An alternative solution to a blocked, unusable, 1-1/2" galvanized drain, for back-to-back lavatories

Описание: In this short video, we show how, when the landlord of a two-story double, was faced with the dilemma of a completely blocked, 90-plus year-old, 1-1/2", unusable galvanized drain, that services 2- back-to-back 2nd floor lavatories, we gave him the choice of either installing an aesthetically un-pleasing PVC drain pipe, exposed, running down one wall of one of the kitchens, or, removing the two toilets and the two vanity cabinets, and then doing extensive demolition of some walls, ceilings, and possibly some flooring as well.

That was due to the fact that this original , 1-1/2" galvanized metal drain was embedded in the 2" to 3"of concrete that was used back in those days as an underlayment of sorts, for the purpose of laying a tile floor. It kept the tile from cracking.
Modern underlayments, like Durock etc. , had not been invented back then.....Using the poured concrete, as crazy as it is to believe, was the only way they would lay tile, to ensure stability. That was fine back then, when all of the components and materials were new, but for remodeling purposes in the future, it is a total headache that builders and tradesmen have to confront and deal with.

We suggested the alternative solution ( with it being much, much cheaper) of installing an independant, all new PVC drain, upsizing it to 2", and bring it down the wall between the two vanity cabinets, and then pop it into the soffit of one of the kitchens, exit the end of the soffit, then run it down the kitchen wall, exposed, and then go through the kitchen tiled floor, and into the basement.

The 4" cast iron stack was located in the unit next door to where we started, so we popped through the block wall, and once inside the other units' basement, turned toward the stack, and made the tie-in. The landlord was lucky that there was an existing clean-out that we could tie-in to, or else we would've had to cut a section of the cast-iron stack out, and install a new fitting .....that saved him more money.

After we were done, we tested both sinks, and as you can imagine, the water went down very quickly, and made that nice "sucking sound" that is music to us plumbers' ears ! The tenants will never have nasty, backed-up sinks again -- at least for 25-30 years !

The only down side to this alternative drain idea that we came up with, is the 8 feet of exposed pipe in the kitchen, and the sound of water trinkling down the drain when either lav is being used....The bottom line : the tenants were ecstatic, the owner was even happier, and we were very pleased with the overall results too !