Plumbing problem

[Jeremiah Jordan]

Last night I planned on replacing the spout on the tub at my residence (easy job right lol) and after taking the old spout off I realized that the galvanized 1/2" nipple sticking out of the wall was badly corroded and figured I would replace that as well. I went and got an inside pipe wrench to extract the nipple and as i started turning it it wouldn't grab and just started grinding the inside of the pipe out. I am assuming the pipe is badly corroded which is why I can't get the wrench to bite. Is there any other way I could extract the nipple without cutting a hole in the drywall behind that wall and doing it from inside the wall?

[Jon Holdman]

If the nipple is corroded, the elbow it screws into is corroded. And the nipple that screws into is probably corroded. Maybe the faucet, too.

You have two choices. Cut the drywall and see what's really going on and how much you really have to replace. Or screw that old spout back on. Even it its just the nipple that's corroded, you need to get a wrench on the elbow to hold it steady while you remove the spout nipple.

I used to think I really hated plumbing. Until I had a chance to use per and copper. Then I realized it was just galvanized pipe I hated. And continue to hate.