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Up dating rental bathroom

1K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  TheEplumber 
#1 ·
I own rentals. I have worked at these rentals for over 40 years. In that time I have acquired some skills and perhaps some bad habits. I do most of the maintenance on the buildings myself. In 2012 I went to Anchorage to help my sister make a trailer into her residence. We gutted it and redid everything inside. We got permits and I did the water, sewer, gas, structural and roof. We passed all our inspections with flying colors on the second inspection. (I say that so you know I take pride in doing a good job in a professional workman-manner.)

I now have issues with a tub. The water pressure is very low and I'm sure the iron pipe is corroded. I want to replace most of the pipe in this building (1930) with PEX. But to begin it will be the tub supply lines. I heard a plumber tell me once that taking out old lines can be done by cutting them off and pulling them out and then running lines through the same holes. I'm unsure if this was told to me with walls still closed or open. If closed I wondered how it was done. Has anyone heard of doing this? Know how it is done? I was thinking I can cut the pipes off that run up the walls between floors (3 stories) and attach rope to the old pipes and then attach the PEX to rope and pull the PEX through, but just haven't done it. (I have fished electrical using this type of method.)

Suggestions from people who work with older buildings and methods would be appreciated. I have no photos yet, as the walls are still closed. I will be opening the bathroom walls to replace the tub surround with tile and to repair the poor water line feeds to the tub. The toilet and sink have very good pressure. I believe them to also be iron, and would replace them also at this time, if convenient. But those feeds are on the south wall and the tub is on the west wall. So I was just going to replace the run from the tub to where it joins the plumbing on the south (if it does). It may just drop down to the kitchen below... I don't know yet.

TIA (thanks in advance)
Kathryn Cecelia "KaCe"
 
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#2 ·
Usually, the old pipe is removed completely before any new ones are run--hoping to tie onto the old pipes and then use them for fishing if fruitless--

the old pipes are fastened to the studs--tees and fittings are to large to pull the pipes through the holes in the framing--

Repiping a three story building from 1930 will be a challenge---

A few more details will help---are the apartments plumbing all tied together or is there a separate run for each?
 
#3 ·
If they are removed completely and there are tees how are they removed with the walls in place? I was thinking I might be ahead of the game if I ran new lines and abandoned the old. Or as I said earlier, try to pull out the runs where I can. I'm not so sure these lines are tied to the studs that much. I think the pipe is just there. I have not seen any evidence that there are any supports or straps for pipe running up the walls. When it tees it has holes it goes through a stud into another cavity, but it isn't tied. (at least that I can tell) Anyone deal with really old piping?
 
#4 ·
I've repiped a few antique buildings---if you can find a way to abandon the old piping and reroute the PEX--go for it---my big concern is the other apartments---is the building piped so that you can do one apartment at a time?
 
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