3 GENIUS Ways to Remove PVC Pipe from Fitting (Without a Heat Gun)

Chris shows you how to remove a PVC pipe from a PVC fitting using three different methods. We use the Saw and chisel, primer and fire, as well as a heated coupling. All three are viable options, but one is the best. Watch the video to find out which!

We are a distributor of pumps, packaged pumping systems, on-site wastewater treatment equipment, on-site wastewater treatment systems, and custom electrical control panels for water and wastewater applications, water well supplies, drilling supplies, and water treatment equipment.

[flashandthepan]

Worked like a charm! Method 3 saved me $$$!

[tbunton]

I just replaced a 2' cleanout wye fitting buried in the foundation using this method although I did use a heat gun instead. It worked way better than I expected. I had no idea that you could remove the fittings and reuse the pipe without cutting fittings off first. Heated them up after cutting majority of old wye fitting off first due to clearance (behind the bush directly under my gas meter...damn). Thank you very much Chris!...saved me a thousand bucks I'll bet.

[randynygren]

There are fittings called pipe extenders. You cut the old fittings out and the pipe extenders glues inside of pipe and extra length is the same size of pipe you are repairing. Use them on a reagurler basis. Have been in the Pool and Hot Tub repair business for over 33 years. Best invention ever. Hope this helps some of the people out there trying to do things right.

[troutbeware]

Absolutely works. Used a sparkplug socket in the fitting and heated it up. Slow and low and was able to twist the pipe out. Thank you thank you. There are so many crap posts saying it is not possible. Your advise is fantastic.

[johnclark]

Not sure if others mentioned, but using a sawsall for this is the equivalent of using a sledgehammer to drive a nail. I used a dremel tool instead, it worked great. You have a lot more control and I did not put a single mark on the remaining coupling. took 5 minutes.

[Mr_Navil_Campo]

Best video I’ve seen in how to remove glued pvc, THIS THING WORKS, I did the hot metal ( last test ) !! Thank you

[EricBarnes-ho]

Thank you for those great ideas and examples. It got myself and my wife on what we could use since we didn't have a pipe to salvage the existing 2" drain pipe that had absolutely no extra pipe to cut and have enough to reattach a fitting. A HEAT GUN WORKED GREAT!!! Heat guns aren't super expensive but this didn't create any emissions. It had a curled attachment that helped direct the heat. I set it to 750 and kept checking until I was able to start peeling the pvc out. Just had to share that experience!

[billl]

Thanks brother appreciate you taking the time to research and test the methods

[daverisinger]

Thank you Chris! I had a cracked 90 deg El that needed replacing. I used the hot coupling method to melt the old part and very easily remove it - it worked like a charm! Without this I would have to have replaced the entire assembly which would have taken several hours to tear everything out and start all over. you do a great job on all your videos! Thanks,

[DAYTIME]

I had a 1/2 inch threaded pvc pipe on a sprinkler head that broke off at the T fitting in the ground. I used the method of heating up a piece off steel and soften the threaded piece of PVC pipe. 5 minutes later, presto!, I had it removed. You saved me a lot of work. Thanks for great post!

[runbofdiver]

I've used the first method to remove a broken flange from under a toilet. Plumbers wanted a couple hundred to remove the broken flange which was glued to the inside of the sewage pipe. Using a handheld hacksaw,  I cut grooves 1 inch apart into the flange then chiseled them out. Took about 30 minutes to remove a 4 inch flange but saved me hundreds.

[joshlucas]

The third way worked amazing, mind blown, saved me from having to buy a whole new pressure tank, hundreds $ saved, thank you!

[richardlauth]

Great video. I use a heat gun and a flat head screw driver. Works like a million bucks plus much less smoke. 5 minute job👍🏻

[oscarbead]

Sincerely appreciate your well/related videos!
Surprised so many commenters here don't understand this is Not about "salvaging" a 99 cent fitting.
I do like "socket savers", work great if you grind/file the blades down some so they don't wallow out fittings: Heat gun works good if access too limited.
But Maybe you don't have those tools...
To all the "Bah Humbuggers": Here's the ANSWER: Whatever WORKS Is RIGHT!

[usamark]

I used method 3 with a $2.95 1.5" x 3" threaded nipple pipe from Home Depot. PVC uni joint broke at the intake where my pump hooks up to a Jandy 3 way black plastic pool valve with 3 skimmers and main brain plumbed in with white PVC pipe. Would have been quite a job plus the expensive Jandy cost. Thanks so much for the 3 illustrations. NO BRAINER People -method 3 works great and yields super clean removal. Jandy is like new for a now simple connection. Just do it exactly as Chris in this video does it. Don't cut it, don't smack in a screw driver, just push softened PVC in with screwdriver tip then roll out with long nose pliers.

[jasonbollman]

I used the third method worked like a champ! This saved me from having to tear out a section of the wall. Thank you!

[bigted]

No mean comment here or sage advice. I learned a bit from the video and enjoyed it immensely.

[aysasaga]

Thank you for the great advice! I fixed my pool water features ball valves!!!

[mtebaldi]

This is an old post that I ran across so I thought I would comment. I've used Ram bits with great success. Method 3 actually worked quite well in the demonstration.

[bryanpepper]

Big thanks you for your video! I'd seen a snippet on an IG reel of handyman hacks that showed a flammable liquid applied to a PVC welded joint, lit on fire, the piece of cut PVC softens and is twisted out. But I didn't believe it would work. This is what made me appreciate your video all the more, you took the time to try 4 methods, discussed the potential hazards of each and compared the results.
I found an 1-1/4 inch copper pipe segment (btw, big thanks for the tip NOT to use galvanized) that fit inside the 1-1/2" PVC piece I needed to remove. I attached it to a pair of long nose vise grips, heated it up for about 30 seconds with my trusty MAP torch, inserted into the PVC pipe section, slowly turned it so all sections would get heated and after about 45 seconds, I was able to work the cut piece out and the section was good enough to use again!
Your video made the kitchen sink drain reconfigure go very smoothly!