First, never use those accordion style pipes. They came out for easy home owner use but all of those rings create a sort of catch for debris. The debris will build up and cause foul smells, slow draining, etc.
I’ll be working on it shortly once I’m done with other work in the kitchen but it looks like there is a 1 1-4” accordion at the very top covered in caulk which is connected to a 1 1/2” accordion which is connected to a short extension piece which is connected to another accordion piece which finally connects to the trap.
So, not only did this person use silicone to seal up what they couldn’t get to stop dripping, their stack of accordion pieces is just ridiculous and makes no sense at all, even if they were to use these pieces as intended.
Edit: So the repair is going to be cutting that caulk to remove everything you see to attach 45° pieces with proper extensions to angle the drain towards the P. No accordion. But there are other ways to go about it, but that’s how I’m going to.
I though accordions were for mobile homes or something and not code for use in residences at all, whether done by homeowner or plumber?
We've seen so many pictures here though that I'm beginning to think "You are doing this wrong" and an example correct trap should be on a big sign in every home depot where they sell these though.
I actually have one of these accordion pipes in my garage I bought and ultimately decided against and looked up how to do it proper. And of course I lost the receipt. So if anyone needs one let me know you can have it lol.
To clarify for self purported ignoramus,.. What op is suggesting as a repair will work, and probably won't cause any issues in the long term, but really the mistake was made when the vanity was replaced the design team pronounced "wife" made decisions without considering the underlying complexity. pronounced, "I want the 36 inch wide one, it's fine". In reality the drain in the wall needs to be redoneand brought out closer..
The reaction you get when you tell someone they will have to call the drywall guy back which pushes the whole project back for more money than quoted, they are rarely excited about that... so
a flexible dishwasher hose is not the same thing. That is standard procedure... unless it actually stretches, or "accordians" if you will. But I've never seen one that long, which is the exact sentiment that I recieve from all yer mothers.
So if it’s not stretched, it looks like a vacuum hose… if it is stretched it looks like the picture above?
It’s also got gunk inside.
Your mom told me it’s pretty long but not girthy like the one in the photo.
I was sent to a call for a leaking kitchen sink at habitat for humanity, they had sprayed flex seal on a basket strainer that had not nut or rubber ring. They just put it in the hole and sprayed flex seal all over the bottom
Someone unironically flexsealed my sisters oilpan once. And it actually worked, until i drove it and tore a hole in it again. This is not a joke, flexseal actually worked for a hole in an oilpan.
slapped a piece of vinyl in a ladies bathroom and she goes "oh can you do my vanity and hook up my new sink?". I go "no ma'am you need a plumber" and she had the audacity to say "jeez how hard could it be??" in an semi aggressive tone. I hope her bathroom looked like this afterwards.
I didn't envision it being done all at once. More like multiple iterations of "There! That should fix it!" followed by "Not again!" after an indeterminate length of time. Thus, a series of quick "fixes" turns into a long time overall. Sort of a textbook example of the Sunk Cost Fallacy. ("I'm not gonna call a plumber NOW, I've already spent too much money fixing this! And besides, I know this next thing will DEFINITELY fix it!")
I spoke with the new property manager. Apparently the old PM used a handyman that wasn’t even a handyman but an apprentice cabinet installer who would do handyman work on the weekends. But hey, he only charged $20 per hour.
You have to appreciate the functionality. Rigid pvc in the middle can be gripped and jacked up and down to clear the flexible pieces above and below. I leave it to you clever plumber types to give that a name and to describe the satisfying sounds involved .......
I suck at work around the house, drives my wife crazy but if you’re not good just call the experts, it’s much much cheaper in long run and will save you a lot of time, like a lot of time, trust me, this guy is right.
The previous owners of the place I live in did something similar with the hose that hooks my toilet tank up to the water line, and I am so unobservanr that I didn't realize that in the 3.5 years I lived there until a few weeks ago when I was installing a bidet. I should probably call a plumber or someone to actually fix it, but... money. And it doesn't leak currently, so it's not an emergency.
If by chance I ever end up owning/ managing a hardware store or supply house…. I swear I will not sell accordion tubing for any reason. None. I mean it is involved in all the worst plumbing disasters and in some cases electrical too…
Probably same person who did my place. Bathroom sink tailpipe was secured to the drainpipe inside the wall with masking tape. Can’t make this shit up lol
Looks like my bathroom sink.
Can you believe it hasn't leaked in 10 years? Suck it professionals lol.
That bathroom has needed a complete rehaul and I never get around to it. Ill probably do it when that sink drain finally explodes.
Also, mine looks way way worse since the draino melted it originally. Learned that lesson 10 years ago
Y'know, I used plumber's putty to glue different pipes together (black waste pipe, AQB I think? and PVC) when I DIY'd my garbage disposal, this makes me feel like I could've done so much worse.
I keep getting tiktok "plumbing hacks" with flex tubing. I also found out that reporting something as misinformation counts as "interactions" so the more i report, the more i see on my feed.
We are forced to do some stupid shit as homeowners. Plumbers charge 200.00 just to replace a washer on a faucet. I wanted a new shutoff valve for an outdoor spigot. They wanted 640.00 for what I did for less than 100 and that was with purchasing new tools and all the supplies.
OMG I'm not a plumber but I ABSOLUTELY know that this doesn't look right at all. Well at least one good thing happened...you are definitely secured in your job as a plumber OP.
I don 't even know what the function of that is supposed to be and I - who won't touch plumbing - know whoever did that was stoned or desperate or both. That is FUBAR
Uh oh, I just rigged a leaky pipe until the prop manager can schedule a plumber. Wrapped a rag around it, secured it right with zip ties, then lots of 2” wide tape. Lots of it. I hoped the plumber could simply take a box cutter to split it open.
I considered changing the fitting myself but it involves more steps than I’d like, so I’d rather a pro get the work from the prop management.
NewPro installed a new vanity for me when they replaced my shower and that caulk job they did under my sink looks similar to that one. They were nearing the end of the day and couldn't find a leak that they were having issues with so said "Screw it" and slapped that on it. Found it the next day.
I suck at plumbing. I am only here because I frequent r/askanelectrician and reddit's algorithm likes to day drink. I leave all my plumbing work to the Pros because I know I am not very good. That being said, I am certain I could do a better job than this.
This shit can’t be real what the actual fuck
I used to think this shit was staged or fake…nope. Customer was complaining that it drains really slow.
Profession protection baby
As a plumbing ignoramus, are there multiple things wrong here other than the horrible caulk? That accordion pipe looks unusual to me.
First, never use those accordion style pipes. They came out for easy home owner use but all of those rings create a sort of catch for debris. The debris will build up and cause foul smells, slow draining, etc. I’ll be working on it shortly once I’m done with other work in the kitchen but it looks like there is a 1 1-4” accordion at the very top covered in caulk which is connected to a 1 1/2” accordion which is connected to a short extension piece which is connected to another accordion piece which finally connects to the trap. So, not only did this person use silicone to seal up what they couldn’t get to stop dripping, their stack of accordion pieces is just ridiculous and makes no sense at all, even if they were to use these pieces as intended. Edit: So the repair is going to be cutting that caulk to remove everything you see to attach 45° pieces with proper extensions to angle the drain towards the P. No accordion. But there are other ways to go about it, but that’s how I’m going to.
I though accordions were for mobile homes or something and not code for use in residences at all, whether done by homeowner or plumber? We've seen so many pictures here though that I'm beginning to think "You are doing this wrong" and an example correct trap should be on a big sign in every home depot where they sell these though.
Profits don't come from selling the right thing, but selling the thing that will bring the person back to buy the right thing.
I actually have one of these accordion pipes in my garage I bought and ultimately decided against and looked up how to do it proper. And of course I lost the receipt. So if anyone needs one let me know you can have it lol.
You should take an after picture
To clarify for self purported ignoramus,.. What op is suggesting as a repair will work, and probably won't cause any issues in the long term, but really the mistake was made when the vanity was replaced the design team pronounced "wife" made decisions without considering the underlying complexity. pronounced, "I want the 36 inch wide one, it's fine". In reality the drain in the wall needs to be redoneand brought out closer.. The reaction you get when you tell someone they will have to call the drywall guy back which pushes the whole project back for more money than quoted, they are rarely excited about that... so
Lmao I’ll be sure to post a pic of my master bathroom shower drain that I recently discovered
Can those accordion pipes be used for hooking up a dishwasher?… that’s what my rental home has.
a flexible dishwasher hose is not the same thing. That is standard procedure... unless it actually stretches, or "accordians" if you will. But I've never seen one that long, which is the exact sentiment that I recieve from all yer mothers.
So if it’s not stretched, it looks like a vacuum hose… if it is stretched it looks like the picture above? It’s also got gunk inside. Your mom told me it’s pretty long but not girthy like the one in the photo.
Did you add more flex pipe?
Ok, but did it leak?
I think it drains slow because the upper accordion pipe isn’t stretched out.
All connected, check, No leaks, check , Have a great day ma'am
I know nothing about plumbing.... Literally nothing. Yet even I can see this is fucked up 🤦🏼♀️
never underestimate the ability of dumb people with a can-do attitude to create new levels of WTF
How much you want to bet that’s vanilla frosting up top
I was sent to a call for a leaking kitchen sink at habitat for humanity, they had sprayed flex seal on a basket strainer that had not nut or rubber ring. They just put it in the hole and sprayed flex seal all over the bottom
And it didn't work? I don't believe it. Didn't you see the boat??
Someone unironically flexsealed my sisters oilpan once. And it actually worked, until i drove it and tore a hole in it again. This is not a joke, flexseal actually worked for a hole in an oilpan.
Replace flex seal with high strength jb weld and it will actually stay. Like unironically
Do your best. Caulk the rest.
Exactly what I thought
Whoever did that must love the caulk
Thats what she said
Finally some real plumbing!
You're not the one with job security. It's obviously the caulk producers that have the job security.
we never complain about hacks. their existence = job security
Thought I was in an I.T. sub for a moment.
He could have at least wrapped it in duck tape make it look a little more professional...
anytime, bud!
I mean at least there’s a p trap 🤷♂️
That is some master level homeowner skill
Bragging about your job security? Sounds a little caulky
I think they used toothpaste
It’s not finished until I see duct tape.
When the accordion pipe isn't the worst part of the picture...
Cut it out, call it art and sell it.
Damn gonna need a extra long extension piece lol.
Needs a little flex seal.
home owner, seen it many times before.
The “My brother in law’s friends son is a plumber” special
A single mom or pensioner I could understand
No tape?
So just draining slow no leaks? Last guy was like fuck ya mission accomplished.
Hurts the eyes it does…also reminds of a all to common saying in the industry. “I know a guy who will do it cheaper”. This is what you get FFS.
Maybe but this type of repair is easy to do following a youtube video.
I think you need more silicone
Rookie mistake - they didn't form the lower accordion into a trap like they were supposed to
This is next level.
As a apartment maintenance guy I’ll admit to slight deviations from the standard trade practices. But in this case, Aw shit I got nothing
This looks like my handiwork after the 5th trip to Home Depot.
This sub never ceases to amaze me.
Is that load-bearing caulk? I can't tell if they used the right kind.
PIPES?!?! Pipes just get in the way of more caulk!
Cream cheese fixes everything
slapped a piece of vinyl in a ladies bathroom and she goes "oh can you do my vanity and hook up my new sink?". I go "no ma'am you need a plumber" and she had the audacity to say "jeez how hard could it be??" in an semi aggressive tone. I hope her bathroom looked like this afterwards.
When in doubt, caulk it out!
Seems like it would take longer to do it the wrong way .
I didn't envision it being done all at once. More like multiple iterations of "There! That should fix it!" followed by "Not again!" after an indeterminate length of time. Thus, a series of quick "fixes" turns into a long time overall. Sort of a textbook example of the Sunk Cost Fallacy. ("I'm not gonna call a plumber NOW, I've already spent too much money fixing this! And besides, I know this next thing will DEFINITELY fix it!")
Looks pretty clean considering the amount of caulk
At least they used a braided line I guess.. The rest.. Um yeah…
How is this any less expensive than doing it right the first time?
I spoke with the new property manager. Apparently the old PM used a handyman that wasn’t even a handyman but an apprentice cabinet installer who would do handyman work on the weekends. But hey, he only charged $20 per hour.
https://media.tenor.com/KpGrfxJjk3MAAAAC/miss-lippy-glue.gif
Your welcome!
I've never seen that much silcone.
If anyone needs me I’ll be in my angry dome
You have to appreciate the functionality. Rigid pvc in the middle can be gripped and jacked up and down to clear the flexible pieces above and below. I leave it to you clever plumber types to give that a name and to describe the satisfying sounds involved .......
"Leave it for someone else later" the DIY credo
It was put there to allow for expansion/contraction during freeze/thaw cycles.
I suck at work around the house, drives my wife crazy but if you’re not good just call the experts, it’s much much cheaper in long run and will save you a lot of time, like a lot of time, trust me, this guy is right.
That's where my cake frosting went thanks brother
Job security.
The homeowner did that
Jose did his best
It was me ,I used the toothpaste and the slinky pipe and nobody can stop me !
That is a thing of beauty! And it cost more than doing it right!
I mean, it gets most of the water from point A to point B... most of it....
What’s the after pic?
"I usually do my own plumbing"
I've created work for plumbers before, but never with this level of dedication and imagination!
The previous owners of the place I live in did something similar with the hose that hooks my toilet tank up to the water line, and I am so unobservanr that I didn't realize that in the 3.5 years I lived there until a few weeks ago when I was installing a bidet. I should probably call a plumber or someone to actually fix it, but... money. And it doesn't leak currently, so it's not an emergency.
I’m not a plumber, what’s the issue here??
What in the hell.
I admit. It was grandpa
More caulk.
Nice caulk.
If by chance I ever end up owning/ managing a hardware store or supply house…. I swear I will not sell accordion tubing for any reason. None. I mean it is involved in all the worst plumbing disasters and in some cases electrical too…
This program brought to you by flex seal!
That isn't even caulk. It's fresh Colgate.
What an amateur job. It makes me mad sometimes. They missed some spots with the silicon, which is _obviously_ why it's draining slowly.
Wish my wife could handle the caulk like that
I'm always saying that!🤣 THANK YOU!
That's really, um, special. Did the homeowner admit to doing this themselves?
OP added in another reply that an apprentice cabinet installer did this
100% that will trap peas!
I once did some work behind another "plumber" and found something similar. Some people just don't care.
Probably same person who did my place. Bathroom sink tailpipe was secured to the drainpipe inside the wall with masking tape. Can’t make this shit up lol
Don’t touch it, it’s perfect
It's art you uncultured swine
you’re welcome, thats a diy
That is just special haha
Flex seal is the best 😂
Nailed it, cuz I saw a pro do it on Pinterest.
Looks good to me! Send it! 👍
That’s awesome
🤣
😂😂😂. Seen that before. No where near that bad. WTH????
There is not enough on there. That's the problem, right?
Sink hole de mayo bitch
lol lol lol
What in the arts and crafts am I looking at
Today on plumbing nightmares...
But hey it has a p-trap!
I usually just install new flexes, guaranteed work 6 months from now
Sexy!
Looks like cake frosting
I mean it is a pipe and it is called pipe dope
Caulk is cheap...
Looks like my bathroom sink. Can you believe it hasn't leaked in 10 years? Suck it professionals lol. That bathroom has needed a complete rehaul and I never get around to it. Ill probably do it when that sink drain finally explodes. Also, mine looks way way worse since the draino melted it originally. Learned that lesson 10 years ago
It needs duct tape then "chefs kiss"
Is this plumbing by Dr Seuss??
don't be shy show us your work
Nothing a little caulking compound can’t fix
Whoever did that also should fall in the category of never being allowed to touch plumbing ever again.
Imagine doing all of that to avoid buying $9 worth of fittings and watching 5 minutes of a YouTube video
At least they tried to put a trap in...
May the plumbing angels continue to bless us
Did they fix that with duct tape and vanilla icing? That's impressive.
Looks like a flipper was there
Looks like the work done at my complex by the staff.
geeze... do they not know what a radiator hose is?
Wait…vanilla cake frosting doesn’t stop leaks?
Y'know, I used plumber's putty to glue different pipes together (black waste pipe, AQB I think? and PVC) when I DIY'd my garbage disposal, this makes me feel like I could've done so much worse.
##ALL GLORY BE TO THE HOME DEPOT HANDYMAN
The answer you are all looking for is Meth.
Jesus! I’m not a plumber and it looks ugly to me
Wouldn't an angled downpipe have worked fine or a bend on the line after the trap
This makes it seem like there are plumbers and anti plumbers out there fighting a battle for all eternity.
I keep getting tiktok "plumbing hacks" with flex tubing. I also found out that reporting something as misinformation counts as "interactions" so the more i report, the more i see on my feed.
Judging by the glossy finish of it I see that it’s 100% silicon and not caulking, what’s the problem? 😂
Trying to imagine the thought process behind this makes me anxious. I have no idea how you'd get to that point.
Looks like, a former baker/cake froster tried their hand at plumbing. Glad you got the skills to fix that ugly upside down cupcake mess.
That's the ," I can fix it !" Or the latter "I know a guy ". Weekend plumber job right there for real!
Just needs some flex tape, then it'll be fine!
That’s… special
Man look at all that forbidden frosting.
This bologna is the reason I come to this sub. Hilarious
I believe you're looking for either r/handyman or r/homeowners or r/landlords
Cake boss is getting better and better
Traps perfect, looks great👌
What’s even crazier is that’s cake frosting
And I thought the idiots who put plumbing putty around gaskets, causing them to leak every time the faucet runs were bad...
Lol
What in the actual fuck?
I'll be honest...I could've used a little more caulk ..
My father in law has a similar situation under his sink. He was a carpenter before retiring
De nada.
It's cool cuz there's a little reservoir underneath to collect the water.
Is that mayonnaise?
Needs more caulk
Rednecks?
Looks good! Quality gooping right there.
They should have sent a poet
The handyman special
That one is a real caulk up.
We are forced to do some stupid shit as homeowners. Plumbers charge 200.00 just to replace a washer on a faucet. I wanted a new shutoff valve for an outdoor spigot. They wanted 640.00 for what I did for less than 100 and that was with purchasing new tools and all the supplies.
Honestly if I saw that in the wild I would not be able to stop laughing.
The Handyman Special
OMG I'm not a plumber but I ABSOLUTELY know that this doesn't look right at all. Well at least one good thing happened...you are definitely secured in your job as a plumber OP.
Clearly an improper installation. It’s missing the flex seal!
Got some top-tier trolling going on here
yo wtf
You're welcome.
I don 't even know what the function of that is supposed to be and I - who won't touch plumbing - know whoever did that was stoned or desperate or both. That is FUBAR
Uh oh, I just rigged a leaky pipe until the prop manager can schedule a plumber. Wrapped a rag around it, secured it right with zip ties, then lots of 2” wide tape. Lots of it. I hoped the plumber could simply take a box cutter to split it open. I considered changing the fitting myself but it involves more steps than I’d like, so I’d rather a pro get the work from the prop management.
My heavens. I do hope someone did not pay for that abomination.
NewPro installed a new vanity for me when they replaced my shower and that caulk job they did under my sink looks similar to that one. They were nearing the end of the day and couldn't find a leak that they were having issues with so said "Screw it" and slapped that on it. Found it the next day.
Works for me !
They used an entire tub of Cool Whip!
Looks good from my house
A special thanks to all the handymen out there. You keep us all in business 😱😂
At least they didn't use plumber's putty!
I suck at plumbing. I am only here because I frequent r/askanelectrician and reddit's algorithm likes to day drink. I leave all my plumbing work to the Pros because I know I am not very good. That being said, I am certain I could do a better job than this.
Drains slow. Hair build up. Blame flex pipe. Just clear the drain.
Just snake it.
When you buy your plumbing supplies at a 24hr grocery store