I have noticed that our CI soil stack (in the basement) has corrosion and wet spots on it. The stack (from the basement ceiling down) extends about 6 feet then 45s into a CI pipe that continues through the basement floor concrete. My questions are: Is it better to replace the entire accessible stack, or can I replace only the 45 degree piece above the floor to the vertical piece? Also I have read a lot on this post about different types of connections (saddle clamps or n-hub) which ones do you recommended?
Regards,
Skip

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Originally Posted by spayne

I have noticed that our CI soil stack (in the basement) has corrosion and wet spots on it. The stack (from the basement ceiling down) extends about 6 feet then 45s into a CI pipe that continues through the basement floor concrete. My questions are: Is it better to replace the entire accessible stack, or can I replace only the 45 degree piece above the floor to the vertical piece? Also I have read a lot on this post about different types of connections (saddle clamps or n-hub) which ones do you recommended?
Regards,
Skip

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I would replace just the part that's leaking... which part exactly is that? The 45?

The corrosion you see is unlikely to be a factor... check out this recent thread (in which I learn several lessons about working with CI) https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/plumbi...pe-107834.html

You'll note that even the CI pipe that's been buried for nearly 40 years has pretty significant thickness. When I cut it, there was clean, bright metal all the way around and plenty thick. The corrosion looked nasty on the outside, but that didn't appear to compromise the pipe at all... it was looks only.

I would suspect that the leak is really at a joint, you could maybe use a torch or heat gun to completely dry the pipe and watch carefully.

The one thing I've read about working with a VERTICAL cast iron stack, is that it's HEAVY. Note that it's also vertical, which means that if it falls it could kill you, or at the very least you'll end up with the whole thing in the basement, along with a lot of whatever was attached to it. The upside could be that you'll get to remodel your kitchen and all the bathrooms ;-)

Seriously though, the books at Home Depot and such have good clear pictures and procedures for doing this safely. Essentially, you can build a support frame under/around the stack, and use saddle clamps to support the stack when you cut it.

Also, if that current 45 goes into a hubbed pipe that's in your floor, you can use a modern rubber coupling in the hub instead of lead and oakum. See this link for a Fernco version: Fernco, Inc.

~aaron

Ps: I'm NOT a plumber, nor do I play one on TV

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Originally Posted by scirocco70

which part exactly is that? The 45?

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Yes it is the 45, thanks for your input thus far.
Regards,
Skip