Took me 5 hours to fix a rusty floor flange that should have been a 20 minute swap

I kept hearing everyone say floor flanges are easy to replace, just unscrew and screw in a new one. Well I had one in a 1950s house that was completely fused with rust and old pipe dope. After stripping the first fitting I had to cut it out with a sawzall and chase the threads. Then the new flange holes didn't line up with the old bolt pattern so I had to drill new ones in the subfloor. Anyone else find old plumbing fittings way harder than the tutorials make them look?

3 comments

3 Comments

gibson.sarah1mo ago

Five hours on a floor flange? Man, that's brutal. I bet you were ready to throw the whole pipe across the room.

paul2861mo ago

20 minute swap" is a lie told by people who never worked on a 50s house.

the_robert1mo ago

Solidarity with @paul286 on this one. That "quick swap" talk is from people who've never seen 70 year old plumbing and wiring under a sink.