I have a slow running shower drain in my condo and my plumber wants to open the ceiling of the condo below me to replace the pipe. I've heard that there are lead bends and things in the pipes that make it dangerous to use a snake because they could damage the plumbing. Do I need to worry about this? As far as I can tell from internet searches, lead bends are for joining toilets to soil pipes.

Also, is it reasonable to open a ceiling to replace a pipe where we're not even sure that's where the clog is? Aren't there cameras for this kind of thing?

Thanks!

hkstroud

First I would try one of these gadgets. A shower drain is one place where it should work. Next i would call a drain or sewer specilist i.e Rotor rooter. A shower drain should be 2" piping and a small snake should go thru the trap. Next I would read the master deed to the condo. This piping is probably part of the "limited common elements" once it leaves the plane of the top surface of the floor. If that is true, the piping belongs to the condo association. That means it's the association's problem. That doesn't mean that they will be anxious to fix it though.

charlieboston

Which gadgets are you referring to? The snake?

Am I safe from lead bends in my shower?

speedball1

If your condo has been built in the last 40 years I doubt very much if you have lead plunbing in your system.
And he wants to do this without snaking the drain first? Outrageous!! This should be a sinple 1 hour job the remove the strainer and snake the line. While it's true that lead closet bends used to be used years ago, (how old is your building) I haven't seen any of those foir a long time. As a matter of fact I don't know of any of the tounger plumbers that have lead working experience. The last time I panned out a custom tile shower in lead was back iun 1978. Ask for a different plumber. this one's either incompetent or is attempting to puff the job. Let me know what your decision is. Good luck, Tom

charlieboston

Thanks for the information, speedball. The building was built in 1930, so there is definitely lead under the toilets, but I was not sure if I should worry about lead pipes or bends under the bathtub.

If it is the case that there is lead to worry about under the shower, how can I safely clear the clog without accidentally poking a hole in the lead?

speedball1

Chances are you won't find lead drainage in the shower. more then likely the shower drain's either copper or cast iron. To tell, remove the strainer and check. If the metal's soft then you have a lead trap but I was around when lead closet bends were being used and can't remember any bathtubs having lead plumbing. However, back in those days we installed drum traps on bathtubs,(see image) and those won't let a snake by. For showers, in my area, we used a Cast iron "P" trap. Good luck, Tom