Rotted/Corroded Lead Pipe issue.

[ThePhanatic]

Hello All,
I am new to the message board but after reading a bunch of posts and replies.
I am sure I will be back.

I have a situation in BOTH bathrooms under the sinks.
Both were slow draining and when I looked further into it both had clogged pipes where the tin/chrome trap leads meet the wall.
the tin/chrome pipes fitted to a lead pipe which has basically rotted away.

I have since purchased a new sink that comes with all brand new traps and such, BUT how do I reconnect to a lead wall pipe that has correoded?

I am gonna take some pictures ASAP to aid in responses...
ERIC

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii67/ericscards/sinktrap.jpg?t=1218398499

This one seems the easiest to address.
I THINK I can just unscrew the middle adapter and attach a new one and all is solved.

The second one is a little more complicated.
It is similar to the end of the above image.
It is almost flush with the wall and there is a 2 inch threaded section of lead pipe that screws into the wall pipe.
This 2 inch section is crumbling...
How do I replace this section?

I cannot just unscrew it as it is falling apart.
If I purchase an identical sized piece of pipe I still wont be able to thread it right back in because of the remains of the original section still there.
Any suggestions?

THANKS

[Redwood]

A sawzall works very well at removing the old lead pipes.
PVC schedule 40 works very well at replacing them.

Post picks!

[Redwood]

What I see is a galvanized pipe not lead.
Where are the holes?

[nhmaster]

I watched Trethewy do this on this old house. He put a couple pipe wrenches on it and the nipple spun right out. In real life though the nipple is going to crush and nothing short of dynomite will break the threads free. This most likley calls for a steady and delicate touch with a sawzall with a metal blade and then a sharp cold chisel. It's tricky at best and if you cut too deep it becomes a disaster. Another way to get around it is to sawzall the threads off and use a mission band to adapt to pvc. Don't forget to rod the drains out before putting the mess back together.

[jadnashua]

Those pipes aren't lead, they're galvanized iron. Lead would be soft and maleable (and doesn't rust like what you've got there!). Unfortuneately, the rest of the pipes are probably rotten inside like the pieces you can see and you're likely going to want to replace them all eventually. Good luck getting them apart. This could become a much bigger project than you planned. You might try giving them a shot of PB Blaster and let it sit for awhile - it might help.

[nhmaster]

Those pipes aren't lead, they're galvanized iron. Lead would be soft and maleable (and doesn't rust like what you've got there!). Unfortuneately, the rest of the pipes are probably rotten inside like the pieces you can see and you're likely going to want to replace them all eventually. Good luck getting them apart. This could become a much bigger project than you planned. You might try giving them a shot of PB Blaster and let it sit for awhile - it might help.

PB Blaster is good stuff but it ain't that good.

[Redwood]

I would say that your safest method would be to cut off the threads and use the mission coupling.

[Bob NH]

It looks like the nipple inside that coupling is screwed into a cast iron adapter.

I would remove some of that drywall and apply a 24" pipe wrench to the outermost nipple or to the coupling, and see which threaded joint comes apart.

Then you can apply a threaded PVC male or female adapter to whichever one remains. Ideally you would like to remove the nipple from the iron hub in the wall. The cast iron is probably in better shape than the galvanized steel.

[ThePhanatic]

OK-
I took BOB NH's advice of the rip away some dry wall and use a few plumbing wrenches.
Turns out there were like 3 connections fromt he wall pipe just on the otherside.
I removed all three from the source pipe.
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii67/ericscards/DSC03947.jpg?t=1218407297
The source pipe had a little buildup, but no decomposition like the other 3 pipes.
The last section of the 3 had quite a bit and was very soft.
However the threads were in great shape.
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii67/ericscards/DSC03943.jpg?t=1218407497
<P>
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii67/ericscards/DSC03945.jpg?t=1218407546
OK- So now I have it to a somewhat clear stage.

So now I will get some threaded PVC and extend it back out of the wall.


Again, This is the easiest of the 3 bathrooms I have to tackle.
SO I WILL BE BACK!

[nhmaster]

The plumbing fairy was truley on your shoulder today.;)

[ThePhanatic]

Thakns For All The Help!!!