Should I cut the pipe or the wall upstairs to fix the leaking plumbing coupling that was improperly installed 78 years ago?
Asked by نازنین علیزاده 
3 weeks ago
Last Updated: October 31, 2024
So, about 7-8 years ago, I had to have an exterior door moved and they had to adjust a plumbing pipe as well. Well, today I discovered that it’s leaking. Right where it comes out of the floor, they put a coupling for some reason. Do you think that piece will come out of the coupling if I cut the pipe, or should I cut the wall upstairs and redo it?
Update: I ended up calling a plumber to fix the issue. It cost me $250 and only took him an hour. He had to put a small hole in the upstairs wall, but he was able to glue it back in place, and you’ll never even notice because it was right behind the heat register.
You could use a heat gun or torch to eliminate it. There are also files available that can help grind it away.
It seems like there was a leak previously and a liner was put in? However, if you are able to reach the other side of the elbow, my suggestion would be to cut it there and replace the entire thing. It’s a DIY job that will take a day’s worth of work and around $50 in materials, in my opinion.
Are they talking about you or your uncle? Haha, just kidding.. seriously though, I would suggest opening it up and replacing it. If you do it correctly, you won’t have to revisit the issue again.
Make sure to apply some pipe dope generously in that area. It should help to seal it up nicely.
You’re officially banned from coming over to my place 😁
Haha sorry man, but I once clogged a shower drain a decade ago and miraculously it still hasn’t leaked a drop (if it did, it was conveniently far from a drain in my basement). So, I figured I’d take the risk rather than pay the $3k a plumber quoted me lol
Is not exactly known for his sense of humor.
Any chance you can swing by my place soon? 😂
I can vouch for that. I can distinguish between good and bad advice. Some folks resort to humor when things go south.
Seriously, think about it. If a pool liner gets a hole, would you swap out the whole liner or the entire pool?
I’m not sure that’s a fair comparison, Eric.
Has it been leaking for 7-8 years without causing any issues?
I’m not convinced that those two things are similar, .
Not totally sure what was going on, but I was down in the basement mopping the floors with a bright light to see better. That’s when I saw something strange on the wall and decided to look into it.
Hey man, just use some pipe dope and be done with it! Sorry, but these guys are giving you the proper way to do it. This is just a temporary fix.
Working with PVC is pretty straightforward. You can either pull it up and put in a no-hub, or my personal recommendation would be to replace it. If you sand, clean, prime, and glue it properly, it should never come loose like that. Definitely avoid poor workmanship!
It didn’t come out straight, it’s going in at a 45-degree angle crooked
So, it seems that the issue is with the short pipe at the bottom. They noticed it and tried to fix it by pushing it together and gluing it. However, due to constant pressure, the connection eventually came loose. My suggestion would be to cut the bottom pipe, add a new coupling, cut a new piece of pipe to the correct length, and then install a new elbow. I don’t think there’s any need to make any cuts above the top coupling.
It seems like the tight nipple came loose while they were attaching it, possibly because they were adjusting the angle due to ill-fitting fixtures. Remember to keep it held together for 30 seconds before releasing it when fixing their messy job.
Fixing that is definitely going to be a challenge. The angles needed to correctly fit the pipes together seem off. If it were up to me, I’d dry the fitting and then add a few coats of flex seal, along with some flex seal tape, and then monitor it closely. Otherwise, you’ll probably have to redo a lot of the horizontal plumbing to get it right.
Seems like they prepped it but forgot to secure it properly!
Just flex seal.
Hunt I’ve heard that screen door boats are really innovative.
Hunt believes that using Flex Tape is the best solution for this situation.
Used Flex Seal and sprayed it on a 6-inch overflow drain. It was able to hold under pressure for a whole day.
Where exactly is that located? Do you happen to have a photo that shows more of the pipe?
Sorry, I’m not sure what text you are referring to. Can you please provide the original text so I can help you rephrase it in a conversational tone?
Heads to the first floor and then goes up to the second floor to use the bathroom.
Hey Mike, check out that grey spot on the wall. The pipe used to be there before the contractors moved it to accommodate the door relocation.
Whoa dude, that’s in a tough spot. To fix it properly, you’ll have to open up the wall above it, remove everything, and reroute it. Those joists should have been boxed in to accommodate the plumbing. I’m not sure if that’s up to code in your area.
Hey, the other upstairs bathroom is set up the same way. There’s barely enough space for a 90-degree turn.
Hey man, good luck with that. The access is just terrible.
I believe they have 11 1/4 or 22 1/2 degree elbows available. It could be a solution in this situation.
Consider using a rubber coupler and cutting a section where it can easily slide on, or do minimal new pipe installation.
So, is it only a vent line?
If it’s not broken, there’s no need to try and fix it.
I don’t think that’s a proper coupler. It looks like a rushed job to me.
Dealing with leaky plumbing is bad enough, but having a questionable patch job is even worse.
Looks like it’s stuck. You might need to swap out the coupler or try using a pvc reamer
I happen to have some really nice chewing gum
You should definitely grab a Reed fitting saver
If you see that the bottom 45 is installed crooked, simply cut it off below and inside the coupling, then reconnect it correctly. You can use a reamer tool to adjust the coupling as needed.
Make sure to replace the connection properly and securely strap the downpipe to the wall to prevent any movement.
The most effective approach in this scenario would involve trimming the pipe flush from the elbow, utilizing a fitting reamer like this one, and then properly replumbing the system
I believe the best course of action would be to fix it, no matter how it happens and what needs to be done!
If a part of the vent stack requires fixing, there are 2 methods:
1) Thoroughly clean the joint with PVC primer, then knead a stick of Harvey’s 44150 epoxy putty and apply it continuously around the mated area
2) Remove the elbow from the two PVC lines, clean the pipes with PVC primer, attach a 90° eurothane ‘fenco’ coupler making sure to get a good seal on each end, and tighten the stainless bands properly. Best of luck
To complete the turn, you need an elbow. You cannot leave it halfway on the pipe and then glue it
Does the pipe move at all? It might not be glued properly. If it is not, you can cut it below and while not ideal, you can add a second coupler to solve the issue
Give it your all and then seal the rest with caulk.