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

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

I have a leak coming through my basement wall beneath where the drain pipe leads through the wall and out to the main sewer.  I thought it might be ground water, but noticed recently the leak seems to come back most aggressively when we are using high amounts of water in the house at the same time (like both showers running simultaneously).  The water coming from the wall looks clean though, and doesn’t smell like sewage water as I would expect if the drain pipe were leaking, but then again, I know nothing about plumbing, really.  On the other side of this wall, in the yard is a covered concrete slab patio which extends about 12′ from the foundation wall and out into the yard.  About another ten feet from that is a tree which is approx. 50′ wide by 50′ tall.  All of this is directly above where I believe the main drain runs into the sewer system.  Also, the house was built in ‘51 and the pipes leading out look to be cast iron.  I don’t even know who to call for help at this point, but I know the water saturating my block basement wall must be STOPPED!  Any help you can offer will be appreciated.

- Bill

Bill, you may have two separate problems. It might be best to first determine if you have a leak in either your water service or a partial plug of your sewer line (with a sewer back up, you would typically experience the back up directly into your home). I would suggest getting a pressure test on your water service to determine if it has a leak. Make sure it’s performed by someone reputable and that they have the right equipment. This is the best place to start –determine if this is the problem (and repair it), it may take care of the seepage issue. If not, and water is coming in from the outside, you probably have a subsoil drainage problem where ground water is not being displaced by your basement’s waterproofing. In that case you should consult a waterproofing company.

-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 just found out that a slab foundation summer house we just purchased has orangeberg (fiber conduit) drain pipes.  I am told by my plumber that these drain pipes will need to be replaced within the next 10 years; but I do not want the expense and headache of tearing out the cement slab to replace it.  Can you offer any suggestions?  I understand that the orangeberg is very brittle and will not withstand an epoxy sleeve. Please help!

-Gigi

Gigi, because Orangeburg pipes are made of layers of wood pulp and pitch they’re not repairable. Epoxy lining is not an option, but if enough of the Orangeburg pipe is intact, it’s possible that sock lining might be. Sock lining consists of a felt sock being 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 recommend contacting a reputable trenchless technologies company that offers sock lining services. You may be able to find someone through the website of the North American Society for Trenchless Technology, www.nastt.org.

-Brian

What would the difference be between seepage vs. busted pipes? For insurance purposes?

-Jennifer

Jennifer, since I’m not an insurance expert, I’ll defer to a qualified insurance agent –Tim Eckley of Elite Insurance Coverage, who has a simple explanation:

Seepage usually occurs slowly over time and may be the result of normal wear and tear or deterioration which is not covered by most insurance policies. A broken pipe is sudden and accidental and is covered by most policies. Whether or not your insurance will cover the repair of the affected pipe(s) or the damage to property or structure is something you’ll need to find out from your insurance agent.

-Brian

My shower pipe is leaking from the top. I think that it is the threading on the pipe because we have removed the shower and bought a stopper to screw on the pipe but it is still leaking through. There isn’t a hole in the pipe it just we can’t stop the water coming through.

-Correen

Correen, I’m not sure if you’re referring to your shower head or the other end of the shower head arm. I suggest that you remove the arm, apply some Teflon tape (the yellow type which is approved for gas is much better than the white type and you’ll need less of it because it’s thicker) to the threads –wrapped around clockwise 2-3 times. Gently press the tape into the threads and reconnect. Tighten first by hand and then with a wrench –use a piece of heavy cloth, rubber, or even duct tape around the surface of the metal to protect from scratching it with the wrench. Carefully tighten but make sure not to over-tighten, and then test to see if it’s leaking. If it is, try tightening it a little more. You can try the same thing with the shower head.

-Brian

The home we live in was built in 1947 and still has some cast iron sewer drain pipe in the basement.  One of the pipes looks like it has a slow leak in just one spot.  How can I clean this up and plug it?

-Janet

Janet, the answer depends on where the damage is –it it’s a leak at the joint with another pipe or if there’s a hole in the line. To repair a hole in a cast iron pipe, you can try a good two part epoxy or simply large hose clamps and a piece of rubber. If it’s a leak at the joint of a cast iron pipe, then you’ll need a plumber to come in and repair as it may be a poured lead joint. If it’s at a threaded section of the pipe, taking apart and resealing the joint may work, but after 51 years the pipe is probably in very poor shape.

The best way of dealing with a leak, especially in a sewer drain pipe, is to replace the section that is damaged. The last thing you want is the damaged pipe to have a major failure (leak or break) at some future date and spill sewage all over your basement.

-Brian