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Author:
JamesAA (CA)
I have an older house. Drain pipes are galvanized steel. From all I can tell the pipe directly behind the cabinet wall in my bathroom sink has become VERY narrow (due to corrosion). Nothing else in my house is backing up but the bathroom sink is fully backed up.
So I want to replace the pipe. I have no experience in plumbing or construction. Have just done a few very routine home improvement projects. I'm not skilled at any home improvement trades.
(1) Is this project something a rookie like me can handle?
(2) How much drywall will I need to cut out?
(3) How can I patch the holes in the drywall up?
(4) is the pipe behind the wall pretty short? In other words will I be able to reach down through the hole in the drywall to unscrew it?
I'd appreciate any tips. I'm reluctant to calling Roto Rooter cause I know it will be costly, but I also don't want to take on a project that is out of my depth.
Thanks for the time,
James
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Author:
hj (AZ)
There is NO GENERIC answer to any of your questions, because they all depend on how the pipe was installed and there are "hundreds" of ways it could have been done. Roto-Rooter, regardless of what they say, are sewer cleaners, not plumbers.
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Author:
bernabeu (SC)
"(1) Is this project something a rookie like me can handle?
(2) How much drywall will I need to cut out?
(3) How can I patch the holes in the drywall up?
(4) is the pipe behind the wall pretty short? In other words will I be able to reach down through the hole in the drywall to unscrew it?"
1 - imo, NO
2 - as much as necessary for the work to be done
3 - you will need to 'tape' the seams of the new piece
4 - NO and NO
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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638
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Author:
JamesAA (CA)
Thanks for the responses guys. Whom would you recommend I get to do this? A handyman? Individual contractor? Dare I say a brand name plumbing company such as Roto Rooter?
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Author:
jblanche (WI)
Having just completed an in-wall galvanized repair in my 1920s house, I am guessing you don't want to mess with this. My project included chiseling out scale, sawzalling an old fitting, and rehabilitating a couple of remaining threads on a 1-1/2" tee. Stinky, messy and contorting. No guarantee it will last any length of time. But, parts are cheap and I enjoy the work.
You want to start with a project in an area that you can do without for a while. Otherwise you're in for frustration every time something doesn't go according to how the guy made it look on the video or TV show. Especially when others (i.e. wife) need to do morning routine before caffeine.
If this is serving a fixture you & yours can do without for a while, and you're up for some learning, local codes permitting, dig in.
If not, call a licensed plumber.
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Links to the State of Wisconsin Plumbing Code:
[docs.legis.wisconsin.gov]
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I am not a plumber.
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Author:
hj (AZ)
quote; If not, call a licensed plumber.
If you are going to call a plumber eventually, do it before you screw things up and create a project for him. Some of my worse jobs have been when the homeowner decided to "help out" by doing the preliminaries. Even just helping out by removing a toilet can be a disaster, because I usually have to reinstall it so I can find out what the problem is. And, usually when I find the problem the toilet does NOT have to be removed anyway.
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Author:
bernabeu (SC)
LICENSED (some jurisdictions require specific trade licenses)
INSURED - liability AND workers comp.
BONDED
Make a specific 'scope of work' agreement (eg. remove and replace pipe serving X fixture)
get an hourly quote for any extra work required upon findings after 'opening up'
THERE WILL BE EXTRA WORK
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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638
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Author:
sum (FL)
Fellow DIYer here.
As for #4, it depends. Sometimes you can look at where the vent protrudes on the roof, or where the drain is in the basement (if you have one), in relation to your sink's wall connection, to make an educated guess how long that arm is. But the sink may also have it's own vent and ties into the main vent in the attic, like this.
Even if you cut out the wall and expose the pipes, you may not be able to unscrew it because it may be fused shut from years of corrosion.
Patching drywall is easy, and doesn't have to be perfect if it's behind your sink cabinet. I would move the sink cabinet out of the way, instead of cutting the cabinet's back open.
A plumber may be able to clean the pipe without cutting anything open.
Edited 1 times.
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Author:
JamesAA (CA)
These are incredible responses. Thank you all very much. It's been a nice educational experience.
I probably should've mentioned this in my initial post, but 3 weeks ago the water was draining perfectly. 1-2 weeks ago it was apparent there was a clog, but it was fairly minor and after turning off the faucet, the water would drop pretty quickly (slower than normal though but not too bad). Last week, after running the faucet for 10 seconds (more or less) it would back up and the water was totally stuck...wasn't draining at all. I mean full stand still.
Does that give any additional clues as to what the problem might be, i.e. narrow drain pipe due to corrosion or just typical clogging that a snake can fix?
Thanks again,
James
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Author:
hj (AZ)
You assume it is "common clogging" until you find out a snake will NOT unplug it. Pipes do NOT corrode that quickly.
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Author:
sum (FL)
As a fellow DIYer, I think before you jump ahead to consider replacing a possibly constricted drain, there are a few simple things you can do.
Is the sink the only thing in your bathroom that's backed up? Tub or shower drains OK? Toilet flushes fine? If so, then more than likely the clog is localized. Somewhere below your tub, toilet, sink's drains all merge together so if the clog is after that, everything in that bathroom would be backing up.
If it is localized, then it's either in the section between the bottom of your sink to the wall connection, or from the wall connection to the tee that ties into the vent/drain, or below that.
You can inspect each section using the process of elimination.
You can take apart the section below your sink. It's a inverted U shape with slip nuts and with a wrench and a bucket below that you can take that apart and make sure there is no blockage there. You can also take apart a few other simple things in the pop up drain assembly that could trap hair, may be a strainer, may be the pop up drain lever.
If the blockage is not there - and most likely it's not, you haven't wasted any time as you still would have cleaned up a lot of sludgey slimy junk.
With the p-trap removed you have a direct access to the wall connection. You can go to a big box store and buy a 1/4" 15' long hand snake for $7.50. Stick it in there and go back and forth pushing and pulling as you advance and feel for any resistance. That may do the trick.
If none of these work, you are out $7.50 and an hour of time, did no harm to your cabinet, wall or pipe. You can then call a plumber.
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Author:
JamesAA (CA)
Correct, the toilets are fine, the tub is fine, ... only that one sink is backed up. Even the sink behind the wall in our bedroom is fine, but they are offset. I disassembled the pipes under the sink, in the cabinet. They are fine. If it is clogged it is somewhere between the wall and the T as you suggested. I tried that hand held smaller snake (I already had one) and it always stopped in the same place (some point between the wall and the T). It was impossible to advance. I wasn't sure if it was a clog or some 90 degree bend, but I sure as hell couldn't advance it.
You think I should keep working at it? Alternatively I was going to rent an electric snake and give that a shot.
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Author:
sum (FL)
I have never used an electric snake, I always hire out for that as I understand if you are not familiar with it you may get injured.
If you cannot get past the obstruction...you mentioned there is another sink behind. Is it possible this other sink and your sink ties into the main vent/drain on opposing sides? and your hand snake shot passed the tee connection to your sink and went inside the connection to the other sink? In other words it didn't go down but went across.
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Author:
JamesAA (CA)
Good point Sum! I wish we had a some sort of GPS on the heads of these snakes so we could see where they are going. lol
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Author:
JamesAA (CA)
Bought a $30 snake at HD. Problem solved. Water flowing perfectly fine. Thanks everybody!
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Author:
bernabeu (SC)
snaking back-to-back fixtures:
use a 'drop head' wire
trap is first removed so snake can enter level
head 'drops' into stack
you feed snake
takes some experience
(bottom tip)
==============================================
"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638
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