 coxtaUltramundanePremium
join:2000-07-15
LALALALALALA | Galvenized pipe I have 1 inch galvanized pipe leading into my home. There is one section that was below ground a couple of inches at an elbow and it's leaking. It's between a coupling into the house and a short run of pipe to the shut off valve. It appears that I will have to replaced a section of pipe that is a bit over a foot and a section of pipe about 3 feet long, plus the elbow.
My question is how to handle the right/left threaded pipe issue.
I've included a poor drawing of the piping layout. The pipe entering the house is about 2 feet about ground and is expose and under my porch.
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robbinPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX
kudos:1 | You will need to use a union somewhere in that area. |
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 49528867Premium
join:2010-04-16
Fort Lauderdale, FL
kudos:3 | reply to coxta
said by coxta:My question is how to handle the right/left threaded pipe issue. Probably the simplest solution will be to cut out the 90 near the leak and unthread the pipe from the valve and the coupling into the home, then using two PVC male adapters one for the valve and one for the coupling into the home and a PVC 90 replace the entire defective section with PVC, doing so will allow you to easily reconnect the plumbing without worrying about how to thread things up.
Oh do be sure to use some Teflon tape on the threads and you might want to buy a couple of ground clamps and a short hank of number 6 copper wire to bypass the PVC section should that pipe be utilized as the buildings ground.
Converesly if your desire is to keep all of the plumbing metallic then do the same but use copper pipe insted of PVC and solder it, either way you avoid the hassle of having to get the just the right lengths of pipe cut threaded and put up.
Slip joints are much easier to work with if you don’t have a vice and pipe threader/die right on hand.
Wayne
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 Jack_in_VAPremium
join:2007-11-26
Mathews, VA
kudos:1 | reply to coxta
said by coxta:I have 1 inch galvanized pipe leading into my home. There is one section that was below ground a couple of inches at an elbow and it's leaking. It's between a coupling into the house and a short run of pipe to the shut off valve. It appears that I will have to replaced a section of pipe that is a bit over a foot and a section of pipe about 3 feet long, plus the elbow.
My question is how to handle the right/left threaded pipe issue.
I've included a poor drawing of the piping layout. The pipe entering the house is about 2 feet about ground and is expose and under my porch.
How old is the pipe run to your house? If you have a leak then you might assume that the galvanized pipe might be rusted out or corroded in other places which would make replacing all of it with copper or PVC. |
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 MsradellP.E.Premium
join:2008-12-25
Louisville, KY
 ·AT&T U-Verse
| reply to robbin
said by robbin:You will need to use a union somewhere in that area. Definitely the only way to handle the situation without a lot of hassle changing materials etc.
On the other hand as someone else suggested you may want to evaluate whether replacing a significant part of the galvanized pipe may be a better long-term solution. |
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rfnutPremium
join:2002-04-27
Fisher, IL Reviews:
 ·Mediacom
| reply to coxta
To keep in theme with the original drawing.
1.Cut the leaking elbow.
2.Unscrew the elbow piece off of the pipe you want to keep.
3.Unscrew the vertical pipe out of the top elbow.
4. Measure the length of the vertical pipe and subtract an inch or so.
5. buy the closest 2 nipple lengths you can to the measurement above without going over. A union and a new 90 for the bottom pipe.
6. Assemble the union halves to nipples first. bottom 90 then then the nipple assembly into the top 90.
All done.
Easy as pie. |
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 nunyaWho is John Galt?Premium,MVM
join:2000-12-23
O Fallon, MO
kudos:8
·Charter
 ·surpasshosting
| reply to coxta
Replace it with copper, HDPE, or PVC. Your throwing good time, effort, and money away by trying to milk it along; e.g., "throwing good money after bad".
If one piece is failing, you can be sure more is soon to follow. I've been there and learned this the hard way.
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...because I care. |
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scooper
join:2000-07-11
Youngsville, NC
kudos:2 Reviews:
·Time Warner Cable
 ·Embarq Now Centu..
| reply to coxta
+1 on replacing any galvanized pipe / fittings if any has started to leak.
Several years ago,we had a bathroom remodel done. They guy that did it used galvanized nipples into some of the shower faucets. About 12 years later - while we were gone for a week (naturally) - one of the nipples rusted through and we came home to a water mess - some of the damage to the flooring on that I'm still trying to figure out the best way to fix it.
Now - any of the potable water system that isn't PEX has brass fittings into the fixture. |
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Reviews:
·RoadRunner Cable
·AT&T Midwest
 ·voip.ms
| reply to 49528867
said by 49528867:if your desire is to keep all of the plumbing metallic then do the same but use copper pipe insted of PVC and solder it, either way you avoid the hassle of having to get the just the right lengths of pipe cut threaded and put up.
That's what I would do, if I weren't going to just replace the whole thing.
Also check your electrical grounding before you start this, and use jumper cables or better to jumper around the repair before you start this work.
If you can post a photo of the leaking point, as well as a cross-sectional view of the inside of the pipe, I would love to see it. In my house I've removed almost totally scaled-shut galvanized hot water pipe, but I've still got a section of 3/4 galvanized going out to the back yard that runs like it was installed yesterday instead of maybe in the 1920s to 1950s.
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robbinPremium,MVM
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX
kudos:1 | reply to coxta
A number of posters have recommended replacing the damaged section with copper pipe. If you take this route, be sure to use dielectric unions between the galvanized and copper pipes on both ends. Personally I would just replace the damaged section with galvanized. It is not hard to figure the right sizes of pipe and the big box stores will cut to most any size and thread it for you. |
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Reviews:
·RoadRunner Cable
·AT&T Midwest
·voip.ms
| said by robbin:be sure to use dielectric unions between the galvanized and copper pipes on both ends.
I wouldn't bother. Chances are, by the time the electrolysis is causing trouble, the galvanized will be completely shot.
But if you want to go the extra mile, use a 6" brass nipple on each end of the repair, between the copper and the galvanized.
Or just use galvanized and a union.
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49528867Premium
join:2010-04-16
Fort Lauderdale, FL
kudos:3 | said by ArgMeMatey:I wouldn't bother. Chances are, by the time the electrolysis is causing trouble, the galvanized will be completely shot. I'm willing to bet this failure is just the beginning...
I have worked a number of older rental residences where a galvanized pipe or joint began leaking and I just wrapped it with a bit of an inner tube and a screw-clamp to buy a bit of time knowing once I opened that can of worms I was in for the long haul.
My experience with old galvanized plumbing is, if it is properly installed once it begins to leak, it’s pooched and the process of trying to repair it usually leads to more problems then it solves.
In the end it is so much easier and long term less expensive to just rent a trencher and drop in a new PVC line from the meter to the home and just abandon the galvanized pipe.
Wayne
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Madness takes its toll, please have exact change ready… |
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Jack_in_VAPremium
join:2007-11-26
Mathews, VA
kudos:1 | +1 Wayne. That's what I suggested early on.
»Re: Galvenized pipe |
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49528867Premium
join:2010-04-16
Fort Lauderdale, FL
kudos:3 | reply to rfnut
said by rfnut:All done.Easy as pie. Yea right, just a few problems with that idea, first of all cutting through a 90 is going to be some real fun, if you have a hacksaw and are working in a trench you’re going home with a sore arm, if you have a Sawzall you have a good chance of creating a few more leaks with the vibration.
As for unscrewing a pipe from a joint I can only guess you have never had the pleasure of bracing a joint with a pipe wrench only to have the pipe you attempted to unscrew twist off right at the joint, you know the part that was threaded in the beginning which removed the galvanizing and created a point of failure if it was not properly mopped with plumbers dope?
Wayne
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Madness takes its toll, please have exact change ready… |
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rfnutPremium
join:2002-04-27
Fisher, IL | Have you ever seen/heard or done a plumbing job without a problem? ( Does not apply to pros as they would replace the whole thing, from good pipe to good pipe cause they know better.) |
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coxtaUltramundanePremium
join:2000-07-15
LALALALALALA | reply to coxta
Thanks for all the responses and I see a solution in all of this. I don't anticipate a leak in the rest of the galvanzied pipe. Why is that? The portion of the pipe with the leak was buried while the rest is above ground or in the house and now this leaking area has been excavated above ground (well just a few inches, not a trench - it's difficult to explain without a picture) and it will remain that way.
I question whether PVC or even copper piping is strong enough, since this is an exposed area and myself and workmen require access to this area. Also is this area are several PVC pipes for my yard watering system and they have been broken on more than one occasion due to workers access.
Thanks.
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Numquam ponenda est pluralitas sine necessitate |
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coxtaUltramundanePremium
join:2000-07-15
LALALALALALA | reply to rfnut
said by rfnut:Have you ever seen/heard or done a plumbing job without a problem? ( Does not apply to pros as they would replace the whole thing, from good pipe to good pipe cause they know better.)
That's why I pose the question. I wll probalby hire someone to do the work, but I want to know a reasonable solution in advance, so I can question the "pros" as to how they would approach the job - even though it's small, it's not straight forward.
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iknowPremium
join:2012-03-25 | reply to 49528867
said by 49528867:said by rfnut:All done.Easy as pie. Yea right, just a few problems with that idea, first of all cutting through a 90 is going to be some real fun, if you have a hacksaw and are working in a trench you’re going home with a sore arm, if you have a Sawzall you have a good chance of creating a few more leaks with the vibration. As for unscrewing a pipe from a joint I can only guess you have never had the pleasure of bracing a joint with a pipe wrench only to have the pipe you attempted to unscrew twist off right at the joint, you know the part that was threaded in the beginning which removed the galvanizing and created a point of failure if it was not properly mopped with plumbers dope? Wayne the solution is an angle grinder with a cutoff blade, cut deep into both ends of the threaded part of the joints in at least 2 areas, then use a hammer and chisel to get the pieces out, works great. galvanized pipe should be changed to copper anyway, it's probably only 1/4 the original size because of corrosion. |
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| reply to coxta
Do NOT try to fix this pipe.
Do NOT install any coupling/joint underground.
Galvanized water supply pipe corrodes from the inside-out. You probably have lousy water pressure and brownish water as a result.
Do yourself a favour - install a new 1" dia. 1-pc soft copper line or PEX line from the street to the house. Get a pro to do it. |
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coxtaUltramundanePremium
join:2000-07-15
LALALALALALA | said by MaynardKrebs:Do NOT try to fix this pipe.
Do NOT install any coupling/joint underground.
Galvanized water supply pipe corrodes from the inside-out. You probably have lousy water pressure and brownish water as a result.
Do yourself a favour - install a new 1" dia. 1-pc soft copper line or PEX line from the street to the house. Get a pro to do it.
No, actually good water pressure - wash laundry and shower simulaneously, not much drop with toilet flush and clean water. Some sand after earthquakes. Not ready for copper repiping yet.
Leak seems to be small and water costs for a 3-bedroom house is about $10 a month, but more with taxes, sewage, trash, etc, etc, ends up being $90 a month.
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Numquam ponenda est pluralitas sine necessitate |
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