Galvanized pipe too short for tub spout

[HerHusband]

I need to install a new tub spout at my mom's house so we can sell the house. It currently has a galvanized pipe stub sticking out of the wall. Unfortunately, the pipe is about 1/2 inch too short for the tub spout to thread on.

I thought about using a slip-on style of tub spout, but the ones I have seen are made for copper pipe which has a smaller OD than galvanized pipe.

Ideally I would just remove the existing pipe stub and thread in a longer pipe nipple. Unfortunately I tried doing that and the piping in the wall started to bend. So that's not an option. I don't have the time or money for this to turn into a larger project, we just need to sell the house.

I can't think of an easy way to extend the galvanized pipe just one half of an inch. Adding a coupler and a short nipple is still too long.

I thought about cutting back the pipe and rethreading the end so I could install a coupling and correct length nipple. But I can't find a NPT die locally and the few I've seen online are quite expensive for what I'm doing.

Do you know of a chrome slip-on spout with diverter that will fit galvanized pipe?

Or do you know of an easy way to extend galvanized pipe just 1/2 inch?

Thanks,

Anthony

[trader_4]

Any chance of thick epoxy plus one of the thread type spouts? I don't know what the opening in the spout looks like, but if epoxy could fill the space, it might be a solution.

[DerbyDad03]

Is there enough play in the pipes to pull them forward, perhaps via the faucets?

Yeah, I know that might pull the faucets forward too, but I can't see what you have from where I'm sitting so I just tossing it out there. Maybe the faucets come forward but an escutcheon plate could cover the gap.

[Terry Coombs]

Better yet , cut some off the wall end of the spout . Screw it on to a piece of pipe long enough to grip in a vise so you're not chasing it around ... and if the cut isn't perfect , it should be caulked anyway to keep water from getting behind it .

--

Snag

[Mr.E]

You may be able to use a 3/4 fip copper female with a short piece of copper sweated in it (or a 3/4 fip female to 1/2 sweat female to use

1/2) to allow a slip-fit diverter to slide on.

[HerHusband]

That first adapter is what I had in mind if I can find one locally. I'll have a look at Lowes this afternoon.

I actually thought about that spacer trim ring this morning. But I think even with a close nipple and coupling it would put the spout too far from the wall for a trim ring to fill the gap.

Another option is to cut the galvanized pipe back and use a "dresser" compression coupling to add a pipe nipple to the end to get the length I need. But I'm not sure the dresser fitting will fit inside the spout. I'll have to take a look at one in person today to see how big they are.

I'm also going to see if I can find a slip on spout that will fit galvanized pipe. That would certainly be the easiest option.

I thought about trying to cut the back end of the spout shorter, but figured that would look terrible as it would be very difficult to get a straight cut on an odd sized piece of thin metal.

Thanks!

Anthony

[HerHusband]

Unfortunately, the slip fit spouts usually have the sealing ring back closer to the wall. So adding a short copper stub to the end of the existing pipe wouldn't work.

Anthony

[HerHusband]

Nope, the faucet and pipes are quite secure in the wall. At least as far as pulling it forward is concerned.

Something in the wall started to move when I tried to remove the galvanized pipe nipple. It felt like the pipe in the wall was bending, but regardless I could tell that was a can of worms I didn't want to get in to. I've dealt with enough galvanized pipe at my in-laws to know that always turns into a bigger project. :)

Mom let the house fall apart over the last 20 years, so we're planning to sell it as-is anyway. We live too far away to do any major repairs, I'm just trying to fix up some of the simple things that make it look worse than it really is.

Thanks,

Anthony

[HerHusband]

Nope, there's at least 1/2 inch between the pipe nipple and the threads inside the tub spout.

Anthony

[trader_4]

+1

How far you want to push it also depends on if you have access from the oth er side of the wall if it goes south. Sounds like uncle's brass extender i s a good solution if there is room for it to fit where it meets the spot. L ocal plumbing supply should have it if HD doesn't.

[Dean Hoffman]

A bunch cut here and there. Ace Hardware is a good place to look. Our local one has a lot of those brass fittings.

[hrhofmann]

What's on the other/back side of the wall where the faucet is located? That as saved my butt a few times over 60 years of do-it-yourselfing.

[HerHusband]

No luck finding anything like this at Lowes. I don't have time to waste running all over town trying to find one, so I just ordered the one from Amazon. I also ordered a couple of different spout trim rings in case I end up with a gap that needs filled.

The "Dresser" compression fitting I had thought of is HUGE. No way that was going to fit inside the tub spout.

I also looked at several different spouts and all had exactly the same offset as the spout I already have. So I might as well make the one I have work.

Anthony

[HerHusband]

Unfortunately, there is a corner shower on the back side of the wall in the other bathroom. So no access from the back, even if I wanted to tear into it (which I don't).

Her house is two hours away from me. We're busy moving her to an assisted living home, so I don't have the time or money to invest in major repairs. Just trying to fix anything small that we can before we try selling it.

Anthony

[hrhofmann]

You should be able to use a hack saw to cut off the wall end of a replacement spout to make it short enough to work with the current nipple. Then use a bead of caulk to fill whatever gap remains. This isn't rocket science, just basic handyman stuff.

[HerHusband]

It's not hard to do, but it's difficult to do well.

The spouts are made of a thin metal, covered with a thinner layer of chrome plating. Making a straight cut on the odd shaped spout would hard enough, and the plating would most likely chip where it was cut.

I think the adapter Uncle shared the link too will accomplish what I need.

Anthony

[hrhofmann]

The 1/2 by 1/2 adapter from Uncle sure looks like it should solve the probl em for well under $10.00.

I would start talking to Realtors as soon as possible. They should be able to tell you what they think are the "Must Haves" in the way of repairs to sell the house. It sounds like you are talking $50,000 or more off the pri ce compared to a "regular" listing, but there are probably some minimum thi ngs that should be working to help sell it quickly at a reasonable price.

Check with 3 (or maybe more) Realtors and see if they give you similar stor ies.

[bluessteelplate]

i think you can find the way to finish it.

[HerHusband]

I'm hoping so. I don't really want to invest too much time and effort into it.

I put out a few feelers to realtors but haven't had the time to follow up on it yet. We're not too concerned about the selling price, as Medicaid basically requires you to go broke before they'll start paying anything. A higher selling price would just mean another 6-12 months living off her own money before she can apply for Medicaid.

Anthony

[clare]

Hira a bulldozer and sell the lot.