4 inch cast iron main drain has a slow leak at what I think are small cracks in the line at the Y of the clean out just before it goes into the slab of the basement floor. It is old stuff, the house was built around 1902. What are my options in fixing this. Thanks in advance.

If this crack is not a wide crack and is entirely visible you can always use a crack filler to fill the crack and then melt some roofing tar to cover the crack over. And then keep an eye on it to see that it does not leak, if it does leak again more drastic measures might have to be taken.

Hi Shane...

A good temporary fix will be to clean the area around the crack and apply some epoxy putty (see picture)... found at all home supply stores. The trick with this stuff is to rough up the metal with sandcloth and work the putty into the crack using water to feather the edges smooth.

Otherwise, you will need to DRILL OUT THE OLD LEAD RING at the wye fitting and replace the pipe with new PVC pipe. You can use a manhoff fitting (see picture) and plastic seal or SOIL SEAL (see picture) to create new seal at the manhoff fitting and cast iron junction. You will also need a shielded clamp (see picture) to transition between the older cast iron and the new PVC pipe.

Cutting into a cast iron stack can be dangerous! The cast iron stack will need to be properly supported using a riser clamp and 2"x4" studs as in my last picture. I would recommend using a sawzall with bimetal blades to cut the cast iron.

All of this can be found at any local plumbing supply store.

As you can see....a bit involved!

Let us know what you think here. Glad to talk you through step by step or maybe it's a good idea to hire a pro.!

MARK

Adding some pictures of a riser clamp..;)

As mentioned, if you cut into any plumbing stack be sure to support the weight of the stack as it usually carries the weight of the plumbing from the basement out through to the roof!

Let us know what you think...