need plumber advice

[Ace Gunner]

have a 4 story apt building I'm restoring, place was built 1920's.

has 4" cast iron drains and one section is cracked, has been a long long time and I have repaired truss damage already. the crack is in one section of cast iron, runs near the length of it or about 6 feet, but I can see where each end of the crack is. the crack is less than eighth inch in the middle, tapers off to each end.

I already have a plumber lined up, but it would be great if I could buy a few months repair on this.

I have a gallon of henry's roof repair and well, I'm thinking it could do the trick. maybe brush the area and goop it.

what say you -- plumber extraordinaire? will it be good for a few months or ???

[milkman]

Duct tape.

[Ace Gunner]

thought of that. you tried it before in similar sitch?

[mikeyis4dcats.]

go rent a cast iron pipe cutter, cut out the section, replace it with schedule 40 PVC and rubber pipe couplings.

[milkman]

thought of that. you tried it before in similar sitch?

I have no idea.

Don't know plumbing.

Duct tape was a joke.

[FlaChief58]

have a 4 story apt building I'm restoring, place was built 1920's.

has 4" cast iron drains and one section is cracked, has been a long long time and I have repaired truss damage already. the crack is in one section of cast iron, runs near the length of it or about 6 feet, but I can see where each end of the crack is. the crack is less than eighth inch in the middle, tapers off to each end.

I already have a plumber lined up, but it would be great if I could buy a few months repair on this.

I have a gallon of henry's roof repair and well, I'm thinking it could do the trick. maybe brush the area and goop it.

what say you -- plumber extraordinaire? will it be good for a few months or ???

If you were renting the apt. below the SEWER leak, would you be ok with an ammaturish attempt at the repair? Let your Plumber fix it RIGHT!

[Ace Gunner]

go rent a cast iron pipe cutter, cut out the section, replace it with schedule 40 PVC and rubber pipe couplings.



well, that's what the plumber wants to do. If that's the only alternative, I'll let him handle it. we discussed details, the section is in the second floor and that leaves 2 floor's length of 4" cast iron above the cut, which is a lot of weight. he said there is some shoddy plumber work here, so it's possible those sections above could be poorly supported and that can be dangerous to deal with if you don't know what you are doing.

that's really a problem I'm having here, is this building is tall and everything seems to be a zillion times harder to work on.

[Halfcan]

Yep I need a new castiron drain on my house as well. Probably will be expensive?

I used the Shark Bite system and replaced most of the other plumbing. The stuff is pricey but sure beats using copper!!

[FlaChief58]

well, that's what the plumber wants to do. If that's the only alternative, I'll let him handle it. we discussed details, the section is in the second floor and that leaves 2 floor's length of 4" cast iron above the cut, which is a lot of weight. he said there is some shoddy plumber work here, so it's possible those sections above could be poorly supported and that can be dangerous to deal with if you don't know what you are doing.

that's really a problem I'm having here, is this building is tall and everything seems to be a zillion times harder to work on.

He can add extra support where needed (where vertical meets horizontal). No excuses. Spend the $ & fix it right

[Ace Gunner]

If you were renting the apt. below the SEWER leak, would you be ok with an ammaturish attempt at the repair? Let your Plumber fix it RIGHT!

I'm working my way down the building -- the upper apts are rented and the lowers are yet to be renovated. so, this section is already open wall etc and it won't effect the tenants. it hasn't really, the leakage is minimal considering the size of the crack.

the plumber wants the water off 48 hours before he works it and that means I have to put up $ for motels etc.

[FlaChief58]

Yep I need a new castiron drain on my house as well. Probably will be expensive?

I used the Shark Bite system and replaced most of the other plumbing. The stuff is pricey but sure beats using copper!!

Until the hot water starts to harden the rubber o-rings in them and as a result your house gets flooded

[Ace Gunner]

Yep I need a new castiron drain on my house as well. Probably will be expensive?

I used the Shark Bite system and replaced most of the other plumbing. The stuff is pricey but sure beats using copper!!

yes, I did the same here. pex/shark bite all over, and of course, the drains were left untouched. the plumber actually found this when he was running shark bite in the basement for outdoor spigots.

fyi this is going to cost me about a grand.

[Halfcan]

yes, I did the same here. pex/shark bite all over, and of course, the drains were left untouched. the plumber actually found this when he was running shark bite in the basement for outdoor spigots.

fyi this is going to cost me about a grand.

:( dang-yep figured it would be pricy to take the entire stack out and just do New drains all the way. It needs it though.

[Halfcan]

Until the hot water starts to harden the rubber o-rings in them and as a result your house gets flooded

:hmmm:

wow never heard of that

[bevischief]

Nuke from orbit, it is the only way to be sure.

[boogblaster]

yea support the pipe and cut out the bad portion .. replace with pvc and rubber couplings .....

[mikeyis4dcats.]

yes, I did the same here. pex/shark bite all over, and of course, the drains were left untouched. the plumber actually found this when he was running shark bite in the basement for outdoor spigots.

fyi this is going to cost me about a grand.

you DO know that sharkbites are NOT to be used in concealed locations, right? THat means any in-wall plumbing should not be sharkbite.

[FlaChief58]

:hmmm:

wow never heard of that

yup, they changed to code here to account for just that. Sharkbites can only be used where they can be accesed when they fail. No under slab or inside wall uses are permitted

[Ace Gunner]

you DO know that sharkbites are NOT to be used in concealed locations, right? THat means any in-wall plumbing should not be sharkbite.

thx for that -- I looked around after reading your post and he did pex up the inside walls etc and used shark bite stuff only in the basement where it is exposed.

thx Flachief58 also -- i'm already making arrangements for tenants to move out a couple days while the plumber does his thing.

[FlaChief58]

thx for that -- I looked around after reading your post and he did pex up the inside walls etc and used shark bite stuff only in the basement where it is exposed.

thx Flachief58 also -- i'm already making arrangements for tenants to move out a couple days while the plumber does his thing.

Just curious. Why does he want your tennants out for 2 days? It sounds like the repair should only take a few hours to do. IMO your plumber is a puss for putting those demands on you.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Just curious. Why does he want your tennants out for 2 days? It sounds like the repair should only take a few hours to do. IMO your plumber is a puss for putting those demands on you.

Agreed. This repair should require nothing more than tenants not using water and toilets during the repair. And even then a lot of plumbers would make do. This should be about a 2-3 hour job AT MOST, from the time he steps on-site. He will (or should) pre-cut the PVC to the length required, have everything ready, cut the CIP out, swap the pvc in.

He is correct that there is a lot of weight to a cast iron stack, but it should be anchored off well periodically. It is highly unlikely that all the supports would have failed unless there were other issues with the building (long term water damage, etc.).

Personally, I think he's trying to make it sound more trouble than it is to justify a high cost.

[SAUTO]

use your roof goop, and take some rubber hose cut it on one side and wrap over the crack and clamp with some hose clamps.

should get you by for a while

[FlaChief58]

Agreed. This repair should require nothing more than tenants not using water and toilets during the repair. And even then a lot of plumbers would make do. This should be about a 2-3 hour job AT MOST, from the time he steps on-site. He will (or should) pre-cut the PVC to the length required, have everything ready, cut the CIP out, swap the pvc in.

He is correct that there is a lot of weight to a cast iron stack, but it should be anchored off well periodically. It is highly unlikely that all the supports would have failed unless there were other issues with the building (long term water damage, etc.).

Personally, I think he's trying to make it sound more trouble than it is to justify a high cost.

I would first inform the tennants that of the work being done, then turn off the water supply to the bldg. Then do the repair with pvc and no hub bands. Like you said, he's driving up the price by being Mr. gloom & doom. If what the OP is decribing is true, he should be paying in the area of $500. At least that's what I would charge

[Ace Gunner]

admittedly, the plumber's father, a xlnt plumber in his time, is a friend of the family back home and so yes, the plumber is being a puss, but I don't mind. he flat out told me this was a job he turns down every time, but being a friend he'll handle it. he's a damn good plumber and he is also cleaning up some shoddy work on that floor's showers and kitchen. there is "black and white sacrilege!!!" committed there and he's going to go ahead and correct that too.

[FlaChief58]

admittedly, the plumber's father, a xlnt plumber in his time, is a friend of the family back home and so yes, the plumber is being a puss, but I don't mind. he flat out told me this was a job he turns down every time, but being a friend he'll handle it. he's a damn good plumber and he is also cleaning up some shoddy work on that floor's showers and kitchen. there is "black and white sacrilege!!!" committed there and he's going to go ahead and correct that too.

OK then, all that for $1000 is about right. That was info I did not have earlier :)

[Okie_Apparition]

grunt once
flush twice

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Duct tape.

Milky beat me to it. Duct tape that MF and call it fixed !