I'm in the middle of a bathroom reno (combining a small bathroom and small laundry room to make one big bathroom) and want to move the toilet over 4 feet so it's not in the middle of the room. It's an 80 yr old house with a cast iron waste line, galvanized supply line and steel vent out the roof (all of which needs to be moved - the vent I just want to move to the other side of the shower plumbing so I can still use the same exit hole through the roof). I should also mention it's in a one story addition with a 2-3 ft crawl space underneath and most of the subfloor will be opened up.

How hard is it going to be to do this move? What do I do? What are good (and cheaper) options for replacement pipes? I've been reading about PEX with compression fittings for supply lines and they sound nice and easy. Are they as good as they sound?
Thanks,
Sean

Hey Sean:

For the cast iron work you want to rent a snap cutter (see pic.) from a local rental store and then SNAP the cast iron pipe to separate it. If the pipe crushes after cutting the cast iron then you have a thin walled pipe and will need to cut the pipe further back with a sawzall and carbide or diamond sawzall blades.

You would then transition over form the cast iron pipe to new PVC pipe and fittings using a SHIELDED CLAMP as shown in the picture below. This clamp is a transition clamp that makes up for the different pipe thicknesses between cast iron and PVC pipe. Do not use NON-SHIELDED clamps.

For water lines... PEX IS FANTASTIC. You usually need to purchase special tools (see pic... that is a pex crimping tool) and you should always run 3/4" pex in place of 1/2" copper lines.

Check out this link for more information about the different kinds of PEX systems... then call a local supplier and see what type is available in your area:

http://search.aol.com/aol/imageDetails?invocationType=imageDetails&query=viega+pex+plumbing+tools&img=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pexinfo.com%2Fimages%2Ftoolde crimper-thumb.jpg&site=&host=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pexinfo.com%2F&width=74&height=61&thumbUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fimages-partners-tbn.google.com%2Fimages%3Fq%3Dtbn%3AYc_iX4knzz3EiM %3Awww.pexinfo.com%2Fimages%2Ftooldecrimper-thumb.jpg&b=image%3Fquery%3Dviega%2Bpex%2Bplumbing%2Btools%2 6page%3D3%26displayCount%3D20%26invocationType%3Dt opsearchbox.image%26clickstreamid%3D13027647896035 16134


Let us know if you need more information... glad to help... MARK

If this helped, please RATE THIS ANSWER. Thank you.

The water pipe is easy compared with the drainage. And yes! If you're going to do your own water pipe pex is yhe most user friendly. You ask about the drainage. I would tear out all the old stuff and convert to PVC. Most bathroom groups are roughed in like this.
Toilet connects to sewer main or the stack vent. Lavatory connects to toilet drain and runs a vent off the top the stubout tee out the roof or revents back into a dry vent in the attic.. The toilet wet vents through the lavatory vent and the tub/shower connects to the lavatory drain and is wet vented by it. This is a normal rough in and is acceptable both by local and state codes and also The Standard Plumbing Code Book in 90 percent of the country. Check your local codes.to make sure you're not in the excluded 10 percent.. The vent off the lavatory may be run out the roof or revented back into a dry vent in the attic or if you're reventing back into a fixtures dry vent you must make your connection at least 6 inches over that fixtures flood rim. Good luck, Tom

You guys are great! I rented a snap cutter and snapped that cast iron in about 2 minutes! It was awesome!

Now I have another question. The supply line looks to be galvanized steel (I think it's 3/4"). Can PEX be connected to galvanized? I really only want to replace the toilet line because of cost. What is needed to do that? Should I cut the galvanized or is there an easy way to disconnect the current connections?

Attached is a drawing of the current supply line set up and what I plan to do.

Thanks,
Sean

9119

I have another question. The supply line looks to be galvanized steel (I think it's 3/4"). Can PEX be connected to galvanized? Here you go!

Cut the galvanized line with a sawzall and metal blade (be careful not to over vibrate the pipes)... then back out the remaining pipe to the nearest male or female thread.

Then can purchase the fitting Tom showed you (a female x pex adapter... or can order a male x pex adapter, too) and a brass nipple if needed and then run the pex as required.

You will want to transition over to a pex shutoff (angle or straight) at the toilet... so be sure to pick that up as well as a new flexible closet supply tube... ;)

Keep us posted. Glad cast iron work went well! Mark

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