Drain pipe mystery

Users who are viewing this thread

Bijay

New Member
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Florida
Hello - we have a condo in Florida that has been sitting vacant for the last year. It is not that old, about nine years. Recently we had the water treatment media replaced and when they flushed the lines, water started leaking into the living room through an air return vent. A plumber opened up the ceiling and found the leak - it looks as though the PVC drain pipe failed in the middle of a wye joint (picture attached). Any idea why this would have happened?

Pipe Leak.jpg
 

WorthFlorida

Clinical Trail on a Cancer Drug Started 1/31/24. ☹
Messages
5,727
Solutions
1
Reaction score
982
Points
113
Location
Orlando, Florida
Probably a bad molded piece. PVC couplings are Sch40 which is extremely tough. PVC rarely plugs up and in nine years it be doubtful someone got too aggressive with a power auger to clear a clog. Was there any water stains on the floor? Was there any mold in the duct work to get an idea if it started from day one or more recent?
 

Bijay

New Member
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Florida
Probably a bad molded piece. PVC couplings are Sch40 which is extremely tough. PVC rarely plugs up and in nine years it be doubtful someone got too aggressive with a power auger to clear a clog. Was there any water stains on the floor? Was there any mold in the duct work to get an idea if it started from day one or more recent?

There were no water stains on the floor, no mold. This seemed to happen suddenly, after the house had been sitting for awhile. We are the original owners, and there have been no clogs in the house that needed clearing. It almost looks like corrosion, like something ate through it. I hope this isn't indicative of further plumbing problems for this house.
 

WorthFlorida

Clinical Trail on a Cancer Drug Started 1/31/24. ☹
Messages
5,727
Solutions
1
Reaction score
982
Points
113
Location
Orlando, Florida

WorthFlorida

Clinical Trail on a Cancer Drug Started 1/31/24. ☹
Messages
5,727
Solutions
1
Reaction score
982
Points
113
Location
Orlando, Florida
Has the plumber replace the section? Any chance from the floor above leaking any water such as near a bathroom? Water maybe dripping onto this pipe and running along the pipe and your only seeing where the mold is, not the leak itself. Did the plumber poke a screw driver into it to see if there is a leak at that location or at east wipe away the black mold, if that what it is?

A leaky toilet wax ring can weep a little water each time it is flushed and not be seen for a long time if it is a seldom used bathroom. Only trying to come up with suggestions. It is possible condensation from the AC duct is causing the water. If the air is cold enough and the ceiling air is very warm and humid, condensation will form on the grill itself.
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,798
Reaction score
4,412
Points
113
Location
IL
I cannot understand what the picture is showing.
 

Bijay

New Member
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Florida
A few chemical that can dissolve or soften PVC. Acetone and other chemicals can melt of soften PVC but it would take a lot of doing. Google "what melts PVC pipe".

Charlotte pipe is a Florida Company. You might want to call them. https://www.charlottepipe.com/contact_us.aspx

https://oxnardplumbingandrooter.com/chemicals-that-cause-pvc-drain-pipes-to-melt-or-soften/

We have a plumbing company working on it - they sent us this picture. If it was a chemical, it was odd that it would corrode the pipe at the very middle of the joint, which is the highest point.
 

Bijay

New Member
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Florida
Has the plumber replace the section? Any chance from the floor above leaking any water such as near a bathroom? Water maybe dripping onto this pipe and running along the pipe and your only seeing where the mold is, not the leak itself. Did the plumber poke a screw driver into it to see if there is a leak at that location or at east wipe away the black mold, if that what it is?

A leaky toilet wax ring can weep a little water each time it is flushed and not be seen for a long time if it is a seldom used bathroom. Only trying to come up with suggestions. It is possible condensation from the AC duct is causing the water. If the air is cold enough and the ceiling air is very warm and humid, condensation will form on the grill itself.

The plumber did replace this joint - he sent us this picture. The dark areas in the middle are not mold, it is the actual holes that go all the way through the pvc. From all the pictures he sent us, there wasn't any mold around it at all.
 

Bijay

New Member
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Florida
I cannot understand what the picture is showing.

Sorry for the confusion about the picture - the black areas at the middle of the joint are holes that go entirely through the pvc. The pipe showed no sign of mold at all.
 

Tuttles Revenge

In the Trades
Messages
4,132
Reaction score
1,410
Points
113
The inside of a wye or combi fitting are convex enough to nibble on by a rodent.
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks