Ask Me Help Desk - Shower Drain

I have recently broken out an old shower. Jutting up from the concrete floor is the original (1960) iron drain. I successfully cut off the corroded bolts and took off the upper flange that used to secure the membrane allowing drainage to the weep holes. Now I am faced with an iron pipe with a sleeved flange - appears to be secured with a lead joint. I would appreciate advice on:

1) How to take off this sleeved flange. I intended to heat the flange with a torch and attempt to pull it off. Is this reasonable?
2) The iron drain pipe (I believe 2") is too high for my new shower and I do not want to have to deal with iron fixtures if I can help it. Can I join a new drain fixture (i.e. something from Home Depot) to the iron, and assuming that is yes, how do I cut the pipe to give me the room. Even chipping out some floor I am going to have limited access to cut a vertical pipe.

Finally (and perhaps it should have been foremost), the drain is very slow. I do not know whether I have some debris from demo or it dates back a while. My standard hand snake stuck on the first 90 degree. Any advice on ways to open?

A lot of info but I wanted to cover the bases. Thanks!

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1) How to take off this sleeved flange. I intended to heat the flange with a torch and attempt to pull it off. Is this reasonable?

No!
To remove a poured lead and oakum joint take a 3/8" drill bit and drill a few holes down past the lead and into the oakum.. Push a screwdriver under the lead ring and lever it up. Once it's free you can began to peel the lead ring out. Now pick out the oakum and you can pull the joint apart.

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2) The iron drain pipe (I believe 2") is too high for my new shower and I do not want to have to deal with iron fixtures if I can help it. Can I join a new drain fixture (i.e. something from Home Depot) to the iron, and assuming that is yes, how do I cut the pipe to give me the room. Even chipping out some floor I am going to have limited access to cut a vertical pipe.

To answer that we would need to know more about the new shower.
Will this be another custom built tile shower or a manufactured base and enclosure?

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the drain is very slow. I do not know whether I have some debris from demo or it dates back a while. My standard hand snake stuck on the first 90 degree. Any advice on ways to open?

What do you mean by "the first 90"? Are you talking about the bend in the trap or something on down the line? How much snake have yourun out? What size snake are you using? You have to punch through the 90 before you can began to clear the drain line. Good luck, Tom

First - thanks for the quick response. I'll do what you suggest with the drill bit.

My intent is to put in another custom shower. I was actually weighing up trying one of the tile ready type inserts this time. I am told these can be fit with different drain options but PVC is cleaner.

I am talking about the bend in the trap. In my mind I had two options - either excavate down to the trap and replace the iron riser with PVC or cut the pipe above and use a rubber bushing. Both sound like some work.

Thanks again.

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[In my mind I had two options - either excavate down to the trap and replace the iron riser with PVC or cut the pipe above and use a rubber bushing. Both sound like some work.

If it wre my call I'd do it the easy way. I would purchase a PVC flange type shower strainer, some oakum and a lead subistute such as "Soil Seal". Or Lead Substitute
I would pack the oakum in the joint and seal it with "cold lead". That way you would have your PVC shower drain without the hassle of tearing up the floor and converting with a rubber coupling , which wouldn't have worked any how unless you use a shielded metal coupling. Good luck, Tom

Tom:

Excellent advice. I have now successfully removed the flange and have a nice clean iron pipe that is flush with the concrete floor.

I still have an issue though with blockage that would not shift with either of the manual/handheld snakes that I have. From investigation (basically fishing around with a metal rod) it seems that I have a semi-compacted build up of soil/fines in the bend. This is about 12-18 inches down the pipe. I suspect that my seal during demo was not as good as it should have been and material (sub strainer size) has gathered in the trap. I think I'll need some sort of screw motion to auger through. Any ideas short of a roto rooter guy?

In the drain you show in the photo I am assuming that the PVC sleeve is oversized for an iron pipe, hence the packing? Also will the cold seal bond between iron and PVC? If so it should work just fine.

Thanks sincerely for the help.

Ian.

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I think I'll need some sort of screw motion to auger through. Any ideas short of a roto rooter guy?

Rent a sewer machine from Homec Depot or a Rent All place. (Be sure to tell them what you want to use it for). Make sure they include a spade and a auger tip and bore right through that blockage. Good luck, Tom