Drain Positions Never Match the Existing Plumbing
Homeowners are struggling with unexpected plumbing alignment issues during DIY repairs and installations. They face challenges like mismatched drain positions, inadequate slope, and inflexible existing plumbing, leading to frustration and the need for creative solutions to avoid costly professional help. The root cause seems to be inflexible, pre-existing plumbing layouts.
SOURCES (60)
“That's interesting. I assumed the water in the trap would just level out and start draining. Should I be concerned about the condensate drain backing up due to the lack of water pressure?”
I did 2-3 loops around, is that generally considered not much?
I’ve snaked it all the way into the wall. Even used draino a couple of times. No obstructions that I can see. But it still drains slowly. Wondering if my trap is…
“Okay, thanks. I didn’t install the vertical waste and vent line. It’s a modular about 25 years old. Came from the factory like that. But yes, the waste outlet to the vertical is definitely on the high side, I thought.”
“Would this be the proper way to plumb the bathroom? The existing sewer line is on the left side of the drawing, so I have to figure out the best way to plumb this. red lines represent drain lines, blue lines represent vent lines, wet vent, to a stack located near the toilet Roast away. https://preview.redd.it/dr25jxat4eeh1.png?width=789&format=png&auto=webp&s=47e5d2adfaa8dad794cbc667851dbc63b2ca33b0 submitted by /u/92Scout [link] [comments]”
“Just remember the water pressure has to overcome the head of the trap for anything to actually drain. With a tall trap, you are banking on the sink water pressure to overcome that head every time. Kind of like a toilet with a very small tank”
“Installed a new sink and couldn't get enough clearance to install the j bend the standard way so decided to use a reversible p trap by Dearborn. Does everything look okay? The black hose is the AC condensate drain. submitted by /u/slick415 [link] [comments]”
“I was doing the dishes earlier and ran the garbage disposal at the end. Immediately, the water started backing up on both sinks. I’ve tried a few things and nothing works so far. Put a stopper on the disposal side then filled the other sink with hot water, plunged it up and down. Still backed up. My garbage disposal doesn’t seem to have a slot for an allen key so I unplugged it and tried to move the blades around. Seemed to rotare fine but the problem remains. I then decided to take apart the pi”
“Does the pipe going into the house need to be chopped to remove the old fitting? Thanks! submitted by /u/xMadDecentx [link] [comments]”
“I am renovating my bathroom and have run across a problem that I am unsure how to solve. The current water main and shut off for the house are located where I need to install the shower pan for the new shower. My current thinking is to run a pex line to connect to the current water main and add a shut off in the partition that will be built to house the wall of the shower. Is this the best solution? Should I run the water line under or above the current drain line? There will be a soaking tub to”
“Recently our faucet has had build up and refuses to run past a drip. Bought a new faucet and about to replace but underneath looks unlike ive seen on the how to’s. Sorry if this is common not trying to waste anyones time. The copper pipes coming down. Is that normal? submitted by /u/Puzzled-Ask-4009 [link] [comments]”
Is that where the old drain and supply lines were routed?
“I need to ad an exterior spigot. The line coming from underground to the building is cpvc. There’s already a tee with a 1/2” stubout. I think sharkbite makes a fitting for around that is kind of pricey. I already have thread sealant and teflon tape. First of all, what is the way you’d do it? I was thinking of using a cpvc female threaded fitting and a pvc threaded male fitting. The sizes kind of confuse me. The cpvc goes by copper CTS standards and pvc by ips standards. Without going to the stor”
“Well under the sink is gonna be the easiest and most accessible place to tee off since you should have some kind of angle stop there and dont have to open the wall... but thats only gonna fly if the other faucet it pretty nearby. You cant tee off and run hoses outside and mount a fixture permanently. Youd have to tee off under the RV and kick out hard lines, whether it be PEX or copper or whatever. Just know that if youre gonna be using hot and cold you do need some kind of mixing valve. It does”
“Maintenance came to check a leak and ended up having to replace the faucet, disposal, P-trap, and a connecting pipe. The P-trap is now leaking, but everything else seems fine. Just out of curiosity, what could the possible issue here be? Pics of soap bubbles from washing dishes coming out of the connections. A decent amount of water leaks out if I need to do a lot of dishes. submitted by /u/HookTheHitChick [link] [comments]”
“There was a metal X down in it about an inch. Watched a video that said to use that for leverage. It broke right off. I sprayed it with PB Blaster, but it doesn’t move just trying to turn and I can’t figure out how to get ahold of it now. Advice appreciated. Thank you. submitted by /u/BlackberryHill [link] [comments]”
“Hi everyone, I've been to Home Depot multiple times thinking I could figure this out myself and unfortunately I'm stuck so here I am asking for help. I have an old style cable drive tub drain that I am trying to bypass with something easier. The cable one is not working properly and I don't know if it's easy enough to swap out so I'm just trying to bypass it. All of the tub drain stoppers I see at the store won't fit the drain thread that I have. Is there an easy way to a”
“The sink is integrated in with the counter, so replacing just the sink isn’t an option. Do I need a whole new vanity or can this be repaired? I can feel the crack so it’s not just a surface crack. No water is leaking into the vanity below. Also the sink is looking somewhat warped around the drain. submitted by /u/ObscureLilac [link] [comments]”
“I tried an under sink storage cabinet but it doesn't work because of the concealed pipework that sticks out near the bottom by the floor. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated because I can't stand looking at. submitted by /u/RandomPotato931 [link] [comments]”
“Just changed our sink and worktop but seems like the waste pipe is too high to accommodate any normal trap. Was also a problem with the previous sink but we managed to cobble together, still wasn’t great though with trap filling up. Bought the McAlpine 1.5 bowl and just no luck no matter what connections used. The big bowl outlet is about the same height as the waste pipe, so with the trap and dishwasher outlet on the half bowl it’s just too low to get to the waste pipe. Is our best option to dr”
“If this is in relation to looking down the shower drain and seeing water yes that’s how it should be And if it ever doesn’t you more than likely have a problem”
“I recently noticed that water sits at the bottom of the drain at all times. It does not back up into the shower. The drain runs under the tile, buried in cement and terminates into an ejector pit on the other side of the wall. Is this normal since the pipe terminates into an ejector pit? Perhaps the drain stays full so gases cannot be released? submitted by /u/djbg2002 [link] [comments]”
“The shower drains super slow. Will fill with about 4 inches and wont go higher. Main stack is behind and to the left of the toilet in the wall. Toilet drains perfectly fine. Things I've done: Snaked to the main stack (no resistance) Camera to the main stack (nothing in the line) Things the plumbers have done: 1st plumber: Hydro jet to main stack Camera to the main stack Basically told me he was too busy to do anything else. 2nd plumber: Ran the water for a bit and said it was a vent issue, r”
“1950s home. Condensate line permanently runs to basement floor drain under the stationary sink. Is this ok? submitted by /u/alloydster [link] [comments]”
“Is this overflow pipe needed between the double bowl kitchen sink? Or can I cap off the Right side, and attach my dishwasher drainage pipe to the left side? Haven’t had a dishwasher in this property yet and would like to get it operational ASAP!! submitted by /u/-Reddit-Mark- [link] [comments]”
“Does anyone know the spare parts code for this IKEA sink drain plug? It seems slightly different from 130502. submitted by /u/khana0209 [link] [comments]”
“Recently I took our shower drain out and cleaned all of the gunk in the drain. Looks spotless. The shower drain now stinks to high heavens. We tried a drain cleaner from Mrs.Meyers, and that worked for about a day. I tried dawn power wash, and that worked for about a day. No matter what I do, we wake up to a stinky bathroom. What do i do? submitted by /u/Rainyday327 [link] [comments]”
“I was unclogging my kitchen sink and while removing the P-trap, the entire stainless drain flange came loose. I pushed the black rubber gasket and drain body outlined in the green box tight against the underside of the sink, then aligned the drain flange from above and tightened the centre screw. Is that the correct way to reinstall it? Do I need plumber’s putty under the flange, even though there’s a white rubber washer underneath? It was installed by a plumber about two years ago and doesn’t a”
“Should there be caps on the open ends of the PVC pipes? Had a leak coming from the threaded adapter so I replaced it as best I knew how to for as cheap as possible. Not leaking anymore, for now, thankfully. submitted by /u/No-Government4306 [link] [comments]”
“We’re doing a gut renovation on my Aunt’s basement bathroom. House was built in 1960 and all plumbing is original. This basement bathroom has another bathroom right above it. So the toilet drainage is right above and gets covered by the ceiling drywall. Supply lines look to be in good condition but are galvanized steel from 66 years ago. The upstairs shower supply lines also run in the joists above. Should we get this all replaced before covering the walls/ceilings? submitted by /u/F”
“I come into my kitchen because I can hear my wife running the disposal for like a full minute+ at a time. Turns out she put some leftover rice/beans down the disposal and now we have standing water in the sink. I can tell that the clog is not in the trap, I've taken it apart. The problem seems further down the line. I initially tried some drain cleaner to no effect. I've followed up with a 25ft drum augur several times(being careful to wear gloves as I drain out all the drain cleaner). D”
“https://preview.redd.it/be99cefk5idh1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=708d22cfd83c471f1ca34d0bd39aca57514a6764 You were right. That garbage disposal was way heavier than I expected 😂. But I went ahead and swapped it. Does it look about right? Or does anything need to be fixed?”
“https://preview.redd.it/lq99ofue5idh1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cd56399e79ced0da0761dfdb78c0c6234b173cc4 So I went with swapping out the garbage disposal. Does it look about right? Or does anything need to be adjusted, added or removed?”
“Had a clog in the sink stopper.. took it off to clean the stopper and noticed this down the drain. What the hell is it? I also hear air coming out of this pipe when the ac is on. I just bought the house 4 months ago and the previous people were pretty nasty. submitted by /u/Samhatesme [link] [comments]”
“Hello, I'm back after reading the code book and a few plumbing design books. I want a design similar to any of the ones shown (Only two holes through slab). Note that the toilet is wall mounted and so the drain comes up inside the wall. Last photo shows alternate under slab option, which could apply to any layout but might be too deep to hit sewer properly. I understand that I need to continue searching for a local plumber to finalize the design, and will do so. Do any of these layouts look”
“We are renovating our bathroom, and I want to put in a walk-in shower where a bathtub was. I have 2 issues with the drain pipe: It's a 1-1/2" pipe. From what I've heard this is bad for showers. If the difference wouldn't be too noticeable, I'm fine with it. But I think there'd be an issue with the trap as well? I am new to all this and don't know anything about plumbing. It's too close to the wall. I tried using some 45° elbows, but that ends up being way too hig”
“This is fine. Nothing in the image is causing a slow drain, you likely have a clog somewhere, maybe grease buildup, maybe something else.”
“You can always move pipes. You’d be better to ask a local plumber who can get eyes on the entire setup situation.”
“Dude, the drain is running dead middle of the truss, you cannot crush 10” flex down through a 6” space. You can however use 2 45° and do it right the first time. Congrats, now you’re doing it right the second time. Call it a learning experience.”
“Hey all. Newb question. I got a 1950s single story, ranch style house. After a demo, I see this cast iron pipe rising behind where the toilet once was. I don’t have a second story or basement, so it’s not for water. I’m guessing it’s for gases or a vent in the roof? Can anyone tell me its purpose? I’m guessing it should be PVC’d? submitted by /u/Thespindrift [link] [comments]”
“I have a double-bowl sink setup with black ABS Schedule 40 pipe. Both bowls drain into a T-fitting, which connects to a U before continuing to the wall. I managed to unscrew the U on the side closest to the wall, but the other end of the trap, which connects into the T-fitting, doesn’t seem to be a slip-nut joint at all. It looks like it might be solvent-welded (glued) directly into the T, so I can’t unscrew or rotate it to fully remove my U I need help to unclog my sink. What would be your appr”
“Looking for some advice before we call a plumber. Our kitchen sink is clogged, and the pipes were replaced about three years ago. I can unscrew the two fittings in the red box but can’t get the P-trap off. We’ve tried a plunger and a short drain snake with no luck. We think the clog may be in or just past the P-trap. Any suggestions on what to try next before taking it apart further? Thanks! submitted by /u/Glittering_Anxiety97 [link] [comments]”
“I was told the drain is not installed correctly. It is also not on a level surface which makes me think that the water is pooling in the corner. (I dont know who did this set up but i need to fix it if nevessary) submitted by /u/joey-chlonson [link] [comments]”
“I’ve been dealing with a slow draining sink and now it’s finally fully stopped up. Tried plunging and cleaning the trap w no results. Can’t snake as it’s too sharp a bend internally (so it seems). Question is use Sulfuric Acid or Lye? House is from 2007 so it’s fully PVC. Any help will be greatly appreciated! submitted by /u/Exciting_Mastodon_72 [link] [comments]”
“Hi, I’m trying to figure out what piece I need to make a direct connection to a deep kitchen strainer without redoing all the plumbing. The current strainer is not as deep. I need to remove the part in red and have the part in blue go direct to the strainer for it to line up correctly Hopefully this makes sense. submitted by /u/Theycallmerayj [link] [comments]”
“Hello! My rental unit has this mold(?) around the drain that is being stubborn and keeps coming back very quickly. I usually use "Clorox Bathroom Beach Foamer". I've also tried Bar Keepers Friend on it. Unfortunately, it's stubborn and keeps coming back. Any recommendations of products (that are sold in the USA) that might work better on it? I think this tub is original to the house which was built in the 60s if that helps on recommendations. submitted by /u/druidga”
“TTYL: Does that look like normal sediment from an old house's clogged drain? It does crush pretty smoothly, so it's not like rocks. The house is 100 yrs old, I don't know much about the pipes. I snaked the drain in my bathroom. The pipe has drained slowly for a while. I had to "dig down" with the snake to break through it. I let the auger go down 25 ft and shop vac'ed the stuff that came out. Afterwards I used a small drain bladder to help flush everything out. The sink”
“It’s because the laundry is pumping out over 10 gallons in a short amount of time. It’s a capacity issue for the drain pipes.”
“My kitchen sink is backing up. I disconnected the pvc pipes under the sink and can't find the blockage there so I assume the blockage is in the pvc pipe in the basement. The pipe in the basement under the sink is a long horizontal run. Is it possible to put hot water (not boiling) into the sink and then locate the blockage in the basement by feeling the temperature of the pvc pipe in the basement along the horizontal run? I assumed that the pvc pipe would be warm behind the blockage and cool”
“This trap arm has been here. I’m replacing the vanity. It’s 1 1/2 inches. I can get the trap arm to secure to the j bend easily with no washer. When I put this washer on, it prevents the nut from catching. I’m perplexed - when I tighten it without the washer, the water will slowly connect near the fitting so I know I need a fitting. Been working on this for 2-3 days and super frustrated. Any help is appreciated submitted by /u/Able_Bicycle_764 [link] [comments]”
“Our kitchen sink clogs every couple of years. Could this 45 be the cause? submitted by /u/donewithitfirst [link] [comments]”
“I re did my sink, and when I reconnected the new sink/dishwasher drain to what I think is a P trap? I ran some water and it didn’t immediately start leaking but after 30 minutes I checked it and it had a pile of water under it, and a small drip coming from it Did I re-install it wrong? Edit - I think this is the part 1-1/2-in Plastic S-trap https://www.lowes.com/pd/Dearborn-1-1-2-in-Plastic-S-Trap-20-1-2-in-length/5016258629 submitted by /u/SubbiesForLife [link] [comments]”
“Hi, I'm a not plumber, but I have a question: I have a house that is on a septic system, and the intake to the septic tank sometimes gets clogged with roots right where the pipe goes into the tank (the septic people tell me that no matter what kind of cement or sealer I might put around the part where the pipe enters, the roots will find a way in anyway, so it's better just to deal with it...). Not a problem, I get it pumped every now and again, which takes care of the roots and everythi”