Plumbing: coupling question (photos)

[Robert Barr]

OK, here's an overview of the problem:

This is the result of two separate leaks over time. It's a finished basement bedroom, and was a pretty low priority, so it languished a bit.

Home was built around 1940, usually top-quality construction throughout

- with exceptions.

Here's the problem:

The brass tube heading upward is from the tub overflow. There's a Tee in there, with a pipe heading back to pick up the tub drain. Note that the framing lumber was relieved to make room for the plumbing.

As I noted, there was another leak which caused a lot of the white discoloration. That leak was repaired a long time ago. This current problem is the one I'm addressing, and it obviously begins at that Tee, where the pipe heads downward toward the trap.

Here's a much better view of the bottom of that Tee: (kinda large file)

Unless there's something really wrong with my eyesight, there's no compression fitting on the lower outlet of that Tee! There's obviously one on the upper joint (where there was plenty of room), but none on the lower. I'm guessing that the builder got tired of 'relieving' the framing member, and there just wasn't room for the fitting. (Also no way to get a wrench in there to tighten the fitting). Really substandard work. Not to speak ill of the certainly-dead-by-now, but -- What a moron.

I'm looking for a solution here. My primary plan is to remove the whole trap, use a sawzall at the lower right of the first photo, install a new fitting (PVC probably) into the brass Tee, create enough room to tighten the fitting this time, and somehow join the other end to the cut drain pipe.

The pipe heading into the Tee measures 1.5" O.D. The O.D. of the drain pipe where I plan to cut is 1.75". If I use PVC, how the heck am I going to make the junction?

I saw a halfway similar segment on Ask This Old House, and Richard used sort of a bellows type of flexible coupler that used hose clamps. How would that work with two different sizes of pipe?

(Yeah, also planning to reinforce that framing member, even though it's held up fine for 68 years; it's also holding up the tub!)

Ideas welcome. Thanks.

[RicodJour]

The joint was probably soldered/brazed at the time of installation or it would have leaked like a sieve from the get go.

I'm not a big fan of using corrugated anything where water flow is involved. The corrugations present a ready place for stuff to get lodged.. That being said, since you already have the ceiling open and you know where the pertinent plumbing points are, you could install and access door in the basement ceiling and have easy access for clearing clogs.

Fernco makes a lot of rubber fittings with the stainless pipe clamps. I'm sure they will have something that will fit your needs. Don't use a corrugated fitting unless you need to.

R

[Pat]

The pipe probably screws into the tee. I think your problem here is 70 years of age. Corrosion has done those parts in. I would install a new tub drain and trap replacing everything you see in the picture.

[jim]

Replace it with abs and get a 1 1/2 abs to 1 1/4or 1/2 brass fitting which are made they are designed to compress around the pipe you have if glued properly you should have no problem , I would consider redoing the drain completly in abs as it is all 70 yrs old and probaly paper thin in places

[jim]

Besides the old drum trap you have is no longer made .

[hrhofmann]

The corrugated flexible coupling would tend to trap rough stuff, but unless he has an unbelievably strange family, I wouldn't expect that hair would build up appreciably on the inside of a corrugated coupling.

[Van Chocstraw]

I would rip all that lead and iron plumbing out and replace it with PVC or CPVC.

[jim]

the more Ilook it appears to me the overflow is the source of your leak probaly a worn out gasket hence the marks on the floor under the tub.

[Speedy Jim]

As noted, the tubing from the bottom of the TEE was likely soldered in. The male threads on the TEE accept 1 1/2" pipe fittings. Saw off the tubing, then screw a PVC or ABS female adapter onto the TEE threads. (May have to "relieve" the framing a bit more?)

Cut the entire drum trap out and replace it with a PVC or ABS P-trap. Use a "Mission" style Fernco coupling (these don't have the full stainless band and are somewhat more flexible) to connect to the remaining lead pipe (if ripping all the lead out to the stack isn't feasible).

Ideally, replace the entire waste and overflow setup on the tub, including the waste "shoe" on the bottom. But the pics look like that could be near impossible.

t'other Jim