Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [abs]

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is a type of plastic pipe used most often in drains. It is usually black, which makes it easy to tell apart from PVC. Use with the [plumbing] and [drain] tags.

ABS pipe is a plastic pipe similar to PVC. Typically is white, is yellow and ABS is black. ABS contains bisphenol A, or BPA, which is a chemical some people are concerned about. ABS is never used for water supply lines, however, only drains since (like PVC) it does not handle hot water well.

Some localities restrict the use of ABS now. Check local restrictions before using.

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How can I temporarily repair a lengthwise crack in an ABS drain pipe?

I have a 3" diameter by 4 ft long, vertical ABS sewer drain pipe (unpressurized), in my wall that has a crack running lengthwise for around two feet and slowly getting longer. I've called a plumber to replace it, but he won't be able to do so for 2…
FuzzyChef
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What is 'Cellular Core' or "Foam core ABS' pipe?

At a big home store today, all the black drain pipe was 'cellular core ABS' in 'schedule 40'. What does the 'cellular' mean? The pipe was very inexpensive.
Bryce
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Leak in Main Sewer Stack

Our main sewer stack has a (very slow) leak at the input to the wye fitting, which rests just above the concrete floor. Pipe is ABS. House built in 1996. If I had the space, I would replace the wye by cutting below it, but that would involve cutting…
Tyler Southard
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ABS drain pipe to sewage broke at elbow: how to replace

ABS drain pipe to sewage broke at this part. I fear I have to replace into the concrete. What would you do for a minimally invasive repair? Can I somehow keep the elbow piece? If not, how would you go about fixing this?
Patrick Szalapski
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Purple primer left on over night: can I use it?

I am using Oatey purple primer with Oatey medium gray pvc cement. This is a 2 inch PVC pipe job for pool pump to filter. I have a joint where I applied purple primer then realized I am not ready for the fitting so I need to leave it overnight. This…
realcoder
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Can dryer vent touch ABS pipe?

I am installing a dryer vent (using rigid aluminum vent). The vent will be running along the same path as a 1.5" ABS pipe (which is used as drain vent, so no water flows through it). Would it be a problem if the dryer vent touches the ABS pipe?
jimmyp
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ABS Glue = yellow or black?

I'm doing a bunch of ABS plumbing for the first time. I have everything cut and ready to assemble so do one last YouTube search for a few tutorials on glueing. Seems really simple. HOWEVER, all the tutorials are using this yellow cement. The one I…
DA01
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ABS pipe connection question

When installing a new tub, I need to move the drain about 3/4 inch. My current plan is to just add a reducer to the exposed pipe and then the p-trap. I have two concerns that I was hoping to get some thoughts on. I notice when joining certain pieces…
Jamie
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Is flow direction through fittings important when fitting PVC or ABS pipe?

I am replacing the rusted out plumbing (drain, p trap, tee, trap adapters, 45 degree elbow) under my kitchen sink with ABS, but I notice that some fittings offer a choice of hub or spigot connections. There are a couple of places (particularly an…
fuzzydrawrings
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Leaking drain joint in reconstructed pipes under new kitchen sink

We recently installed a new countertop and kitchen sink (which is built into the island). The sink is 2 inches deeper than the old sink, so we had to redo the plumbing to make everything fit. We used ABS pipes, a new out of package p-trap and ABS…
in_over_my_head
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Replace Leaking Y Junction Cleanout From Washer Drain Before Main Sewer Line

I found a leak in the Y junction which is a cleanout for my washer drain right before it joins the main. I'm pretty certain that there is a clog in the main further down because the water squirts out of the cleanout like a water fountain for a while…
Michael Ruth
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Help identifying ABS vs. PVC

I am working on a basement bathroom and need some help verifying that the existing shower and toilet drains are ABS or PVC. I know that should be easy but there are a few nuances and I want to be very sure before I continue. Toilet drain - pretty…
r_alanb
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How to connect clawfoot tub drain to different-sized ABS rough-in

I have a clawfoot tub with a 1-1/2" brass drain to install to a 2" ABS floor drain. There's already a 2" to 1-1/2" ABS reducer cemented to the drain by my previous plumber. My original plan was connect a 1-1/2" trap adapter to the brass drain and…
Austin Seward
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Better choice for a kitchen sink p-trap: ABS and cemented joints or polypropylene and slip joints?

As I need to redo the p-trap system under my kitchen sink and I am all but an expert in plumbing matters, I would like to understand which one of the two alternative solutions shown below is the preferred one. Solution 1 is proposed in this YouTube…
MarcoD
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How do you join white plastic (PVC) to black plastic (ABS)?

I have a drain pipe located underneath under a bathroom sink. Half of the sewer pipe is black ABS, while the other half of the pipe is made out of white PVC. There are no threads on either side. We cannot use a threaded nut and slip washer. No…
Samuel Muldoon
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