Plumbing question
Figured i would try this here:
Underneath my kitchen sink a leak formed between the bottom of the sink and the white plastic piping attached to it.
Roto rooter came by and took off the bad piping and put in a new strainer, trap, and tailpiece. He used copper pipe directly under the sink and attached to it is the curved pipe which looks to be made of steel.
My question is if the steel and copper pipes are better than the white plastic kind? They certainly seem sturdier but i know squat about plumbing.
The only thing I notice now is that there is a lot of noise after running water down the drain and then turning it off. Water drips out of the strainer and into the pipe below for a few minutes. The water seems to pool on the center metal piece in the strainer and then drips down. I assume this is normal?
Not expecting any replies but what the heck, maybe someone here knows about plumbing?
Underneath my kitchen sink a leak formed between the bottom of the sink and the white plastic piping attached to it.
Roto rooter came by and took off the bad piping and put in a new strainer, trap, and tailpiece. He used copper pipe directly under the sink and attached to it is the curved pipe which looks to be made of steel.
My question is if the steel and copper pipes are better than the white plastic kind? They certainly seem sturdier but i know squat about plumbing.
The only thing I notice now is that there is a lot of noise after running water down the drain and then turning it off. Water drips out of the strainer and into the pipe below for a few minutes. The water seems to pool on the center metal piece in the strainer and then drips down. I assume this is normal?
Not expecting any replies but what the heck, maybe someone here knows about plumbing?
Comments
Originally posted by Gene Clean
Hire an illegal immigrant.
Not a chance, son.
Originally posted by steve666
Underneath my kitchen sink a leak formed between the bottom of the sink and the white plastic piping attached to it.
I assume you mean the piece between the sink drain and the p-trap? And the white plastic is likely PVC?
Roto rooter came by and took off the bad piping and put in a new strainer, trap, and tailpiece. He used copper pipe directly under the sink and attached to it is the curved pipe which looks to be made of steel.
My question is if the steel and copper pipes are better than the white plastic kind? They certainly seem sturdier but i know squat about plumbing.
I just had some plumbing work done and he put in all PVC. My sense is that PVC won't rust and therefore won't get all gunked up. I've also had problems with metal plumbing adhering to PVC. Just FYI. Keep an eye on that metal/PVC joint and make sure it's not leaking.
The only thing I notice now is that there is a lot of noise after running water down the drain and then turning it off. Water drips out of the strainer and into the pipe below for a few minutes. The water seems to pool on the center metal piece in the strainer and then drips down. I assume this is normal?
Do you mean that you can hear your water draining through your pipes to outside? I'd wager that you're just hearing it drain properly for the first time in a while.
Originally posted by Gene Clean
Then ask around in forums, son.
Thats what I'm doing, son.
Originally posted by midwinter
I assume you mean the piece between the sink drain and the p-trap? And the white plastic is likely PVC?
I just had some plumbing work done and he put in all PVC. My sense is that PVC won't rust and therefore won't get all gunked up. I've also had problems with metal plumbing adhering to PVC. Just FYI. Keep an eye on that metal/PVC joint and make sure it's not leaking.
Do you mean that you can hear your water draining through your pipes to outside? I'd wager that you're just hearing it drain properly for the first time in a while.
Yes, the white plastic must have been PVC. That was the old material. The new material he used is copper, which is attached to the bottom of the sink (I think this is called the trap?. Then, what looks like steel, but is probably chrome plated brass or copper or iron, attached to that straight copper pipe.
Basically, the curved part leading into the wall (this is the steel looking piece). (called the tailpiece?)
I looked it up online and apparently PVC doesn't get corroded in the interior like metal pipes will, although they said it would take 40 years for that to happen. PVC is used mainly because it is cheaper and it works better with acidic water.
Right now, it is metal attached to metal, there isn't any PVC used under my sink anymore. Don't know if copper to another metal is an issue though.
The water I hear is actually the water dripping from the strainer into the pipe. I hear it in the kitchen. You are probably right that it is draining much better than before (actually it definitely is draining much better), however it is mainly water that collects on the bar going across the middle of the strainer and drips off slowly from it.
I would think the water shouldn't be hanging around so long in the strainer on that metal piece. I think thats the problem but whether its normal or not Im not sure because I never heard so many drips going down my old strainer.
Originally posted by hardeeharhar
The steel on copper is a bit odd... as there is a junction potential between those two metals, but alas, they won't rust through for many years so why worry?
Thats what I was concerned about. i looked online and found a little info.
It said whenever steel pipe meets copper or brass, you see rapid corrosion of the steel pipe.
I need to find out if its actually steel or just a chrome plated metal.
Originally posted by steve666
which is attached to the bottom of the sink (I think this is called the trap?.
The p-trap is that weird little bend at the bottom of the drain. The idea is that it keeps a bit of water in it at all times to keep sewer gasses from getting in.
Then, what looks like steel, but is probably chrome plated brass or copper or iron, attached to that straight copper pipe.
Basically, the curved part leading into the wall (this is the steel looking piece). (called the tailpiece?)
So you mean you have the sink. And then the drain. And then the p-trap. And then the tailpiece going into the wall. I wonder why they did metal instead of PVC?
Right now, it is metal attached to metal, there isn't any PVC used under my sink anymore. Don't know if copper to another metal is an issue though.
Weird. Again, I wonder why it's metal and not PVC. I read that PVC was all the rage these days on PlumbingInsider.com
The water I hear is actually the water dripping from the strainer into the pipe. I hear it in the kitchen.
This is what I don't understand. If you don't have water dripping into your sink, where is this water in the strainer coming from? By the strainer, you do mean the hole at the bottom of the sink, right? How could water be dripping from the strainer if there's no water getting into the sink?
Some possibilities:
1) Possession. Check room for oddness. Cold spots? Moving furniture?
2) Practical joke. Check room for recording of sink dripping.
3) You might actually be hearing something else.
however it is mainly water that collects on the bar going across the middle of the strainer and drips off slowly from it.
I would think the water shouldn't be hanging around so long in the strainer on that metal piece. I think thats the problem but whether its normal or not Im not sure because I never heard so many drips going down my old strainer.
OK. So this constant dripping you hear is actually water that's gotten on the divider between the two sinks? Why don't you dry it off and dry the strainer off as best you can and see if it still does it.
You might also try zapping the PRAM or booting into Open Firmware and resetting the nvram.
Oh, the copper piece is just a straight piece coming from the bottom of the strainer and it has a another small piece branching off of it.
>So you mean you have the sink. And then the drain. And then the p-trap. And then the tailpiece going into the wall. I wonder why they did metal instead of PVC?
Weird. Again, I wonder why it's metal and not PVC. I read that PVC was all the rage these days on PlumbingInsider.com<
Thats what I thought, so I did some googling and it appears that they use PVC mainly because its much cheaper than copper, and it works better with acidic water. Of course, I had the PVC before and the problem occured at the joints between the PVC piping.
>This is what I don't understand. If you don't have water dripping into your sink, where is this water in the strainer coming from? By the strainer, you do mean the hole at the bottom of the sink, right? How could water be dripping from the strainer if there's no water getting into the sink?<
There is a piece of metal inside the strainer. Its going across the center of the strainer and in the middle is a hole where you place the external cup over it (I guess its called a strainer also?).
Its on that piece of metal going across the center that is pooling water on top of it, and the water is slowly dripping off of it into the sink.
>OK. So this constant dripping you hear is actually water that's gotten on the divider between the two sinks? Why don't you dry it off and dry the strainer off as best you can and see if it still does it.<
Theres only one sink. If I dry off the strainer the dripping isnt there. But who wants to wipe down the strainer every time i use the sink? If it were properly designed I would think the water should drain off of it quickly.
>You might also try zapping the PRAM or booting into Open Firmware and resetting the nvram.>
That wont work, its a WindowsXP sink. Thats why I am having issues with it.
Originally posted by steve666
its a WindowsXP sink. Thats why I am having issues with it.
Well why didn't you say so earlier?!?! Gah! Asking for help on a Windows XP sink (probably loaded with viruses, too!) on an Apple rumors forum!
Originally posted by midwinter
Well why didn't you say so earlier?!?! Gah! Asking for help on a Windows XP sink (probably loaded with viruses, too!) on an Apple rumors forum!
Oops, let the cat out of the bag
Originally posted by midwinter
Heh. I still don't understand how you're getting so much water in the strainer.
Its not really that much water. Its just that the water is sitting on top of that metal strip and slowly plopping off of it.
Originally posted by steve666
Its not really that much water. Its just that the water is sitting on top of that metal strip and slowly plopping off of it.
Well then it can't drip for *that* long.
Originally posted by midwinter
Well then it can't drip for *that* long.
about 5 minutes. Its a slow drip
Originally posted by hardeeharhar
get some expoxide and shape a curved piece to force the water to flow over, otherwise get over it...
It cost $300 for the job, so I would prefer they fix the problem.
I just emailed them and I'll see what they say about it.
Originally posted by steve666
It cost $300 for the job, so I would prefer they fix the problem.
I just emailed them and I'll see what they say about it.
It'd be cheaper just to stay away from that room for 5 minutes after you use the sink.
Originally posted by midwinter
It'd be cheaper just to stay away from that room for 5 minutes after you use the sink.
Well, its already paid for, they would just have to come and check it out and maybe put in a different strainer.
Besides, its in the kitchen. I hear it while Im eating.