Cast Iron Stack - to replace or not replace

[hhcibtpaun]

Hey Folks,

Have not posted here in probably 10 or 15 years, but I am again in need of some assistance. I reviewed all the cast iron and stack threads I could find, but may still need a nudge in a direction.

I started a rehab on a rental property (ripped out the bathroom and kitchen), with no plans to do any major plumbing . When I pulled up the toilet I saw a bunch of rust and immediately moved to I need to replace the waste stack. I had a plumber come look and they would do it, but he then mentioned something I maybe should focus on is replacing the copper piping with PEX. He did not want to do it and said it was something I could tackle, so the fact that he had no desire to do it, got me thinking about that. Apparently my area has acidic water and that can lead to pinholes....So, I bought that Milwaukee expander tool and some Uponor tubing and have plans to replace all the copper. Now, back to the stack replacement.

The house was bult in 1947 and is a 2 story house (about 1200 sq ft). The bathroom is above the kitchen, so all the pluming is in the same area. The bathroom has a tub, sink and toilet, while the kitchen just has a sink.

As I started taking in what I have going on, I found this. It seems like none of the fixtures have their own vent. I assume they are all using the stack for venting and I am sure that worked fine for 74 years. The stack is 3" heavy iron (I think that is what the plumber said). there is a 2"galvanized vent. Today I started chipping the rust out and around the toilet flange, and things started looking better. So, now I am wondering to I just clean up some of the rust and button everything back up, do I pay someone to do it, or do I do a DIY and pull out a section of the stack from the basement to the vent and use some Ferncos to connect to the remaining iron in the basement and the galvanized vent. Here are some pics of what I have.

If I just clean things I was thinking about a die grinder, sand paper....maybe some phosphoric aced and por 15...Nevertheless, thoughts on possible directions I can go would be helpful. My to-do list on this house is never ending, so if what I have is in decent enough shape, I will move onto my next job. Currently replacing all of the electric.

Thanks....Mike

 

[Jeff H Young]

It needs a repipe .

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hhcibtpaun]

It needs a repipe .

Thanks. A repipe from the vent to the basement, or just a section on the basement where the rust is?

Thanks....Mike

 

[Sylvan]

Total repipe

 

[Jeff H Young]

Total, just my opinion you can patch it or put goop over the leaks just depends what kind of property you want but its service life is over my opinion you asked

 

[hhcibtpaun]

Total, just my opinion you can patch it or put goop over the leaks just depends what kind of property you want but its service life is over my opinion you asked

Thanks. The plumber I had come out was going to get into the basement. The rest is accessible without ripping out walls if it becomes problematic.

Thanks...Mike

 

[John Gayewski]

Repipe

 

[hhcibtpaun]

OK, so I ripped out the CI pipe from the bathroom to the basement. I am now looking to connect Extra Heavy CI to plastic for the main stack, and I need to connect 3" plastic to 2.5" steel for the vent in the bathroom.

I foung the following Fernco connector to make the connection to the vent - https://www.fernco.com/dimensional-drawings/1056-3250rc

The issue I am having is finding this item in stock anywhere. I can get the version without the shielding: https://www.fernco.com/dimensional-drawings/1056-3250

Since this connection will be buried in the wall, I think I need the shielded clamp. Does anyone know if I buy something like this - https://www.fernco.com/dimensional-drawings/1056-33rc can I take the clamp off and put it on the other connector called out above?

Thanks...Mike

 

[John Gayewski]

2.5" steel? As in galvanized? Or cast iron?

 

[hhcibtpaun]

2.5" steel? As in galvanized? Or cast iron?

Sorry. Galvanized.

 

[John Gayewski]

Sorry. Galvanized.

I have in the past had to call fernco directly to get thre right product. That was with a supplier facilitating the transaction though.

I believe there exists a product that will go on any product between certain sizes. So it'll fit anything from 2"to 4". I think in lieu of a shield the use four clamps. They are green I believe. I don't have any specifics for you on them but I'm sure they are searchable.

 

[wwhitney]

OK, so I ripped out the CI pipe from the bathroom to the basement. I am now looking to connect Extra Heavy CI to plastic for the main stack, and I need to connect 3" plastic to 2.5" steel for the vent in the bathroom.

2.5" IPS, as in 2.875" OD? Not 2" IPS, as in 2.375" OD?

For above ground use, you need to stick with the Fernco Proflex line, which is listed to ASTM C1460. The Strongback RC line, even though they are shielded, is listed to ASTM C1173, which is for underground use.

I'm not seeing any Fernco couplings for 2.5" pipe. You might be able to use a fitting sized for 3" Copper, those are listed as have an ID of 3.07" on the copper size. Fernco could advise if the 0.2" difference is a problem or if there's a better solution.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[wwhitney]

Mission Rubber shows a Band Seal coupling for 2.5" Schedule 40 to 3.0" Schedule 40:

BAND-SEAL® Specialty Couplings P SERIES - Mission Rubber LLC

www.missionrubber.com

Not sure if Fernco has an equivalent part.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[hhcibtpaun]

2.5" IPS, as in 2.875" OD? Not 2" IPS, as in 2.375" OD?

For above ground use, you need to stick with the Fernco Proflex line, which is listed to ASTM C1460. .

Cheers, Wayne

Thanks Wayne. It is 2.875 OD. On the Proflex fitting, do you know if the metal is bonded to rubber, or can I pull the clamp off and put on the 1056 connector? If they are separate I could buy a 3" proflex and salvage the clamp.

 

[wwhitney]

Metal is not bonded to the rubber.

Is the picture your application, and if so what is it? Is it a 2.5" outdoor vent that you want to transition to 3" plastic?

You also have the option to remove the pipe from the cast iron hub by carefully drilling out the lead, and then using an appropriate size rubber "donut" to connect your new pipe into the cast iron hub. I've never done that myself, but read about it here.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[hhcibtpaun]

Mission Rubber shows a Band Seal coupling for 2.5" Schedule 40 to 3.0" Schedule 40:

BAND-SEAL® Specialty Couplings P SERIES - Mission Rubber LLC

www.missionrubber.com

Not sure if Fernco has an equivalent part.

Cheers, Wayne

That Mission coupling looks like that would do the trick. My initial googling cannot find it for sale anywhere . Then when I called they have no distributors in my area. May have to consider pushing out PVC for the vent.

 

[hhcibtpaun]

Metal is not bonded to the rubber.

Is the picture your application, and if so what is it? Is it a 2.5" outdoor vent that you want to transition to 3" plastic?

You also have the option to remove the pipe from the cast iron hub by carefully drilling out the lead, and then using an appropriate size rubber "donut" to connect your new pipe into the cast iron hub. I've never done that myself, but read about it here.

Cheers, Wayne

Yes it is a 2.5" outdoor vent. I am not reusing that iron. I may get all the parts wrong, but I am replacing the CI stuff in my bathroom, but keeping the galvanized vent because I would prefer not to mess with the roof, since it is slate. So, off the toilet I would have a closet bend (4x3), then 3" pipe to a sanitary tee with a side inlet to pick up the tub and sink in the bathroom. So out of the tee I would have 3" PVC that I would be looking to connect to the 2.5" galvanized that vents out the roof currently.

 

[hhcibtpaun]

Could I just use a 3" pvc union and use JB weld or gorilla glue on the Galvanized end? It is just a vent....May have to sand the galvanized pipe to prep it? Or would that connection be too rigid?

 

[wwhitney]

Sounds like your new vent could just be 2" then.

If you can't find the Mission P3250 or P2250, you could try a Fernco for 3" copper, either 3006-32 for 2" plastic or 3007-33 for 3" plastic. Should be good enough for a vent, I think.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[hhcibtpaun]

Thanks Wayne. Yeah I started thinking it may be easier to go to 2" - 2.5". I will see what I can come up with. Thanks.