How to Remove PVC Fittings

PVC cement fuses the PVC fittings to pipes, and they aren't easy to separate, but sometimes you undertake a project that requires it. One such instance is when you have a PVC valve with a length of pipe sticking out that's too short to connect to another fitting. Heating the fitting releases the pipe.

PVC cement works by softening the plastic of the pipe and fitting you are joining, so that when you make the connection and the cement dries, they fuse into a nearly single piece of plastic. This connection is supposed to be permanent, but you can actually break it by heating the plastic. At a temperature between 250 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit, the plastic and glue both soften, allowing you to pop the pipe out of the fitting.

You don't need expensive tools -- a blow dryer supplies enough heat. Point the dryer into the joint and keep it there until the plastic turns soft. After removing the heat and grasping the end of the pipe with pliers, you should be able to rotate it. Once you do, the glue bond will break and the pipe and fitting should separate.