How to cap off a PVC sink drain pipe?
Let’s find out…
Frankly speaking, most of our clients approaches us only when things have turned bizarre in terms of leakage of a PVC sink drain pipe.
Capping off your PVC sink drain pipe can not only solve the problem of leakage but also deal with unprecedented situations effectively.
Not to forget, leaving your PVC drain pipe uncovered can at times lead to serious water-related hazards.
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned professional, the piece of information that we would be sharing in this post will definitely do the trick for you as it has done for our clients.
Capping off methods are mainly divided into two categories, that is, temporary, and permanent.
We prefer permanent capping off over the temporary.
In the permanent capping-off method, you need to first put primer then cement before placing the cap.
After placing the cap, you need to thoroughly examine your sink drain pipe before allowing the water to flow through it.
In case of renovation, you can opt for a temporary capping method.
Stay with us, as we would be discussing both temporary and permanent ways of capping off a PVC sink drain pipe.
Does it make sense?
So, without any further ado, let’s begin…
Why Should I Cap Off A PVC Sink Drain Pipe?
The first question that might come to the mind of quite a few of you is why should I cap off a PVC sink drain pipe, right?
To be precise, the answer is way simpler than you think.
Any guesses?
Have you ever faced any problems due to an unsealed shower tray?
An unsealed shower can cause an overflowing shower tray problem.
Similarly, uncapped PVC drain pipes can cause an overflow of dirty water and specks of dirt making the area unhygienic for living.
By putting a cap on your PVC sink drain pipe, you can deal effectively with overflowing of water, etc.
Also, it will enhance the durability and longevity of your PVC sink drain pipe.
The temporary capping-off method has its own importance and can do wonders when it comes to renovation or new appliance installation.
Water spilling or leakage wouldn’t take place as it will seal the mouth of your pipes while you’re rearranging them.
I highly recommend you should cap off the PVC sink drain pipe even during relocation of kitchen, washroom, etc in order to deal with unprecedented situations effectively.
In simple words, capping off your PVC sink drain pipe not only saves you against serious hazards but also prepares you in advance to deal with unexpected scenarios.
How To Cap Off A PVC Sink Drain Pipe Temporary?
As mentioned in my earlier posts also, temporary pipe capping is mostly used during renovation or other in-house operations.
For example, relocation of the kitchen, installing of a temporary sink in the bedroom, etc involves temporary capping off.
Needless to say, capping off a PVC sink drain pipe on a temporary basis is quick, easy, and less time-consuming.
In fact, you can expedite the process on your own without the help of a certified technician.
Toolbox Preparation
Well, for the temporary PVC pipe sealing the best ones are the push-on fittings.
However, you would be needing certain tools for expediting the process.
For your convenience, I’ve jotted down the list below.
- Hacksaw
- Rag
- Tape Measure
- Marker
- Emery Cloth
To be honest, there are mainly three steps involved in putting on a push-on cap in the front of your PVC pipe.
At the same time, you also need to ensure that the cap is compatible with the diameter of the PVC pipe.
Let’s have a quick look at each of these steps.
Turn Off the Water Supply
It is highly recommended to shut off the water supply and that can be done by simply turning off your main power switch.
We recommend allowing the free flow of the residual water out of the faucet as we would be cutting some of the pipe areas.
Make sure that the water supply is turned off before unscrewing the pipeline.
Pipe Cutting And Edge Smoothing
Once the supply is turned off, it’s high time to take the measurement of where to cut.
In order to make pipe opening even, it’s highly recommended to cut it as short as possible.
With the help of a hacksaw, you can easily cut the part out.
You would be needing a rag to clean the surface post the cutting is done.
In case, the edge isn’t as smooth as you expected it to be then in that case, you need to sand it down with the help of an emery cloth.
Yes, you guessed it, right, now your pipeline is ready for the cap installation.
Cap Installation
As compared to the aforementioned steps, the cap installation is an easier one that wouldn’t consume much of your time for sure.
All you need to do is to put the cap in the front of the pipe and press it down.
At the same time, it is advisable to make the measurement mark according to the cap’s length beforehand.
When the cap reaches that mark it is understood that it is installed perfectly.
Once you’re done with all three steps, your leakage problem would be solved.
If you want to remove the cap then all you need to do is to put a bit of pressure on it and pull it off, that’s all.
How To Cap Off A PVC Sink Drain Pipe Permanently?
Well, when your pipes are leaking water or overflowing, all you need to do is to cap them off permanently.
Before we discuss each and every step in detail, let’s arrange the toolbox.
Toolbox Arrangement
Your toolbox must comprise all the tools listed below in order to avoid any last-minute misadventure.
- PVC primer
- PVC cement
- Wrench
Once you’re ready with the list of tools, then you can right away jump into the capping-off process.
Like the previous method, it is also comprised of 3 steps.
However, the steps are definitely time-consuming.
Putting the Primer
First and foremost, you need to wipe off the pipe ends.
The next thing that you need to do is to coat the inner surface of the cap socket as well as the exterior of the pipe with the help of a PVC primer.
It will help these two parts to stick together.
Putting the Cement and Fixing the Cap
In the next step, you need to put on the PVC cement and put the cap socket on it.
Try to position your pipe horizontally so that the cap will lay on the top with ease.
Hold it for at least 10 minutes so that the cap gets set.
You would be needing an adjustable wrench in order to tighten the PVC cap clockwise.
Once tightening of the cap is done, it’s ready for finalizing.
Checking
You need to check the system to ensure that everything has fallen in place.
So, all you need to do is to turn the water supply on in order to check whether the pipe is ok or NOT.
In most of the cases, your pipe wouldn’t be leaking.
However, if it does then the best thing that you can do is to take some expert opinion.
Moreover, if you’re worried about the removal then take the help of a hacksaw and cut the the cap off.
The reason being simple, glued caps can’t be separated otherwise.
I hope now you’re clear with the prerequisite of the capping-off thing.
FAQs
Moving further, I would be responding to the queries related to cap off a PVC sink drain pipe effectively.
In case, we’re not able to cover your question then please feel free to reach out to us via the contact form of izzysmarthomeguide.com, and our team would be more than happy to assist you in the best possible manner that they could.
Does it make sense?
How to Cap a 1 1/2 Inch Sink Drain Line?
First and foremost, you’ll have to completely take off the Y trap adapter and replumb back to the outlet for your sink with the help of a male trap adapter on the wall pipe.
Moreover, you’l also have to configure your new trap and swing arm to accommodate it all.
You can also glue a cap onto a short nipple and then insert it into the fittings of the Y.
At the same time, we recommend NOT to use flexible parts and they catch crap and plug.
Let’s have a quick look at the steps that you need to follow in order to Cap a 1 1/2 Inch Sink Drain Line.
- Cut the pipe right behind the Y
- Put on a 2″ to 1-1/2″ glue up reducing coupling
- Put on a short piece of 1-1/2 PVC pipe that will get you out beyond the stop valve
- Put on a 1-1/2″ trap adapter. (different than a 1 1/2″ threaded adapter)
- Install a 1-1/2″ trap arm and trap
Quite a few of you wouldn’t be aware of the fact that traps comes in two sizes, that is, 1-1/2″ for kitchens sinks and 1-1 /4″ for bath sinks.
Just for your information, PVC can be cut with tools such as a PVC saw, a hack saw, hack saw blade, your multi-function vibrating saw, a wire saw or even a length of nylon string.
However, we recommend using a PVC wire saw because of its close proximity of stop valve.
How long does PVC glue take to cure?
Hold the pipes for at least a minute after applying the glue.
And, at least give them 24 hours to get dried fully.
What happens if you don’t use PVC primer and glue?
You can afford to ignore using PVC primer and glue as in the absence of it, putting the pipes together could be a troublesome task, indeed!
In simple words, it would be a cumbersome task to join two or more PVC pipes together without using primer and glue in between.
Wrapping Up | How To Cap Off A PVC Sink Drain Pipe
First and foremost, I would like to thank you for being with us till the end.
Secondly, I would like to bring to your notice that I along with my core team have put loads and loads of efforts in coming up with this idiosyncratic superlative piece of information.
And, in case, you liked our effort and wants to appreciate us then please do share this post with the like-minded people and the ones who are in need for it.
Afterall, sharing is caring, isn’t it?
Cutting long-story-short, we’ve tried to the best of our capabilities to answer the question, how to cap off a PVC sink drain pipe.
However, if you’ve still have a doubt or query then feel free to reach out to us via the contact form and we would be more than happy to assist you in the best possible manner that we could.
That’s all, as of now :):)
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