Guys, thanks for the advice last week on my holy cast iron drain. I spent Saturday breaking up concrete and repairing the damage. Not too bad and for <$100, including renting a jack hammer, I saved myself a lot of $$$. The Question: When I went to Home Depot to buy the repair parts, all they stocked was the Fenco type adapters for cast iron to PVC. I was pressed for time, so I decided to go with it to get the plumbing back in service. I noticed in many of your answers you recommend a metal clad type adapter... I have not backfilled the hole in the floor yet and would like to know if you recommend that I go to a plumbing supply house and get one of the metal clad adapters for this repair? I have attached a pic of my work... I believe in doing things right, and I don't wan't spend another Saturday any time soon doing this again. Thanks in advance for any insight or help you can provide. -Tim

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Hi Tim

First, the larger clamp of the two clamps is in the wrong place.. ;) Needs to slide back a little further on that fernco and sit in the groove.. like the smaller clamp.

Then, well, in Mass. We are not allowed to use ferncos anywhere! But in some places they do allow fernco fittings on undergound piping.. so really up to you.

The banded clamps are always a better choice... my opinion (see pic.) but seems to me that if you move the clamp back where it belongs and it does not leak then you will be fine leaving it for years to come. Just go with the banded type... NEXT TIME :).. Hope that helped some... take care... Mark

Mark.. Thanks for the quick response. The 'final assembly'(not pictured) actually has 2 clamps on the 2" side... One in the right place and one as pictured. I believe, that due to the raised lettering on this section on pipe, there was a slight leak with only 1 clamp in the proper area. I added a some plumbers goop and another band to make sure it did not leak. -Tim

What drains into this pipe, I see you reduced from 2" to 1.5" and wondered why.

Like Bob, I wondered why you didn't extend 2" all the way and reduce down to 1 1/2" at the terminal.
I never use neoprene couplimgs underground. Like Mark I prefer to use a shielded coupling. The reason being that neoprene couplings aren't ridged and can bell, causing a trap in the line, from the weight of the dirt pressing down on the coupling. With a shielded coupling this couldn't happen. Just my opinion! Good luck, Tom

Good point guys! Fact is that 2" is required on all drain pipes underground, and then a full size dandy cleanout (see pic.) just after you come out of the ground...then if you want to, you can reduce to 1.5".

But like these guys asked... why reducing to 1.5" Tim?

The drainage is from the kitchen sink on the first floor(nothing else). Most of this stack was 1 1/2" PVC that was replaced years ago. The drainage flow goes from the 1 1/2" PVC to the 2" cast iron. I had to make a transition from 1 1/2" PVC to 2" cast at some point, just decided to do it here at the coupling. Sounds like the best way to go is transition to 2" PVC (at the cleanout?) and use a 2" to 2" shielded coupling at the repair point. Thanks again for the help. -Tim

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Afraid so Tim.

Here, use a 2" dandy cleanout and a 2" x 1.5" flush bushing or reducing coupling out the top of the cleanout to pick up the 1.5" pipe, then to 2" long sweep elbow at base, then to two inch shielded coupling...and you will have few issues down the road.

See, some people do what you did and then later need to snake drain... Here, if 1.5" cleanout and 2" drain sometimes things get tangled around snake and the snake gets stuck trying to pull it back through the reduced cleanout... a bad thing, yes? ;)

You did a great job though.. looks real professional! Keep us posted... Mark

Mark, Thanks for your help. I'll make this right before I fill the hole. Shouldn't take long. To me its worth the extra time and a few bucks to do it right. I was pressed for time this weekend and just wanted to get the kitchen sink back in order and get the wife off my back :cool:.. . Had company coming on Sunday:eek: . That's why I decided not to button things up until I consulted an expert. What a great website! $20 more is parts is nothing compared to what I would have paid a professional plumber to do this. I'm sure you guys can vouch for that. I'll post a pic of the final repair. Thanks again.

You are almost done Tim. Don't forget to back fill with some gravel or sand before pouring your cement. Your great grand children may have to dig that out someday.

OK Guys, I think this one is a wrap. Re-plumbed it last night using 2" PVC and a shielded coupling. Attached some pics of the completed job. Thanks again for all the advice and help with this project. -Tim

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Great job Tim... looks real good. You did test it real good.. right? Filled the sink to the top a few times and then drained? Just checking ;) Let me know... talk soon.. Mark

Looks a lot better and makes me a lot happier. Good work! Cheers, Tom

I agree with Tom and Mark. I hesitated to point out the 2" pipe reduction under ground but you got it right this time. Probably would not be a bad idea to attach a wall bracket just below the clean out to make it a tad more rigid.