attic that is extremely difficult to get to.
 
  #4  
Old 06-13-08, 08:19 AM
B
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 15
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I'm still looking for ideas - please help!

All,

I'm still looking for input on this problem. If you have any thoughts, please share!

Thanks much,

Bill
 
  #5  
Old 06-13-08, 12:51 PM
F
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Wet side of Washington state.
Posts: 16,321
Received 38 Upvotes on 30 Posts
Your horizontal galvanized pipe is at least a 1-1/2 inch nominal size and a 10 inch pipe wrench isn't going to "hack it" in removing that pipe. You need nothing less than a 24 inch wrench. You can probably get a wrench at a tool rental or even a big-box store that rents tools.

You could also use a hacksaw (or a sawsall) to cut the pipe a couple of inches before it enters the cast iron and then replace everything with PVC or ABS whichever is most common in your area. I would try may darnedest to remove the threaded pipe and use a threaded adapter rather than the banded coupling.

Whatever you do DO NOT cut the cast iron vertical or you might have it come crashing down through the house and seriously injure someone. I'm betting that your plug is right where the galvanized meets the CI and that your auger never made it through to the stack.
 
  #6  
Old 06-13-08, 01:02 PM
W
Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 44
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
westnlas

The plumber where my son works suggested drilling a hole in the vent stack above the clog. Then use a fish tape type snake to break the clog up. He said you could use a rubber stopper to plug the hole and a blank plate to hide the hole in the wall ?
Personally, I would gut the bathroom and re-plumb the whole thing, but I am retired and have nothing better to do than tinker around the house. LOL If you need to buy large pipe wrenches, I suggest "Harbor Freight". The tools are not 1st quality for professional daily use, but suffice for DIY at considerable savings.
 
  #7  
Old 06-13-08, 01:06 PM
W
Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 44
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
westnlas

Bill, another idea might be to brush "Lime Away" around the threaded connection and letting it eat some of the corrosion. Maybe a couple of applications will free it up.
 
  #8  
Old 06-13-08, 07:32 PM
plumbingods's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Manch-vegas, New Hampshire
Posts: 1,985
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
One thing you want to be careful of is not to grab the pipe too close to the threaded joint so that you do not oval the pipe. Try to make sure the pipe is securely in the jaws of the wrench and you are not just grabbing with the ends of the jaws. Another thing that will help if it can be done safely is use some heat on the joint. Sometimes it makes it loosen right up.
 
  #9  
Old 06-14-08, 01:52 PM
B
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 15
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thanks

Thanks for all of the advice everybody.

I'll take another look today and try to figure out which approach I'm most comfortable with.

Thanks again!

-Bill
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: