We live in a rambler built in the late 40’s in Washington State. One of our dogs was digging at the rear of our house just now and uncovered the cast iron pipe from our toilet. I had no idea it was so close to the surface. Anyway, the cast iron extends a couple of feet out, then the corner clay piece is broken. At time of writing I don’t know if anything else further down the line is broken or not, I now have my weekend project.

If it appears that only the corner piece is broken, and if I can remove it, can I do anything to help preserve the cast iron while it’s exposed, and can I assume a PVC corner piece sealed with epoxy would do the trick?

-Dave

Dave, I would suggest replacing the damaged clay pipe with PVC or ABS pipe and approved rubber couplings. These couplings are made specifically with a cast iron hub (sized to fit over cast iron) on one end and the other end sized to fit over PVC or ABS. You could try using either concrete or a polyethylene encasement to protect the cast iron.

-Brian

We have a 2 story building in reconstruction (due to fire) with the slab and underground utilities as the starting scenario.  We need to pass city code pressure test of waste system before framing. We are struggling resolving leaks in the 6 inch waste line system under the slab.  The ABS piping system includes Ys, 90s, couplers, and straight pipe sections.  What do you see as options for inner wall repairs at all the sections?  Is there a lining process recommended here?  Other method or process to consider?  Is there a compound or solution we can add with or without water to seal and flush through the system without upsetting authorities or agencies here in CA?

-Tom

Tom, I would recommend sock lining: a felt sock pulled through an existing pipe and then inflated/expanded to fill the width of the old pipe. The sock cures in place and you have a new pipe inside of your old one. I would recommend contacting a reputable trenchless technologies company that offers sock lining services.

-Brian

My house is built on a slab, there is a metal pipe that looks like a drain of some sort. Water is coming out of the hole and not the pipe, I think. I just noticed the ground is wet around that area, doesn’t seem to be a lot of water, but it’s steady. Is this something that is supposed to happen? Or is this a pipe leaking under the house? There is no visible sign of water in the house.

-Kim

Kim, barring any rainwater or some other unique draining process in your house, you should not see water steadily coming from the ground into your house. Since your house is on a slab it’s possible you have a ’slab leak’ (a pipe under or in the slab is leaking), some common signs of slab leaks are:

• Moist, wet, or damp spots/stains on flooring or carpeting
• Water coming through the foundation
• Sudden settling of the foundation
• Low water pressure
• A noticeable increase in your water bill

For more information about slab leaks, including causes, click here. I would recommend contacting a company that can check your plumbing system to see if this is a slab leak. If it is a slab leak, an epoxy lining company such as CuraFlo might be able to fix your problem without digging.

-Brian