Ask Me Help Desk - Broken nut holding trap...

OK - I have attached pictures to this because I have no idea of the terms I am about to throw around, and if any of them are correct.

We recently purchased an older victorian, and the downstairs bath does not look like it has been renovated in the last 15 to 20 years. It is in decent shape, but today, we had a problem that I am not sure I know how to fix without a pro. The drain pipe from the sink was offset from the wall pipe a little bit, so someone had put a piece of flexible PVC between the sink drain and the trap. This is a wall mounted sink with decorative legs that do not really support any weight. Apparently, the drain pipe from the sink was too long, because there was stress on the nut holding the trap to the wall drain, and today, it cracked in half. In picture 3728, you can see I have run the remaining part of the nut partway up the drain pipe. The flange it held onto at the end of the wall pipe is in fine shape. In picture 3729, you can see the pipe runs straight back into the wall, and is either welded into or glued tightly into the actual drain. Picture 3732 is just to show you the trap, with the rest of the nut still on it, and where it broke off. The trap is in great shape, the threads are all still great, but I cannot see where I can get a new nut onto the wall pipe without figuring out how to get it out of the attachment behind the tiles... Any suggestions?

Yikes!!

Most likely, the bend coming out of the wall is soldered into a lead sanitary tee.

If that's the case, the least obtrusive way to deal with this is to have a tilesetter pop the surrounding subway tiles out without damaging them.

Secondly, you will need a plumber skilled at working with wiped lead joints to install what is called a 'code adapter', which will give you a slip-joint nut just outside of the wall to install a new p-trap.

Since leaded fittings and wiped joints are far older than 15 or 20 years, I'm guessing that the bend coming out of the wall is part of the original plumbing rough-in.

It is not possible to get a new nut onto the pipe coming out of the wall, one solution to the problem is to go to the Home discount store and by an 1-1/4 inch rubber connector, the guy there will probably know exactly what you want. Be very gentle and hack saw off the pipe just as close to the wall as you can but still leave enough pipe so that the rubber joint you buy will slip onto the pipe about an inch and will tighten up on the pipe with the moon clamps that are supplied with the rubber joint (some brands are called "Fernco Adapters") After you get the joint on and tight then you can install a new trap. You can either buy a metal trap that will look nicer or you can buy a PVC trap, your choice. Do all of your measuring and fit the pieces together to make sure everything is going to fit. After this is done take it apart and slip the deep chrome ring (an escutcheon) onto the new pipe and slid it back toward the wall as far as it will go. If this is not far enough you can cut some of the rubber joint off, just do not get it too short, make sure the pipe goes in as far as it will go. When the chrome ring suits you put every thing back together. You mentioned the there was an offset, I don't know how much but the rubber ring will have some flexability and may line up with out any other adjusting, if not an offset pipe can be purchesed It is call an "Offset slip joint extention". Tighten up the other end of the rubber joint and slip the chrome ring into place and check for leaks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by letmetellu

It is not possible to get a new nut onto the pipe coming out of the wall, one solution to the problem is to go to the Home discount store and by an 1-1/4 inch rubber connector, the guy there wil probably know exactly what you want. Be very gentle and hack saw off the pipe just as close to the wall as you can but still leave enough pipe so that the rubber joint you buy will slip onto the pipe about an inch and will tighten up on the pipe with the moon clamps that are supplied with the rubber joint (some brands are called "Fernco Adapters") After you get the joint on and tight then you can install a new trap. You can either buy a metal trap that will look nicer or you can buy a PVC trap, your choice. Do all of your measuring and fit the pieces together to make sure everything is going to fit. After this is done take it apart and slip the deep chrome ring (an escutcheon) onto the new pipe and slid it back toward the wall as far as it will go. If this is not far enough you can cut some of the rubber joint off, just do not get it too short, make sure the pipe goes in as far as it will go. When the chrome ring suits you put every thing back together. You mentioned the there was an offset, I don't know how much but the rubber ring will have some flexability and may line up with out any other adjusting, if not an offset pipe can be purchesed It is call an "Offset slip joint extention". Tighten up the other end of the rubber joint and slip the chrome ring into place and check for leaks.

I'm sorry, but I think that is a horrible suggestion.

This is a 'Band-Aid' fix -- Not a permanent, let alone a hygienic fix.

The 'Fernco' fittings you have recommended on a number of occasions in this forum are a sewer/building sewer connection fitting intended for outdoor burial only. They are in most municipalities forbidden for use within the interior of a building.

Lash me with a wet noodle if you like, but I absolutely cannot and will not condone this kind of slip-shod advice.