Plumbing question

Well the copper drain lines for my bathroom are failing, leaking. the house was built in 1950 so i guess its time. these lines are in my kitchen cieling and honestly I would like to replace all of them with plastic I guess PVC lasts forever? no doubt the perforating copper line comes from 60 years of drain cleaners..........

anyhow a couple copper ines go thru floor beams, and i am reluctant to make the cut out area larger...... these beams support the cast iron tub at least partially.

But all PVC would make me happier.

so I am thinking of having a buddy of mine with a machine shop welding up a heavy steel support that would fit around the beam where the line goes thru on both sides with carriage bolts.

has anyone else done this?

does PVC really last forever?

Reply to
hallerb
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Must be cleaners, copper otherwise lasts a very long time.

Exactly which way do they pass through the joists? Were the joists notched, which will weaken them significantly? Are there holes in the middle where it is impossible to feed new pipe through?

You don't need to weld anything to reinforce a joist, you can just sister another joist to it with nails, or you can sandwich steel plates on either side with carriage bolts.

No, PVC doesn't last forever, nothing lasts forever. PVC will likely outlast you or I however so it should be good enough.

Reply to
Pete C.

Copper or PVC let me think I will go with Copper. PVC gets very brittle with age so it dose not last forever. I don't know if your talking that new PEX piping witch seems to be the new cheap way of piping . I'll take copper any day over plastic or garden hose piping. There is a place for PVC CPVC and other specialty plastic pipes. A lot of plastic is used for chemicals, acid waste. But for a house Copper is still best. But I think your going to see Stainless being used in the near future for commercial jobs taking the place of DWV ( drain waste & vent)

Reply to
Sac Dave

the builder cut out the top half of the beams, i guess sistering is the best way.

I am 51, these drains fail every 10 to 12 years. my mom died at 65, I do wonder how many more times I will be fixing them?

its wierd getting old.

Reply to
hallerb

Yep, comparing the life expectancy of the part you're replacing with your own is enlightening... As time progresses your repairs can get sloppier - you'll never have to deal with it again, so what do you care...

Reply to
Pete C.

my best friend is 75 and says the exact same thing.....

I liked it better when I never thought of such things..........

Reply to
hallerb

One leak, 2 leaks, where at a joint, it could have been poorly soldered, that settling and flexing caused a leak. On a hole on pipe, a clamp and rubber work fine on pipe. For a drain pvc will last.

Reply to
ransley

It depends where those notches are in relation to the span. There will be more localized bending and deflection at the notch, but it can also be a problem in shear if the notch is too close to the support. The biggest issue is cutting a smoothly transitioned larger notch - you don't want any overcut or sharp angles. Sistering on some 3/4" ply on either side is the easiest way to strengthen it - screw and glue.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

Old? I probably look old but don't feel old. There is some comfort in thinking, "Boy, I won't have to do that again." I am quite sure I have painted my last ceiling, regrouted my last tile, and probably torn up my last sod. My newer sewing machine is junk. My old sewing machine is in it's prime, has been for 30 years, and we are going to town!

Reply to
Norminn

You're doing something wrong if copper is failing in 12 years--- I'd expect 50, at least. Are you just tossing Drano in there without flushing?

My dad's 81. Sometimes I think he'll outlast me. His father died at 52, his grandfathers at 53 & 62. One gr-grandfather made it to 72.

But last year when he did his roof he asked for 40 yr. shingles. When the contractor went to pick them up they were out of 40's, so he got

50 yr shingles. He's pretty sure he won't be doing the roof again.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

=BF=BD =EF=BF=BD =EF=BF=BDHis father

doing the roof

no something fails about every 10 to 12 years. this time it hapened to be copper, previously it was the drum trap, once it was a faucet problem, once the line coming off the drain foot wore away. i had it pro installed, but 12 years later the foot is showing leakage where it meets the tub.

i guess i am getting old, and tired of fixing the same area over and over and over.

lived here since 1972, either it was just fixed or showing the first tell tale signs of leaking.

if my wife would allow i would just install a access panel in that area, for easy future fixes

Reply to
hallerb

=BF=BD =EF=BF=BD =EF=BF=BDHis father

doing the roof

they say that young people cant afford 50 year shingles, since they cost so much, and few old people buy them since they will die before the warranty runs out

Reply to
hallerb
****************** Makes perfect sense. I got the 30 year shingles a few years ago.
Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

They make drain lines out of PEX where you are?? Read the post again, he is talking about copper DRAIN lines.

JK

Reply to
Big_Jake

The larger diameter of PVC is pretty minimal compared to copper, since they have the same inside diameter. Do you really think that taking another 1/4" in pipe diameter out of the beams will make THAT much of a difference that you need to reinforce the beams?

JK

Reply to
Big_Jake

I didnt know the outside diameters were so close. this is the bigest plumbing project i have ever tackled. its bouncing between hiring a plumber. my regular plumber retired, the new owners are unreal expensive.

have talked to a neighbor, but he is busy

might call my father in law, a retired sewer plant operator, he has done tons of plumbing over the years. but he is several hours away.

Reply to
hallerb

beleive me, call a plumber. You will be glad you did and it will end up being cheaper in the long run. Please trust me on this one, good luck my friend, henry penta

Reply to
jp

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