CI Soil Stack Hub Leak after water test

[Rhem]

I am renovating a second floor bathroom and I tied new PVC plumbing into the existing soil stack. When I did a water test, I had some leakage from the old oakum and lead hub fittings above the highest drain. I am assuming I did some damage to the pipe while cutting out the unused sections.

I am not sure how much this is an issue, but I would like at some point to install a new bathroom in the floor above. My impatient side wants to leave it and finish the project, but my gut tells me I should replace it.

Any advice? Is this normal, or a sign of failure? Like I said, as far as I know the section in question never had water.

 

[Reach4]

I think you are saying that you cut cast iron pipe, and left some existing cast iron above. I hope you sufficiently secured the cast iron that would stay before cutting the cast.

To stop the leak, you probably want to use a big flat blade screwdriver as a "caulking iron". The process is called caulking, and is not similar to what you use a caulking gun for. It is pounding on the lead in a controlled way.

Search, and read up on that. See if what you find makes sense to you.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Rhem]

Thanks for the tip! Yes I left some cast iron above where I cut, secured with straps. I should have made that clearer in the first post.

 

[Jeff H Young]

Wise not to allow that it might not get water that high now , but later it will. I cant allow a drop of water inside a wall. too much at stake . exposed is one thing but as a pro cant really have that either.
Your home but highly advise try another test and try to tamp that down some more or remove piece and put donut and retest

 

[Rhem]

Thanks again, Reach4, caulking it with a screw driver worked like a charm. I ended up water testing it again today. This time I had massive water coming down from the attic. It was leaking where the CI transitions to PVC, specifically between the donut and PVC. It was original, so I am unfamiliar with what was done.

I read https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/leak-between-ci-hub-and-fernco-donut.6751/, but it won't be easy to remove as I have vents tied in.

 

[Reach4]

https://www.menards.com/main/plumbi...ipe-sealant-1-lb/61010201/p-1444437566443.htm

https://www.menards.com/main/plumbi...es-lead-wool-5-lb/610lw-5/p-1444437562630.htm

https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/fixing-a-pvc-to-cast-iron-connection.36523/
https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/lead-wool.7656/

https://www.oatey.com/products/hercules-plastic-seal-339930492

 

[Rhem]

You are way fast....

 

[Reach4]

That picture was not up when I posted. There was a wider shot.

Are you sure the leak is at the donut, and not the underside of the fitting above? That fitting in the upper part of your picture looks cocked.

 

[Rhem]

Positive. The fitting is straight on above, a tad bit cocked below. I might just cut out below and transition it all to PVC with a no hub banded clamp.

 

[Reach4]

If you tie a cotton string/strip just under the double santee and retest, that could confirm for sure. The cotton would stay dry if the leak were at the donut.

 

[Rhem]

I retested it again to be sure. The leak is definitely coming from between the donut and PVC pipe.

 

[Jeff H Young]

maybe it wasent lubed realy good on install

 

[Rhem]

So I ended up cutting out a bit of the cast iron, which I planned on doing at some point anyway to install a bathroom in the attic. Turns out the vents I put in were not quite in line with the soil stack. Tying them in with a double san tee and my rudimentary plumbing skills ended up pulling the pipe sideways out of the donut just enough for it to leak. And here I had thought it was someone else's fault; go figure.

Oh well, it ain't fun if I don't get to fix it.