Ah…..a nice day of remodeling….everything going quite well as it should and then…..open up the floor and the blahs set in when you discover ABS drain pipe. Now I’m told ABS is a poor choice of drain pipe anymore (reasons never specified). In my area, Central PA, all you can get is PVC. In the remodeling process I accidentally broke the glue seal of a 90 degree ABS fitting onto a straight piece of ABS by just slightly bumping it. To replace it I have to use PVC…so…anyone have pros/cons of gluing PVC to ABS with a glue approved for both types? Or you recommend I rip out the ABS and replace with all PVC (or at least that portion of the drain line)? Seeing how VERY easy it was for me to break the glue seal on ABS makes me fret over how safe/secure the other glue joints are. I barely bumped the joint and it broke.
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Sounds like someone didn't use primer before glueing I would check all joints in the ABS, to connect 2 different materials FERNCO it, as one glue doesn't work for both materials. Check all your plumbing supply houses they might have enough peices kickin around to get you out of a bind.
some codes don't require primer for ABS
Code won't allow it. In CO anyways.
Modular housing still uses ABS. Maybe there is a parts outlet not too far away.
to connect ABS / PVC use a rated no-hub.
Mixing and matching of ABS and PVC is pretty common around here. Florida. I see a lot of it when I crawl under houses to work on the power. The only thing the inspector, as of a year ago, wanted was to make sure you used a cement that was rated for both materials. This stuff is readily available at the big box. Oatly makes one type, has a red label if I remember correctly, that seems to work. It is clearly marked on the front that it can be used on PVC and ABS. The inspectors usually want to see the can and some people have taken to leaving the used can by the pressure gauge so the inspector can find it easily when he checks the pressure remaining after a test period.
I believe the cement is for either ABS OR PVC. Not meant to be used to put the two together. Code states that two dissimilar materials shall be joined by an approved connector, ie: female/male threaded or rubber coupling.
Although I have always used PVC and ABS is getting less common around here, I have never seen a problem with it if properly installed. The same goes for PVC. If the joints are properly prepared and the pipe hung with good hangers (not plastic J-hooks) it should last for decades. ABS is lighter so it can sag easier, I don't think it cuts as cleanly and needs more attention to deburr. Because of it's color, it can be harder to see dirt on the joint before cementing. I used to get upset with the delivery person for piling PVC and Cast Iron pipe together and I would have to spend more time cleaning the tar off it.
Yesterday I couldn't even spell plumber, today I are one.
WEll, thanks for all the advice. I went out and got the red can mentioned. It says for ABS and PVC, doesn't say anything about not using it to glue the two together so what the heck, I tried it. It's still drying. After 15 minutes there was still some give in the joint if you applied a fair amount of force. Unlike PVC which has practically zero give after just a minute.
The comment about the person not using Primer makes sense. I bought this house from a DIYer. He was largely 50% on target and 50% way way off target. His personality is akin to overkill mixed with a few dashes of utter stupidity. I unfortunately bear the brunt as I am remodeling his remodeled house. Go figure.
I bought a can of primer rated for ABS. But when I read the instructions on the red can (glue) is says DO NOT PRIME ABS. Huh?? So, ok, lets see there is ABS primer, but at least with this glue I"m not to prime the ABS. So..I didn't and am left scratching my head wondering if this DIYer who is off the wall on so many other things might have done the right thing in not priming. Uggh, who knows.
This broken joint is temporary. In the remodel process it'll be altered anyways. As long as it gets me thru the next few weeks I'll be fine.
I've been working around plumber's since, oh, let's say , hmm , 1976, never have I 've ever seen them use anything but plain ol ABS glue, on ABS pipe. Primer I' ve seen on all the other "plastics". Just lately, more and more plumbers are using this "white" plastic pipe for DWV, I can't remember what it is called. They say it is easier to work with and stays alot straighter than ABS. Good luck on your project, keep yur glooves on, around that soil line. Jim J in Arizona
That white plasticis PVC, A.K.A Polyvinyl-chloride. It's supposedly stronger indeed and requires priming for sure.
It seems the use of ABS vs. PVC is geographic in nature. ABS used to be carried in my part of the country, not any longer, yet by recent posts, it's still out there and in use a good bit.
ABS is primarily used by plumbers who are also closed minded to other improvements which show up. I have pondered this issue for many years. This is the only consistent statement you can make about the ABSers vs. the PVCers.
That inspector is so wrong I don't know if I should laugh or cry.
While the glue will work on either pipe it will not make a good connction between the 2.
Somebody was bamboozled...
Joining ABS to PVC might not be the best technique but I can't say I have noticed that these joint seem to leak or break more often than joints made with the same material. Years ago I used to climb under a lot of houses. More recently fewer.
I don't do plumbing professionally but I have asked why the glue can was left behind. I actually attempted to return it to the plumbers involved, I thought they had forgotten it, and they explained the situation. According to them the only extra provision is that the contractor prove that the multi use cement was used.
Of course this is the deep south, where a pickup truck on blocks is considered high art in lawn decorations. The AHJ is probably happy enough just to see the residents using indoor plumbing and not hanging it off the back, the truly uncouth also use the front, porch and taking aim at the night. So the inspectors might be bringing along the population slowly.
From what I've read, gluing the two dissimilar plastics is not a good idea (and does not meet code requirements) due to the fact that they have slightly different rates of expansion and contraction. As a result, Eventually the joint can fail. Use a no-hub coupling.
Whoever glued up the joint that fell apart was probably careless, as in no primer before gluing. I would recommend checking the other joints that you have access to. Wiping primer and ABS glue around the exterior of the existing joints can't hurt, and it could help prevent any potential pinhole leaks.
In my area (Cleveland, OH) , for some reason Lowe's carries ABS and PVC, and Home Depot carries only PVC.
Good luck.
If it's temp just glue it with all purpose glue. But for a permanent fix either go back in with ABS fittings or use PVC and all connections must be made with no-hub fittings.