PVC to Copper drain line leak

Plumber came yesterday to fix some issues - one of which was a slow draining shower. Wife wanted him to snake it - "we don't snake". Also had low water pressure. When he went to the basement to up the pressure to 75 from 60 - he discovered a leak under the shower. I went down and sw it myself this morning - it is leaking where the PVS meets the Copper draining from the house (into Iron I think) - anyway he wants to charge me $400 to replace the copper with PVC. Can't we just fix the connection of the PVC to the copper drain? Should I run from this guy as fast as I can - or is he right and we really need to make it all PVC?
Thanks - I get great advice on this site!

 

Please post a picture of the joint thast is leaking.

 

OK if I did this right the pic is here

 

The very first thing I see is the arrow is pointing the wrong direction. The second think I see is some VERY strange black transition fitting between the copper and PVC. The third thing I see is that there is no seal where the PVC kind of, sort of connects to that transition piece and that it can't help but leak.

Posting a few more pictures, especially from a bit farther back so I can see why there is also a PVC wye fitting might allow me to make some suggestions.

 

If you want to fix this yourself you will need special copper to plastic shielded couplers (no-hub fittings).
Here's a quick reference chart:

Connecting Plastic, Steel or Extra-Heavy Cast Iron to Copper
3007-32 3" PL, St. or XH CI to 2" Copper PK-32
3007-33 3" PL, St. or XH CI to 3" Copper PK-33
3007-43 4" PL, St. or XH CI to 3" Copper PK-43
3007-44 4" PL, St. or XH CI to 4" Copper PK-44

The part number on the left is Fernco part number, the PK numbers on right are mission equivalent.

 

69 years old and still not that handy! He wants to replace the copper and charge me $400 - sounds like overkill to me?

 

$400.00 is not bad for a plumber.
I would expect to pay $100 to $150 per hour. If it's less than that range, you are doing good.

 

As long as the copper pipe is in good condition, it looks like some of the PVC can be cut out and easily replaced. I would replace that black piece with just a simple female PVC threaded fitting right into the copper/brass pipe.

It's not that big a project, but will probably take an hour or two.

 

Zorfdt - my thought exactly but I needed confirmation from someone who knows more than I do about plumbing.

Handyone - I understand I will have to pay a plumber those rates - my issue is why pay him for 3-4 hours to replace the copper pipe with PVC when I can just pay him 1 hour to just replace the coupling? Or am I missing something?

Thanks all - appreciate the input

 

I know that you are ignoring my comments but I'll add this anyway. The only thing that needs to be done is to cut out that PVC wye, mostly for working room, remove that strange black fitting, screw in a PVC to thread adapter and then replace (new) the PVC wye. Maybe an hour of work for a competent fitter.

 

Furd - not ignoring you - I must have missed your post. See it now and appreciate the comments - will try to post more pics later today. Don't know what you mean by the arrow pointing in the wrong direction - Maybe I put the arrow in wrong - was trying to show where the leak was - you can se a droplet just below the arrow - water is coming from the PVC and dripping at the connection

 

I probably misunderstood, I thought the soldered copper fitting was leaking (shiny fitting at your arrow).

Just follow Furd's advice. If that white PVC wye is leaking only, this will be an easier fix than going back and replacing the Copper Wye (that was my intent on the repair but not needed).

I'm guessing the black fitting is ABS and you can't glue ABS to PVC.

 

Handyman - thanks for the update - I think I better go down and have another look - can do that tomorrow. I believe the leak is from the copper Y - In any case - I don't think I should have to replace the entire copper piping with PVC!

 

I copied your image and enlarged it significantly to try and see some details. I do see the droplet of water the arrow was pointing in the general direction of. My comment of the arrow being backward was in reference to the normal flow of water through this piping, which is from right to left.

Looking closely I see some nicely finished soldered joints, wiped after soldering for a better appearance. Unfortunately, it also appears the solder joint between the wye and the distance piece to the female thread adapter has a deficiency of solder, most likely at the bottom of the joint. I'm thinking that the copper work was done by a third-year apprentice with the thread adapter being a clean out originally.

Then, at some time after original construction a substantial remodel was done and at this time the plumber added the PVC piping and tied it all into the original piping at this cleanout. I can only zoom in to a limited degree before the picture loses clarity but it appears this new plumber added a black steel nipple to the original cleanout, this is evidenced by pipe wrench marks in the middle and rusty threads on the left end. I still have no idea of what the right end of this apparent nipple may be.

This changes my original decision, this IS more than an hour's work as the solder joint that is leaking will have to be remade. The steel nipple (if that is what it is) never would have been acceptable and needs to go. I'm going to up my estimate to more like three hours for a competent plumber. Tearing out significant amounts of the existing copper would make sense from a labor-saving standpoint as the labor required for plastic piping is far less than that required for copper. You MIGHT be able to find an approved (shielded) rubber coupling to "marry" the outer bell of the copper wye to PVC piping and re-do the existing PVC to fit but it will look like a cob job. If appearance means nothing to you this could be your least expensive option.

 

Cutting out the copper is a bonus for the plumber, when he takes it to the scrap yard. Are you sure the copper isn't sweating from cold drain water passing inside the pipe? Is the basement humid?

If the plastic is leaking, replace the leaking plastic. If the copper is leaking, reset/re-sweat the joint

 

Have you checked the price small recyclers are paying for #2 copper lately? Unless there has been some wild upward movement in the last few weeks it is less than a dollar a pound. Back when copper was going for better than $4 a pound a person could make some serious coin recycling copper. Not so much today.

 

It does look like a couple of hours or more. The PVC wye doesn't look like it's pointing at the copper DWV wye exactly right. The black adapter looks like ABS and it may or may not have been glued.

The 2" copper DWV wye should be cut out, along with 6" of copper both ways. Then, if the ABS fitting comes out and the PVC socket is clean, that's great. If not, the PVC wye will have to be cut out and a new PVC wye coupled in.

The missing section of copper can be replaced with PVC, using transition couplings. Add in some driving time and $400 is in the ballpark, imho.