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Just fixed a leak under my kitchen sink that I thought was going to need a whole new pipe
I was putting in a new garbage disposal in my house in Tacoma. Got the old one out, went to hook up the new one, and the old drain pipe from the wall just crumbled in my hand. It was that old brittle plastic. I had no spare parts and the hardware store was closed. Ended up cutting the bad section out with a hacksaw, sanding the end smooth, and using a rubber coupling and two hose clamps I had in my garage from an old washing machine hose. It's holding for now, but I know it's a temp fix. What's the proper way to replace that whole drain arm? Do I need to open up the wall?
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nguyen.piper6mo ago
That rubber coupling fix is a classic move. Had a bathroom sink drain do the same brittle plastic trick on me last year.
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jackson.jenny6mo ago
Wait, your plastic drain pipe got brittle after just one year? That's wild. I've seen that happen in old houses but never that fast. You must have some rough water, @nguyen.piper.
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milar465mo ago
Oh man, I gotta disagree a little bit. That rubber coupling fix might be classic but it's a bandaid at best. I've seen those rubber joints dry out and crack after a couple years, especially if they're near a hot water line. The real issue is that modern PVC or ABS pipes shouldn't turn brittle that fast unless there's something weird going on with your water or the pipe wasn't glued right in the first place. Replacing the whole drain piece with a real PVC fitting and proper primer usually costs less than 10 bucks and lasts decades. Rubber couplings are great for a quick fix when you're in a pinch, but I wouldn't call it a long term solution.
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