Is this normal for under sink plumbing?

1918 Views 23 Replies 8 Participants Last post by jeffnc, Mar 26, 2020

ktownskier

Discussion Starter · Mar 22, 2020 (Edited)

I am in the midst of remodeling my main bathroom. The first step is going to be putting down 3/8" cdx plywood to raise the floor to the level of the wood floor in the hallway and put down some waterproof LVP flooring.

In order to put down the flooring and plywood, I will have to remove the toilet and vanity. The toilet will be not problem, I put it in when I replaced the old leaker. And I am going to put in a free one I got from American Standard. Yee Haa!!!

The vanity will pose a bit of a problem though. Not the install, been there and done that. But the friggin' plumbing that they did.

Is it normal to put in 2" ABS with a cleanout under the sink? (See the picture) And it is all solvent welded to the P-Trap!! While that is great for most places, but under the sink means I can't easily take it apart to put in a new vanity. I have to literally cut it out. And the only place to do it right after the wye. Which leaves me with a stubbie to work with.

I have never seen a clean out under a bathroom sink. I don't believe it is code here. I checked under other sinks in the area and they don't have it. I think the Prior Owner is just trying to piss me off. :vs_mad:

Let me know what you guys think I should do. Thanks, Ktownskier AKA Ktown

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Nealtw

· #2 · Mar 22, 2020

ktownskier said:
I am in the midst of remodeling my main bathroom. The first step is going to be putting down 3/8" cdx plywood to raise the floor to the level of the wood floor in the hallway and put down some waterproof LVP flooring.

In order to put down the flooring and plywood, I will have to remove the toilet and vanity. The toilet will be not problem, I put it in when I replaced the old leaker. And I am going to put in a free one I got from American Standard. Yee Haa!!!

The vanity will pose a bit of a problem though. Not the install, been there and done that. But the friggin' plumbing that they did.

Is it normal to put in 2" ABS with a cleanout under the sink? (See the picture) And it is all solvent welded to the P-Trap!! While that is great for most places, but under the sink means I can't easily take it apart to put in a new vanity. I have to literally cut it out. And the only place to do it right after the wye. Which leaves me with a stubbie to work with.

I have never seen a clean out under a bathroom sink. I don't believe it is code here. I checked under other sinks in the area and they don't have it. I think the Prior Owner is just trying to piss me off. :vs_mad:

Let me know what you guys think I should do. Thanks, Ktownskier AKA Ktown

I see the picture now

660catman

· #3 · Mar 22, 2020

I just finished my bathroom and went through the same thing except pipe coming from wall was 1.25”. Bathrooms are now 1.5”. I originally had a rubber connector from wall to P trap. I had to put another sink in and of course nothing lines up. I added a 1.25” to 1.5” connector at wall and glued all together. I added P trap with clean out but didn’t need to as you can get plain ones. If I ever have to do it again I’ll have to cut back of cabinet.

Retired guy from Southern Manitoba, Canada.

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Nealtw

· #4 · Mar 22, 2020

ktownskier

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 22, 2020

Thanks @Nealtw,

At first, I was going to say that it wouldn't work as I can't get to the end of the WYE, but then my dog kicked me and I realized that I can use the drill out method on the stub coming out of the wall. Duh!!

If I want to switch to PVC, what glue should I use?

Is foam-core ok to use?

Thanks for the help.

Nealtw

· #6 · Mar 22, 2020 (Edited)

ktownskier said:
Thanks @Nealtw ,

At first, I was going to say that it wouldn't work as I can't get to the end of the WYE, but then my dog kicked me and I realized that I can use the drill out method on the stub coming out of the wall. Duh!!

If I want to switch to PVC, what glue should I use?

Is foam-core ok to use?

Thanks for the help.

We use nothing but ABS so all I know or think I know is a special glue is used.
I would glue in an ABS fitting that you can thread to with the other parts so you still have access for clean out and change to PVC with the threaded fittings. Others will be along with more experience.

rjniles

· #7 · Mar 22, 2020

Cut out the ABS and glue in an ABS trap adapter and use tubular PVC for the rest.

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TheEplumber

· #8 · Mar 22, 2020

rjniles said:
Cut out the ABS and glue in an ABS trap adapter and use tubular PVC for the rest.

Yep, cut right at the back of the wye. Add a coupling and/or a 45 to point to the trap and go with a rj's plan.....

Chris616

· #9 · Mar 23, 2020

I’ve included a cleanout under the sink wherever possible in our house renos, although in decades of owning a house I’ve never had to use one. Good article here:
https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2006/09/01/replace-a-trap-and-add-a-cleanout

Chris

rjniles

· #10 · Mar 23, 2020

Chris616 said:
I’ve included a cleanout under the sink wherever possible in our house renos, although in decades of owning a house I’ve never had to use one. Good article here:

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2006/09/01/replace-a-trap-and-add-a-cleanout

Chris

When you use tubular traps and connections there is no reason to have a cleanout. You just unscrew and remove the trap to access the drain. The original poster had a solvent weld trap hence the need of the cleanout.

Sent from my RCT6A03W13E using Tapatalk

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Chris616

· #11 · Mar 23, 2020

rjniles said:
When you use tubular traps and connections there is no reason to have a cleanout. You just unscrew and remove the trap to access the drain. The original poster had a solvent weld trap hence the need of the cleanout.

Yes, it’s possible to snake through the 90 degree elbow of a disassembled P-trap, but it’s easier to have a straight run through a cleanout. Sometimes there isn’t enough space to include one, but if there is I include a cleanout even with slip joint P-traps, like the plumber in the OP’s post did.

Chris

rjniles

· #12 · Mar 23, 2020

Chris616 said:
Yes, it’s possible to snake through the 90 degree elbow of a disassembled P-trap, but it’s easier to have a straight run through a cleanout. Sometimes there isn’t enough space to include one, but if there is I include a cleanout even with slip joint P-traps, like the plumber in the OP’s post did.

Chris

If you remove the whole trap including the wall pipe you have straight access into the drain.

Chris616

· #13 · Mar 23, 2020

rjniles said:
If you remove the whole trap including the wall pipe you have straight access into the drain.

I don’t understand how you’re suggesting to remove the whole trap without disassembling glued connections. In the OP’s original photo I’ve marked the two connections that can be easily disassembled in order to remove the trap. To snake further downstream still requires going through a short radius elbow from the glued part of the trap, so the cleanout makes it easier.

Chris

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Nealtw

· #14 · Mar 23, 2020

Chris616 said:
I don’t understand how you’re suggesting to remove the whole trap without disassembling glued connections. In the OP’s original photo I’ve marked the two connections that can be easily disassembled in order to remove the trap. To snake further downstream still requires going through a short radius elbow from the glued part of the trap, so the cleanout makes it easier.

Chris

The OP wants to re and re the vanity with out ripping up the back of the vanity. The suggestion was to move that upper fitting to the wall.

ktownskier

Discussion Starter · #15 · Mar 23, 2020

Correct, I want to be able to give away the current vanity. It is still viable and someone may be able to use it. We are putting in one that fits our style and is taller.

I hate it when home improvement shows take a sledge hammer to what appears to be perfectly good things on their shows and I don't want to hate myself. Any more than I do already. Just kidding, I don't hate myself.

Reactions: 3

Chris616

· #16 · Mar 23, 2020

Nealtw said:
The OP wants to re and re the vanity with out ripping up the back of the vanity. The suggestion was to move that upper fitting to the wall.

I got that, Neal. Thanks. I thought that RJNiles and I were having a discussion about the general question of whether there is value in having a cleanout under a sink, but maybe that was just me. :smile:

Chris

Nealtw

· #17 · Mar 23, 2020

Chris616 said:
I got that, Neal. Thanks. I thought that RJNiles and I were having a discussion about the general question of whether there is value in having a cleanout under a sink, but maybe that was just me. :smile:

Chris

But if you have a screw off fitting at the wall, that will serve as a clean out if ever needed. I would bet behind there is another clean out that the previous owner covered over but still want to have access.:wink2:

ktownskier

Discussion Starter · #18 · Mar 23, 2020

Re: Is a clean out under a vanity a good thing?

Chris616 said:
I got that, Neal. Thanks. I thought that RJNiles and I were having a discussion about the general question of whether there is value in having a cleanout under a sink, but maybe that was just me. :smile:

Chris

Okay, I understand that. Go forth and discuss. I changed the title to encompass the new focus of the new discussion.

Which I think is a great one.

jeffnc

· #19 · Mar 25, 2020

First question is, which I thought would have been obvious but based on the replies apparently not, but why do you need to take the vanity out? Build up the floor around it. The only reason this would be a problem is for replacing the vanity in the future. In that case, simply save some of the floor tiles to redo that area if necessary.

Second, why don't you simply leave the plumbing as is? Disconnect the sink and lift it straight up out of there. The worst case scenario then is that the downspout isn't quite long enough, but that's super easy to change, and probably won't be necessary anyway. I don't find cutting the back of the vanity to be a big deal. It can be patched over if you really think it's necessary, but how often will you look there?

jeffnc

· #20 · Mar 25, 2020

Chris616 said:
Yes, it’s possible to snake through the 90 degree elbow of a disassembled P-trap

Why would you ever do that? Unless that's exactly where the clog is, in which case you have to do that no matter what.

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