Hi all.
We had a toilet leak in our upstairs bathroom. We've had a couple of plumbers out over the past couple of years to deal with the problem, but their work didn't fix the problem. As a result, our linoleum discolored and the floor got weak. We spent the day yesterday pulling up the toilet, tearing up the rotted wood, etc. We figured the leak is coming from the copper rising coming from the wall. We spent an hour trying to remove the quarter turn angle valve -- not realizing it didn't unscrew, but had to be "walked" out. In holding the copper riser with channel locks, we've scratched and bent the copper riser and now the new angle valve we got won't seal. It seems we'll need to cut the wall to get to the innards to replace the copper riser. We believe it is attached to cast iron or stainless steel, but won't know until we cut the wall open.

Does it sound like we are doing the right thing? Is there different way to smooth out the mess we made on the end of the copper riser? AND should we use copper or PVC to replace it? Not sure how to get it out of the fitting once inside the wall, so any help is appreciated. We REALLY don't want to have to call a plumber on July 4th!

Thanks!
JeffandDee

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Originally Posted by JeffandDee

Hi all.
We had a toilet leak in our upstairs bathroom. We've had a couple of plumbers out over the past couple of years to deal with the problem, but their work didn't fix the problem. As a result, our linoleum discolored and the floor got weak. We spent the day yesterday pulling up the toilet, tearing up the rotted wood, etc. We figured the leak is coming from the copper rising coming from the wall. We spent an hour trying to remove the quarter turn angle valve -- not realizing it didn't unscrew, but had to be "walked" out. In holding the copper riser with channel locks, we've scratched and bent the copper riser and now the new angle valve we got won't seal. It seems we'll need to cut the wall to get to the innards to replace the copper riser. We believe it is attached to cast iron or stainless steel, but won't know until we cut the wall open.

Does it sound like we are doing the right thing? Is there different way to smooth out the mess we made on the end of the copper riser? AND should we use copper or PVC to replace it? Not sure how to get it out of the fitting once inside the wall, so any help is appreciated. We REALLY don't want to have to call a plumber on July 4th!

Thanks!
JeffandDee

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OK Jeff & Dee,

For openers this isn't a raiser, it's a stub-out.
" We believe it is attached to cast iron or stainless steel."
Neither! The copper stub-out's soldered in to a copper elbo. Can you cut the bad part back enough to get a fitting over it. If so, you may solder on a angle stop or a 1/2" male adapter. Once the adapter's soldered on you may install a screw on angle stop in either metal or PVC. Good luck, Tom

Tom,
Thanks. We called it a riser, becaue the instructions for replacing a new angle valve called it a riser. There isn't enough reserve to cut any off and have the stub-out reach outside the wall. Since it will be coming from a copper elbow, can we change all of that out to PVC? We aren't experienced t soldering.

Thanks and have a happy 4th.
JeffandDee

"can we change all of that out to PVC?"

Not without opening up the wall, unsoldering the damaged stub-out and replacing it. You may then solder on a angle stop or a 1/2" male adapter. Once the adapter's soldered on you may install a screw on angle stop in either metal or PVC. Sorry there just isn't any "easy fix to this. Regards, Tom

Do you know where the water was leaking from? You have to make sure that you have found the leak before you make the rest of your repairs.

KY Nick,
Yes. The leak was in the stub-out. We finally got online and figured out how to solder copper pipes. That was an experience! Once we got the old stub-out removed and put in the new one, that was the easy part. The hard part was getting the new angle valve to seal after getting it on. We had water coming out of every part of the valve. We got frustrated, tried to remove it by screwing it around several times, and could not get it off. We needed to turn the water back on for sanitary purposes. When we turned the water back on -- no more leak. We have a large bowl sitting under it in case it decides we turned it too much and it starts to leak again. This is really odd. Comments anyone?

Please explain where the leaks were coming from the valve? Stem? Where it connects to the stub-out?
What type of Angle stop. Solder on? Compression ?
Regards, tom