Name this item

[Jim Baird]

A square steel shaft, approx half inch, descends from bath or kitchen group into steel pipe in crawlspace soil. Under fixture group that was active the receiving pipe brimmed with water, under the one cut off it was dry. House built in '20's, cast iron drain and galv supply.

Never seen this and don't know what to call it.

Click to Enlarge

39.73 KB

Click to Enlarge

37.1 KB

[Les]

Jim,

I would stick with something gender neutral. Maybe Pat or Leslie.

I have never seen anything like the item in photos.

[Jim Baird]

Hey Les,

I don't feel compelled to call it anything. Prospective buyer has a gut and rebuild mindset anyway.

In both locations it had the look of a cutoff stem, but as we have said elsewhere, we don't turn no cutoffs around here. At neither place was there anything noticeable above the floor, though this house, like some, was overendowed with piles and stacks of the former occupant's (deceased) stuff, which stuff limits access considerably.

[inspector57]

It was common in that era around these parts to have underground "stop and waste" valves with the square steel handle extending to or above the floor inside the house. Of course stop and waste valves are no longer allowed and pipes must be protected from freezing (insulated.)

[gtblum]

Jim,

I would stick with something gender neutral. Maybe Pat or Leslie.

Now that's funny!

[Erby]

Saw one last week. Accessible inside the house in the closet floor. Guess they didn't like to enter crawl spaces to shut water off.

You ever notice on more modern house that if the shut off is in the right front corner of the crawl, the entrance is like at the left rear ( or vice versa).

[Jim Baird]

"...You ever notice on more modern house that if the shut off is in the right front corner of the crawl, the entrance is like at the left rear ( or vice versa)...."

Most def, Erby. That's why the meter box is the first choice.