There is a bad spot in the cast iron sewer pipe under the living room floor. I can remove the vanity in the bathroom next to it and cut out the floor to expose about 4 feet of the pipe upstream of it. Can I just slide in sections of 3″ PVC into it past the problem area and re-flange this toilet in the 3″ PVC since this is the last or furthest from the sewer exit on the other side of the house. There are no other drains into it until the other side of the living room. I had it filmed and know the exact location of the bad pipe. The whole house is a terrazio floor and I don’t want to cut it in the living room.

-Diane

Diane, sliding a piece of new pipe into the old cast iron pipe is not an option. But, you can remove the existing damaged cast iron pipe and replace it with a section of PVC or ABS pipe. You’ll need to use an approved transitional fitting (plastic to cast iron) and a toilet flange on the floor.

-Brian

Why does brown water come out of our pipes after we haven’t used the water for a couple of days? (Plumbing is only 3 years old).

-Jake

Jake, colored water (brown in your case) coming out of a faucet or tap is a result of high levels of dissolved or suspended corrosion by-products (e.g. rust or lime-like) caused by a reaction between the metal of the pipe and the water. When a solid forms and settles on the wall of the pipes, it’s called tuberculation. This happens mostly with galvanized and as water sits in this pipe when you’re not using it (even only a couple days) it becomes discolored. Since your plumbing is only three years old, it would seem to indicate that the water in your area may be chemically aggressive towards the metal your pipes are made out of. To deal with tuberculation, you could repipe (replace your pipes) or you could have the pipes cleaned out and epoxy lined (as is done with CuraFlo’s system) –this would take care of your immediate problem and prevent it from coming back.

-Brian

Your water is probably safe to drink, but it can stain your laundry. It’s recommended that discolored water be tested so that you know what kind of contaminants you’re dealing with and if they’re safe to consume. You might also want to contact your local water supplier to get more information about the water in your area and if anyone else is experiencing what you are.

-Dr. Dave

I have read lately about a cancer causing chemical called BPA in baby bottles and water bottles. These articles say that epoxy also includes this chemical. Is putting an epoxy lining in my pipes safe for me and my children?

-Jordan

Jordan, bisphenol-A (BPA) is the chemical you’re referring to. Testing has suggested that BPA in polycarbonate plastic bottles can leach into liquids held in them, posing a health risk. Recently Canadian authorities have taken steps to ban the sale of baby bottles made with polycarbonate and some retail outlets in the US and Canada have removed or plan to remove polycarbonate baby bottles and sports water bottles from their shelves.

Unlike polycarbonate bottles, epoxies like CuraFlo’s CuraPoxy^® which is used as a barrier coating in potable (drinking) water pipes, are certified to ANSI/NSF Standard 61 (the established governmental safety standard for drinking water system components), which ensures the product is free of unsafe levels of contaminants such as BPA.

While epoxy products are based on BPA, epoxy and polycarbonate products have vastly different chemical compositions. Unlike polycarbonate bottles, epoxies such as CuraFlo’s CuraPoxy can’t degrade to produce BPA contamination. The chemical bonds in polycarbonates are very different from those in epoxy resins. While bisphenol-A is a ‘base’ chemical used to manufacture both polycarbonates and epoxies, a polycarbonate plastic, under the right conditions, can degrade to produce BPA that can end up in liquids contained in polycarbonate bottles. In contrast, CuraPoxy (and other epoxies) will not revert back to BPA.

–Dr. Dave