What is this pipe?

3298 Views 33 Replies 11 Participants Last post by BabsHoney, Mar 10, 2013

BabsHoney

Discussion Starter · Jan 4, 2013

2

Second question for the day! Yay! :-/

Anyway, we have this pipe... in our bedroom...
In the pictures on the opposite of the wall is our shower, but this pipe doesn't line up with any of that plumbing. To the left is the kitchen sink but all of the plumbing is under the sink, none of it is in the wall.

This pipe makes it's 90 degree turn high enough from the floor that it stuck out above the floor that was here before. I would like to see if there is a way to fix this problem. We're going to put down a new wood floor and I really don't want a pipe sticking up through it!

So, advice? Opinions? Laughter?

Oh yeah, it's hard to tell in the photo, but yes, there is aluminum foil bunched up and "wrapped" around this joint.

And... we're pretty sure this used to be an exterior wall if that means anything.

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1 - 20 of 34 Posts

TheEplumber

· #2 · Jan 4, 2013

Question for you- do you have a basement? It looks like a vent from a fixture below and it was offset around the foundation or a beam

joecaption

· #3 · Jan 4, 2013

Are those two pipes connected?
The one running straight up could be a vent line, should be running all the way up through the roof.
Any of those old steel drain and or supplys need to be removed and replaced with PVC for the drains and copper, CPVC or Pex for the supplys.
Steel will fail everytime at some point.
Drains for the sinks need to be run into the walls not just a hole in the floor to make it legal.

BabsHoney

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 4, 2013

We have a dirt crawlspace. This pipe comes ups from the crawl space and then appears to go straight up and out through the roof.

The kitchen and bath plumbing will all be redone, but I wasn't expecting to deal with plumbing in the bedroom.

Man... I'm gonna have to go in the crawlspace. Blech.

jagans

· #5 · Jan 4, 2013

If it goes through the roof it is a plumbing vent. How about some more info?

Type House, Year Built, etc etc.

If you are re-plumbing your home you should be able to re do the vents and get rid of that pipe altogether.

Dirt Crawl Space??? Re-Plumb could be tough.

BabsHoney

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 4, 2013

Hrm... type of house?
Poor man's shack that has been piece-mealed together.

At least one part of it was built in 1937.

It's only 743 square feet.

BabsHoney

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 4, 2013

Well I called the plumber my family uses.

(I really don't want to go in the crawl space.)

He said it may be for gas??
Anyway, I sent him pictures of it but he can't come look till next Friday.

TheEplumber

· #8 · Jan 4, 2013

It's not gas.
Pretty sure it vents a nearby fixture(toilet) or maybe even an abandoned fixture

Reactions: 1

BabsHoney

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 4, 2013

I didn't think it was anything gas related, but I also wasn't doing an awesome job describing it. Hence the pictures.

fasteddie3

· #10 · Jan 4, 2013

If you need to move it, move it over to the wall in the left. It's just a vent. I'm guessing you had a cabinet there or something before. It's common to run it like that if there is a beam or something you cant go through. move it over if possible and connect it back with the plumbing that goes through the roof or go straight up where you move it to.Hope that helps

Reactions: 1

joecaption

· #11 · Jan 4, 2013

If it runs up and out the roof it's a vent.
No way it's for gas.
Depending on how old this house is, some really old houses had no need for vents because there was no plumbing.
Once inside plumbing came into play no one want to bust out the walls to run the vents the right wal so that did the next best thing.
Some were even run outside of the house. I love it when I see the lines ending right under a soffit vent or a window.

Reactions: 1

BabsHoney

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 4, 2013

From what we can tell the house wasn't built with any indoor plumbing.

I'm feeling optimistic about being able to move it though, thanks so much everybody!

And as soon as I know more I'll update.

Alan

· #13 · Jan 5, 2013

If it isn't serving any purpose there's a chance to eliminate it and a roof penetration, which of course means getting a roofer to come patch over the hole.

Your plumber will guide you well.

:yes:

BabsHoney

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jan 5, 2013

The roof is getting redone this spring as well

cdaniels

· #15 · Jan 5, 2013

plumbing vent would be my guess

jagans

· #16 · Jan 5, 2013

Not to be rude, but from your description of this place, is it really worth it? 700 sq ft?

It seems to me that you don't have much there, especially with a dirt crawl space.

Sometimes its better to just start over plumb and square, new poured foundation, Insulated concrete floor, etc. etc.

Ive done renovations on old stuff, and it can cost more than its worth when you start running into out of plumb, no access, demolition, asbestos, etc etc.

Just a thought.

BabsHoney

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 5, 2013

Well thankfully we got the house for super cheap. That plus the fact that we are really enjoying doing all of this work and to me that makes it worth it.
Around here very small houses are not uncommon. Yes, we are one of the smaller ones on our block, but not so much that it seems unusual.

jagans

· #18 · Jan 5, 2013

OK so it is a labor of love thing. I just know from experience that sometimes the price of eggs in china is not worth the wear and tear on the hens butt.

Especially with no basement to work from :laughing::laughing::laughing:

BabsHoney

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jan 5, 2013

None of the houses in our neighborhood have a basement. Actually, now that I think about it, I haven't lived in a house with a basement since I was 4.
And for this point in our lives 743 is enough for us. And... Rebuilding would mean no place to live in the interim.

BabsHoney

Discussion Starter · #20 · Jan 6, 2013

Going in the crawl space today!

Early on the hubby and I agreed the crawl space was me and the attic was him. What a dumb agreement.

So I thought, hey I'll pull out my old Navy coveralls. I knew I kept those bad boys for a reason!

It's a long story, but unfortunately they are inaccessible at the moment. So this isn't even going to be fun. Dang.

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