# PVC DWV Leak Repair **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 4, 2016, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pvc-dwv-leak-repair/770587 "2016-11-04T04:59:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ishamael69](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@ishamael69](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ishamael69)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pvc-dwv-leak-repair/770587/1 "2016-11-04T04:59:14Z")
Hello everyone (especially FluffyBob :-)! The plumber finished the DWV system today, plugged it with a ball valve, filled with water, called for inspection tomorrow, and left. (I was not home, but I assume this was the rough sequence of events.) Shortly thereafter I come home for lunch, and get hit with a drop of water. Turns out there is a slow drip leak at the bottom of a joint. The joint the bottom joint where the washer drain, mechanicals drain, and the vent meet up, definitely wet. I call the plumber, tell him, and head back to work. When I come home, I find the leaky joint now has a blue (not primer purple, bright blue) sealant around the joint, and is now holding water. My question: What did the plumber do? (It was too late to call.) I thought you had to replace improperly joined PVC. Should I point it out to the inspector and ask him about it? (It seems obvious to me, but I know where to look.) Should I be concerned at all? ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pvc-dwv-leak-repair/770587/2 "2016-11-04T07:14:15Z")
I’d insist that the joint be replaced. If it were in a vent it might be OK, but from your description it is in a drain. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pvc-dwv-leak-repair/770587/3 "2016-11-04T15:28:59Z")
Agree with the above assuming the plumber installed that joint. He didn’t do it right and should do it over at no charge. I think you’ll be fine with a patch like that in a drain, but it’s not the quality of work you paid for (unless you were using Bob’s Discount Plumborama). ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pvc-dwv-leak-repair/770587/4 "2016-11-04T17:00:00Z")
What product is the blue patch? ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pvc-dwv-leak-repair/770587/5 "2016-11-04T17:20:41Z")
I agree 100% the plumber needs to correct this … or charge you considerably less for the work. The patch job _could_ be fine, but it’s still substandard … it might not be fine … and if you don’t notice, in ten years you’ll have an expensive dryrot or black mold remediation job. I’ve never seen any “blue stuff”, I’ve always just used big globs of glue. Either way _make absolutely sure_ you’ve sanded the plastic thoroughly, 120 grit, for the glue to stick the plastic has to be completely clean. ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pvc-dwv-leak-repair/770587/6 "2016-11-04T18:39:05Z")
The blue could be [Oatey Rain-R-Shine](http://www.oatey.com/products/plastic-pipe-cements-and-primers/oatey-specialty-cements/pvc-rain-r-shine-blue-cement), which is a perfectly acceptable PVC cement for DWV applications. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pvc-dwv-leak-repair/770587/7 "2016-11-04T19:04:23Z")
> [@slash2k](#): > > The blue could be [Oatey Rain-R-Shine](http://www.oatey.com/products/plastic-pipe-cements-and-primers/oatey-specialty-cements/pvc-rain-r-shine-blue-cement), which is a perfectly acceptable PVC cement for DWV applications. Thanks, slash2k. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pvc-dwv-leak-repair/770587/8 "2016-11-04T19:23:23Z")
> [@slash2k](#): > > The blue could be [Oatey Rain-R-Shine](http://www.oatey.com/products/plastic-pipe-cements-and-primers/oatey-specialty-cements/pvc-rain-r-shine-blue-cement), which is a perfectly acceptable PVC cement for DWV applications. Sure, it could be the right stuff to repair a leak. But properly install PVC shouldn’t be leaking in the first place. **ishamael69** , is there purple stuff around the joint under the blue stuff? He should have primed every joint. Sometimes they get lazy and don’t do that on drain pipes. They may not be required too, but the DWV thing you have may tend to accumulate water in the drain and then you’d get that leak if the joint is sloppily glued.