Jogs in the Pipes (?)

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croy - 23 Jun 2009 16:21 GMT

In my early 1950s USA house, plumbed in galvanized steel
pipe, every point of use is plumbed with about a 12-inch jog
in the line. In other words, where the tee in a main run
could have been directly in line with the point of use,
requiring only a single elbow for the pipe going up thru the
floor into the wall, the tee from the main line instead is
offset about 12 inches, requiring an elbow for a lateral run
of 12 inches, another elbow for another lateral run in line
with the point of use, and *then* the elbow for the pipe
going up thru the floor into the wall.

I'm wondering why this more expensive method was used,
unless it was to add forgiveness for thermal expansion of
the pipes.

Thoughts?

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Thanks,
croy

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ironmike - 28 Jun 2009 05:19 GMT

Croy,

That does sound odd. If it's on hot and cold, I think you can
discard the thermal expansion theory. Here are two guesses. One
would be that he routinely did this, figuring it's easier to get the
tee on the main in the neighborhood, and then fit up to and through
the floor. Some plumbers back then carried nipple packs that went up
to 12".

The second guess takes me back to installing threaded black pipe
for gas. When roughing in, I'd take as many measurements back to the
shop so I could use the big threading machine. It's so easy to be off
using this method, that I'd just be happy to hit the right joist
space, saving the critical measurements for the job site. While I
might use a few more elbows, the time saved by pre-cutting at the shop
more than made up for it.

At any rate, threaded pipe isn't nearly as forgiving as copper, and
it took a little more skill to put it in.

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Homeowner Forum / Plumbing / June 2009

Jogs in the Pipes (?)