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xalex25 · Nov 5, 2012, 12:37 PM

Please Help. I had a main drain line backup and water stated leaking from under the toilet. I cleared the drain blockage and planned on resetting the toilet assuming the wax ring seal was broken. When I removed the toilet, I found a thin lead drain pipe and the flange was just sort of hovering over it barely held in place by rusted out screws. The lead drain pipe is about 2 inched below floor level. I’m thinking to concrete the hole around the drain to floor level but I need to extend the lead drain about two inches to reach floor level. How can I add an extension and make it watertight? Any suggestions are appreciated. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7252/8...e8f756_c_d.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7278/8...e228a4_c_d.jpg

massplumber2008 · Nov 5, 2012, 02:28 PM

Hi Xalex

You may do better here by going over to a local plumbing cupply store and seeing if they have an EXPANSION CLOSET FLANGE in stock (see first two images). These flanges fit into the drain pipe and you tighten screws to expand a rubber seal against the walls of the old lead pipe.

Another option might be the push-tite closet flange... see image. Some models of these are tapered so that when you push them into the drain the gasket slides up until a tight fit is achieved.

Another fix would be to simply stack flange extensions on top of each other until you get the flange up to the right height (see image).

One more option might be the fernco waxless toilet gasket (see image)... may be long enough to attach to toilet and still fit into the lead drain.

One of these should work for you... ;)

Let us know if you have questions, OK?

Mark

speedball1 · Nov 5, 2012, 04:55 PM

The lead drain pipe is about 2 inched below floor level.

This bothers me, Just to be clear are you telling me that there's 2" of space (air) between the floor line where the toilet sets and the top of the lead closet bend? In that were so every time you flushed you'd have a flood. What am I missing here?
I broke into plumbing before there was such a thing as closet flanges, Back then we peened and flared the lead pipe out on the floor and took a ring of plumbers putty foe a seal and screwed the bowl to the floor. I would endorse Marks solution 100% if were anything but lead pipe, (and really old lead pipe so it's thin with age.) I'm afraid that if you put anything in that pipe that expands the lead will tear.
I take it that this isn't a slab house so you can work on the drainage if needed.
If the lead raiser doesn't come up to where you can make a flange and screw a brass closet flange on top I can see no solution but to remove the lead back to the cast iron, convert to PVC and complete the job with Plastic. I know this isn't what you want to here but even Mark would agree that this is the best solution. Good luck and please let me know what you decide, Tom

massplumber2008 · Nov 5, 2012, 05:05 PM

No doubt, chipping the floor up and replacing back to the cast iron is best, Tom, but the options I put up work pretty good with older lead pipes... just need to be careful, and worst case, the pipe does tear and then he can replace the entire line!

There's still plenty of old lead pipes in service in Boston and I've used 3 out of the 4 options above and they are working great! I've also tried these and been unsuccessful... lead pipe was too misshapen, lead pipe wasn't deep enough to accept the flanges above, lead pipe simply tore, etc. but these are reasonable option to try!

Glad to discuss more with Xalex if he wants! Have a good one!

speedball1 · Nov 5, 2012, 05:39 PM

I never used a expanding flange on lead but If it works then go for it. It's just that lead drainage thins with age, I still would like to know how they were using the toilet if the drain pipe ended 2" beneath the floor line. If your solution works then you just saved the OP a ton of money, Regards, Tom