I recently found out that my water main under the driveway, of course, was leaking. I paid to have someone detect where the leak was and jack hammered and dug to get to the leak. I found the leak on a 1 foot piece of black ABS Sch 40 piping connected to white PVC Sch 40 pipe on each side. What are the reasons why this section leaked? I heard that there is no glue that can join the two different types of material and that Black ABS pipe is typically used for sewer lines. Is that true?

-Mark

Mark, you are correct, black ABS pipe is not for use as a water main (it’s not made to withstand much pressure), it should only be used as drain and sewer piping (carries away wastewater under no pressure). Most plumbing codes don’t permit ABS pipe to be glued to PVC, though you should check with your local inspector. You should use a transition coupling, a neoprene rubber sleeve that fits over the end of each pipe. It’s then held tightly in place with a stainless steel metal jacket and clamps. Couplings are labeled to show which type of pipe each end can be attached to. Perhaps this ABS pipe was used as a sleeve and your water pipe was actually inside, it is very unusual that ABS pipe was used as a water service.

-Brian

A sinkhole showed up in my garden, so I dug a hole until I found the problem - a small crack in the underground sprinkler system PVC pipe.  The crack is about a quarter-inch long and emits a fairly strong spray. What is the easiest way to correct the problem?  Will epoxy and duct tape work?

-Dave

Dave, a crack in PVC pipe will continue to spread –much like a crack in a car windshield. Rather than replacing the entire length of pipe you can dig down and cut out a section to replace, I’d recommend at least a foot length.

-Brian

I have a swimming pool that is leaking somewhere in the piping. Can some sort of a liner be put in the pipe to stop the leaks? The pipe is PVC and has several 90 degree bends.

- Ed

Ed, unfortunately your problem is the pipe material used, not that there are 90 degree bends. If your pipes were metallic, epoxy lining them could have been a solution. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) pipes, used in most pool installations, can’t have a lining installed. You’re going to have to excavate the pipes and then repaired or replaced.

-Brian

Is there any type of fitting/connector to connect CPVC cold water line to PVC?

-Chuck

Chuck, I’m not sure if that type of fitting/connector exists or if those pipe types are at all compatible. Gluing a MIP adaptor (Male Iron Pipe Adapter, which has male pipe threads and will adapt to PVC and a few other types of pipe to make a transition from threaded pipe to a type other than threaded) on each end and then using a union might do the trick, but I would recommend checking the manufacturer’s website or contacting them.

-Brian

The plastic pipe that carries our electrical wires from the outside meter on the side of our house to the inside electrical panel has developed a leak under the garage concrete floor and now after a rain storm water leaks into the electrical panel and out into the basement.  Is there any non intrusive way to find the leak or fix the leak without breaking the concrete floor?

–Bob

Bob, other than digging and replacing, your options would be to either run the conduit through an alternate route, or possibly seal the ends of the conduit. I suggest contacting a electrical contractor for his opinion and expertise.

-Brian

The water draining from my central air conditioning is causing the PVC pipe to reverberate with a thump, thump, thump as it drips into the sink.  I have been told it is cold water sludge build up in the pipes.  I have tried cleaning the pipes with hot water and bleach with no success.  Any suggestions?

-Don

Don, the PVC pipe thumping/reverberation is probably starting at the unit and being transmitted down the pipe. It’s only a drain with nothing in or on it that could actually create a noise or vibration. I recommend you call a company that services central air units; they should be able to diagnose.

-Brian

Can you use PVC pipe for the hot water as well the cold in a house? If so, what exactly should I be looking for as far as the hot water goes?

–Charles

Charles, PVC is used for water service lines to homes and buildings and comes in sizes larger than CPVC pipe which is more often used for internal plumbing. CPVC is an option for use with hot and cold water, but I’m not a fan of plastic pipes for domestic water as there are some potential issues if not installed properly, such as pipe expansion, gluing of the fittings and being near electrical wires. Whether you’re installing pipes in a new home or replacing your existing pipes, I would recommend either copper (which is more expensive) or PEX.

PEX is one of the most versatile, easy-to-use plumbing systems on the market today:

• You can use it with hot or cold water.

• There are adapters that let you connect it to existing galvanized, copper, and other pipes.

• Most plumbing leaks and system failures occur at joints in fittings. But since PEX can bend around most corners without a coupling or fitting, it requires fewer fittings which means opportunity to leak and installs faster.

• PEX flexibility also allows it to expand and contract more than other types of pipe. Increased capacity for expansion makes PEX more burst resistant.

• Complete, easy to use repair kits are available for all PEX systems.

• Much like a circuit breaker for your plumbing system, PEX systems have a shut-off valve at each supply line. Having a shut off at each line allows the repair person to leave the rest of the system operational while working on one line.

Here’s a link to a great short video, Working with PEX Piping with Plumbing and Heating Expert Richard Trethewey, This Old House television.

-Brian

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