How do I move this pipe in the wall?

[atgcpaul]

I was taking down a wall and found some "treasures". The one pipe that I
cannot figure out how to move is the big 3" pipe in the picture. It's a picture
looking up into a closet. The pipe is 3" schedule 40 running from the
basement to the attic for radon gas. (The original owners say there isn't
radon but their kids played in the basement and they figured better safe than
sorry--it was new construction for them.)

Anyway, that elbow needs to swing around 180 degrees in the other direction
because the wall where it comes out of the floor is going away. There's no
room in there to cut the pipe and make a U-turn and I don't think there are
PVC elbows that can tie into the middle of a cut elbow--if there are, that's
the way I'm going.

The only other solution is going to the second floor,cut a section of drywall
out, cut the pipe up there, turn it around, glue it back.

Thanks for any ideas,
Paul

[Tequila]

I'm not completely clear on where you're moving the top pipe to, but PVC joints can't be moved once they're welded in place, so you'll need to cut out the elbows and replace them.

If it's the elbow on the left that needs to turn, cut the bottom vertical pipe somewhere around the middle. Use a pipe coupler to join up a new piece and run it to wherever you need. If it's the elbow on the right that needs to turn, cut the horizontal piece around the middle and join a new piece with a coupler.

[emjr]

Two alternatives for actually cutting the pipe: a wire saw (camping/backpacking stores) or the nylon-strand saw you can find in the plumbing aisles @ HD. Both are made such that you can loop them around the pipe and work them from out in front where there's more room to move your hands. Good luck.

[backpacker85]

Don't I recall a thread not too long ago where someone was asking how often a recip. saw would get used?

[atgcpaul]

Don't I recall a thread not too long ago where someone was asking how often a recip. saw would get used?

About a year ago, I think I posted that same question. I finally got one
this week for this project. Awesome! It's my favorite tool right now. THIS is
the original Ginsu! However, I didn't use it last night to fix this problem.

After staring at this pipe for who knows how long, I ran up to the attic to
stare at it in a new venue. The bottom of the pipe in the picture runs
straight up to the bottom of the radon fan attached by a rubber boot.
Duh!!! I cut the nearest bend in the picture, unscrewed the pipe from the
fan, lowered it a foot, cut the elbow off with a hacksaw, and glued on a
union. A few more elbows and unions later, the pipe is in its new home.

Thanks for the other the advice, however,
Paul

[crokett]

Paul,

You did exactly what I was going to suggest. I had a similar problem with a vent pipe in my old house and spent a few hours trying to figure out what to do until I realized I could cut it in the attic and lower it.