Advice Requested: Cast Iron Waste Pipe

[Fatty Duckets]

Well Good Morning!

So I am a long time lurker and minimal contributor, however I come to this forum for knowledge.

I am looking for advice on a cast iron waste pipe in my house, built in the 50's. I have spoken with a plumber and some DIY plumbers and I am getting some mixed assessments, so I am here for some more! Each union/connection has shown signs of dampness, and a couple spots under the connection points I see a tiny puddle. There are no visible leaks, and the pipe itself does not have any truly rusted out points that I have seen. All the issues tend to be at the connection points.

My question is, without just replacing it with PVC, has anyone here tried to use a product to seal these joints? I'm going to eventually replaced with PVC, but I figure I'd like to try something easier first.

Thank you very much!

[2000cs]

I don’t know of any solution but I can imagine using caulk or epoxy - however the prep for anything from the outside of the pipe has to be more than just replacing it all with PVC, and it might cost less to replace too.

[DETRoadster]

Just remember, cast iron pipes fail from the inside out. I had a cast iron waste pipe in my last house from the mid 1940s. It had a handful of tiny little rust blooms on the outside. Like there were little pinholes in the pipe. In reality the entire thing was rusted out on the inside and barely holding on.

Given that it's only at the joints my guess is that the threading at those joints is rusting away, giving clearance for seepage past them.

Just given the age and that it's cast iron, my guess is that it's on the edge of failure. Best to replace. Easy DIY job for any above ground section.

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

Just remember, cast iron pipes fail from the inside out. I had a cast iron waste pipe in my last house from the mid 1940s. It had a handful of tiny little rust blooms on the outside. Like there were little pinholes in the pipe. In reality the entire thing was rusted out on the inside and barely holding on.

Given that it's only at the joints my guess is that the threading at those joints is rusting away, giving clearance for seepage past them.

Just given the age and that it's cast iron, my guess is that it's on the edge of failure. Best to replace. Easy DIY job for any above ground section.

Agreed, having only owned older homes my whole life. Once it's started leaking the pipe is done, also consider what is leaking into your home. It is after all a "waste pipe".

[zx10guy]

My mom just had work done on her cast iron sewage pipe. It was some slight leakage from the joint in a vertical section. The contractor ended up replacing that piping along with tearing up part of her basement floor to replace other sections of the iron piping that needed it. So depending upon inspection of the pipe, it may extend further than the affected areas.

[Efthreeoh]

Not joking...

Flex Seal products. That's what they are made for, fixing leaky pipes.

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Not joking...

Flex Seal products. That's what they are made for, temporarily patching leaky pipes.

FTFY

I have to say I normally ignore those overhyped TV infomercial sort of products but I bought some Flex Seal tape and was 100% blown away by how good it was.

[DETRoadster]

Got curious after getting home and looking closer at those photos. it really is leaking only at the joints. So what did the old-timers do in the 50's to seal those connections and could that seal be the culprit?

Found this:

https://www.quora.com/How-were-the-o...ey-be-replaced

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnCwChSBqFA

The joint is not a threaded connection!

It's a slip fit and the plumber packs in a fiber called Oakum, then seals it up with molten lead. A nearly lost trade today. To me this seems like a "cut it out and replace it" situation.

[Buug959]

Anything you do to these pipes is only a bandaid. They need to be replaced. The joints are not threaded, they are packed with oakum and sealed with molten lead. It's a big job to redo the joints if the pipes were new (ish). Nearly impossible with old and corroded pipes like these. Save yourself the aggravation and just replace them with ABS... the black plastic pipe.

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

FTFY

I have to say I normally ignore those overhyped TV infomercial sort of products but I bought some Flex Seal tape and was 100% blown away by how good it was.

Unless you're planning on selling the house now then covering up the lead temporarily is just sitting on a ticking time bomb. This is part of the cost of home ownership and in the grand scheme of things not the most expensive fix you're likely to have to contend with. It's not as sexy as remodelling a kitchen or bathroom but you should repair it properly sooner rather than later.

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by Murf993

Unless you're planning on selling the house now then covering up the lead temporarily is just sitting on a ticking time bomb. This is part of the cost of home ownership and in the grand scheme of things not the most expensive fix you're likely to have to contend with. It's not as sexy as remodelling a kitchen or bathroom but you should repair it properly sooner rather than later.

Oh, 100%. I was in no way suggesting this could be patched. Only that I'm actually surprised by how good Flex Seal products are, given their stupid marketing. But yeah, no Flex Seal here. This is a "cut and replace" job.

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

Oh, 100%. I was in no way suggesting this could be patched. Only that I'm actually surprised by how good Flex Seal products are, given their stupid marketing. But yeah, no Flex Seal here. This is a "cut and replace" job.

Oh, I got your meaning. I also know that if someone was just getting ready to sell you could do a cover up job and save a few thousand on the proper repair.

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by Murf993

Oh, I got your meaning. I also know that if someone was just getting ready to sell you could do a cover up job and save a few thousand on the proper repair.

I'm guilty of that and feel bad to this day.

Sold our 1940s house in New Hampshire back in 2011 when we moved back to Seattle. We had a rusted out cast iron waste pipe with about a 10' run in the basement where it was nearly horizontal, ran along a wall, then out the foundation to the outside. I could see it rusting and knew it was done. A buddy and I replaced only that section, certain that the rest of the run outside the house and to the sewer was also going to be in bad shape. Where it exited the house it was about 6 feet down and shot right under a brand new poured cement walkway and stairs leading to the front door, and between 2 gigantic maple trees. it was January, in New England, and the house was about to go on the market. A "proper" fix all the way to the street would have been $25k in excavation, repairs, and concrete work. Permits, etc. Plus it was all under feet of snow. Well the eventual buyer's inspector found the replaced section and smartly suggested a sewer scope. Figured I was cooked. Fortunately, the buyers got all worked up over wanting a radon test and forgot about the sewer scope. It wasn't 3 months that they were in the house and that outside section of pipe collapsed and backed up sewage into the basement. There's some karma waiting for me out there somewhere on that one. I really felt like a dick.

[Fatty Duckets]

Thank you all so much for your input!

So replacing it clearly is the winner here. The Flextape made me laugh, because that stuff really does work

If I were to replace this pipe run, which is roughly 30 feet, all exposed in my basement, where would I make my beginning cut?

The attached picture is the rear of my house, and the pipe on the bottom left wraps around half the basement to the front of the house as well.

As always, thanks again .

[kscarrol]

Looks better than the terra cotta drain pipe did in our 131 year old house!

[chassis]

No, don't try to fix this. It's an exercise in half a$$ery.

Choose one of the following:

1. Cut the pipe up or downstream from a leak, separate/disassemble the joint, reseal with oakum and lead, join the cut section with a no-hub "Fernco".

2. Replace section by section with PVC, join iron to PVC with a no-hub.

Don't try to half a$$ this. My recommendation is #2 above, starting from the outfall (waste pipe exit point of your house).

This is the proper fix:

[DETRoadster]

So if it were me, I'd cut where the red lines are. You'll make the connection from the cast iron to the plastic using a rubber coupling called a Fernco. So the key is to have enough pipe left behind after the cut to clamp the Fernco onto.

What's happening after the elbow circled in the lower left? Can't quite see where the cut would be there.

[hubbahubba]

OP, have you camera'd the sewer? As was mentioned above, rot will be from inside out. In your last pic, is it cast iron turning underground as well? Once it starts to collapse, it is just a matter of time before it all does. Iron pipe and water, or even worse when buried, ugh... Whoever thought that was a good idea is beyond me. And it is still spec'd today, although less prevalent. Once you start the chase, you will continue until you have ABS everywhere. It never gets better. Cast iron sewer sucks.

[Fatty Duckets]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

So if it were me, I'd cut where the red lines are. You'll make the connection from the cast iron to the plastic using a rubber coupling called a Fernco. So the key is to have enough pipe left behind after the cut to clamp the Fernco onto.

What's happening after the elbow circled in the lower left? Can't quite see where the cut would be there.

Thanks for the education!

So the circled part from your mark up is the beginning of the 30 foot run along two walls in the basement, connecting to the front of the house.

[Fatty Duckets]

Originally Posted by hubbahubba

OP, have you camera'd the sewer? As was mentioned above, rot will be from inside out. In your last pic, is it cast iron turning underground as well? Once it starts to collapse, it is just a matter of time before it all does. Iron pipe and water, or even worse when buried, ugh... Whoever thought that was a good idea is beyond me. And it is still spec'd today, although less prevalent. Once you start the chase, you will continue until you have ABS everywhere. It never gets better. Cast iron sewer sucks.

I have not camera's the sewer. I asked one plumber and he said if there's no current issue then why waste the money? Personally I'd be curious to see what it looks like! I'm kicking around the idea.

[Murf993]

Originally Posted by Fatty Duckets

I have not camera's the sewer. I asked one plumber and he said if there's no current issue then why waste the money? Personally I'd be curious to see what it looks like! I'm kicking around the idea.

You'll pay now or you will pay later. Cast iron pipe can last up to about 100 years, but since you have leaking already I'd be looking to fix it before your basement is full of shit, literally.

If you decide to go the cheap route be sure you know what you're doing and what you've signed up for. Insurance ? . I know there are companies that can be pretty creative with the repair/replacement of cast iron and clay pipe drains.

Regardless, I'd get a reputable plumbing service in and get a professional opinion, maybe get a couple of opinions.

https://www.trenchless-pipelining.co...-sewer-drains/

[hubbahubba]

Originally Posted by Fatty Duckets

I have not camera's the sewer. I asked one plumber and he said if there's no current issue then why waste the money? Personally I'd be curious to see what it looks like! I'm kicking around the idea.

Spend the money. You will never know where you are until you see it first hand. How can you plan repairs if you have no clue what you are up against? Find a good plumber that will do the whole thing. Locate the problem areas, and you will be able to stretch it out. Especially if it is all above ground. You have to stay on these guys, though. They will hit the first collapse, and say that is your problem. It most likely isn't your whole problem... Camera the whole thing, and don't let them leave if they haven't.