Soldered Pipes

[dennie]

I preface this question by saying I have littke experience in plumbing and are probably being overly concerned. Howeve I figure better safe than sorry.

My wife decieded to have our shower head and related parts replaced with a new Crohe hand held shower head assembly and pipe that extends out of the wall. She hired a plumber and the work was done when I was not home. The shower stall is a one piece fiberglass unit.The handle is single lever.This was all related to me by her when I came home today as she was watching the plumber make the repairs.

The plumber was removing the pipe that extends out of the wall and it apparently was rusted and broke off leaving some of the threaded portion of the pipe still in the pipe behind the wall. He apparently attempted to get the remaining piece out with a screwdriver and a hammer? This was not sucessfully and in this attempt apparently a piece of work( per the plumber) fell down behind the wall. He indicated to her not to worry about it as many times wood is placed behind pipes to prevent rattles? He then went out to his truck and secured a different plumbing devise and was able to unscrew the remaining piece of pipe and complete the installation.

Is this sop when trying to get a piece of pipe out to use a hammer and screwdriver. The use of the other plumbing devise in my mind should have been used first and precluded my question

I have two questions.
1. This piece of wood was he correct in his statement and there is nothing to concern ourselves with?

2. My bigger concern with the use of the hammer and screwdriver is there any way the soldered joints for the valves and pipes in the wall could have sustained damage. How would I even know if there was a problem. The shower works fine.

I know this sounds like a dumb question but I had to ask. Paranoid but feelin better after writing this post.

 

[Herk]

I commonly use a hammer and screwdriver to do this type of job. Usually, I will take a tiny hacksaw blade and cut most of the way through the inside of the pipe first, then it's really easy to pop the remaining threads from the drop ear ell or galvanized ell at the top of the shower riser.

Most of the time, it's a brass shower ell that's being removed, and it's relatively malleable so this can work, hopefully without damaging the female threads. After all, what's the alternative? Breaking out the wall on the other side? Removing the shower stall?

There are "easy outs" - tools for removing a bit of broken thread or nipple, but they're chancy at best. Sometimes they stretch the fitting and still won't remove the broken part.

Bits of wood in the wall? Certainly not a problem. One hopes the shower riser is still secured well enough.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Construct30]

It is not a problem, if it woks and doesn't leak don't worry. If you did have a problem, I would tend to blame it on the original plumber, this guy did nothing wrong from what you said. He didn't want to make the trip to his truck so he gave it a shot with what he had. The internal pipe wrenches are a great tool, I use mine a lot, the easy outs do suck, I have a $300 set that are worthless, I think my set of internal pipe wrenches are made by ridgid. Every plumber should have a set in his truck, it worked for this guy. Any time a threaded pipe or nipple breaks if the screw driver doesn't work then the internal pipe wrench set comes out.

 

[dennie]

Folllow up

Thank you all for the prompt info. I learned something and fell better. I just wanted to be sure that all that hitting of the pipe did not damaage any of the other soldered fittings in the valve since it knocked that piece of wood out. I guess if it did I would see water some where. Herk,What is a shower riser?

 

[hj]

pipe

When a shower arm, or any threaded piece, breaks off, the FIRST thing I do is go to the truck and get the internal wrench. After all, how far away can the truck be? I NEVER start with a hammer and caping chisel, much less a screwdriver.

 

[Herk]

A shower riser is the pipe that "rises" from the valve to the shower head.

 

[dennie]

Thanks. Apparently there are different accepted plumbing approaches to this problem based on what the plumber is comfortable with .I would agree the best way is to use a special tool rather than banging on the pipe and causing possable further damage.

I have seen no leaks. Heck, I have no idea to tell whether whether shower riser is still attached or secured to I presume a stud in the wall. I would think if it was not it would still stay in place because of the shower handle and the pipe arm coming out of the wall holding the shower head provide support. I do not imagine the piece of wood that fell had anything to do with how the riser is attached. This is an older home 25 years.

I again thank you all for the input