My new sewage project

[darkman5001]

Hello All. I am new here. I am in need of some professional opinions. I am a DIY home owner. I am also very mechanically inclined. I fix my own cars, to include Major engine repairs, transmissions, computers, and anything to do with my house. I am in the process of finishing my basement, and since my house is almost 90 years old, I felt it was nessessary to rip out the old cast iron sewage and upgrade it to PVC. My bath tub and bathroom sink had poor drainage and drained very slow to begin with. Also piping was run strait across the ceiling in my basement which was interfering with me putting drywall up on the ceiling and walls. I completely ripped out all copper and cast iron sewage and put in Sqedule 40 solid core PVC. So far, drainage for my sinl, bath tub, and toilet are GREAT with my new setup, and I have absolutely no leaks. I reconfigured my sink's sewage line so it could be concieled in the ceiling and wall. I am including a link to my pics, so I ask all professional experienced plumbers to take a look at my pics and see if everything looks okay, and if I need to fix anything else to be within code. Everything done in these pics was completely done by me and me alone. Please tell me how I did. Thank you in advance.

Scott

http://s32.photobucket.com/albums/d45/Darkman5001/

[hausdok]

Hi All,

I've checked the link and my anti-virus software didn't find any malware or viruses so if the brethren want to check it out, it should be alright. There's one of those annoying little "click here for a free laptop" pop-ups, but I ignored it and it went away on it's own.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[randynavarro]

Mm,

Inspecting for free via online photos--interesting concept. But I couldn't resist. I took a half minute to look.

There should be a cleanout on the main stack where it exits the basement wall. Yea, it'll be seen through the final drywall, but you can hang a picture over it.

[mthomas1]

One thing you may want to consider: when you are selling your house a few years from now, and one of us comes through to inspect if for the buyer,there are aspects of that plumbing that will indicate to us that it was a DIY project.

If the property is located in a area that requires permits for such work, the buyer will have a legal responsibility to correct unpermitted work later discovered by the AHJ (whoever is responsible for permitting and inspecting such work) even if it was performed by a previous owner .

So the inspector will almost certainly suggest that the buyer check with the building department to determine if your work was permitted and inspected.

If not, and this check arouses the interest of the building department, you may find yourself paying a heavy fine in addition to having to tear out ALL of the unpermitted work you have done in the house - my small cash strapped city collected 4.8 million dollars in inspection fees and fines last year, and unpermitted DIYers become a "revenue source".

My suggestion is that you have that work corrected as required by a licensed plumber, and inspected by the AHJ if required.

[Jim Katen]

Wrong:

The two-way cleanout tee on it's side.

The two sharp ells that are supposed to be used as vent fittings used instead as drainage fittings.

The installation screams DIY.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[darkman5001]

Originally posted by Jim Katen

Wrong:

The two-way cleanout tee on it's side.

The two sharp ells that are supposed to be used as vent fittings used instead as drainage fittings.

The installation screams DIY.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

I appreciate your feedback. What are ells? I guess I lack the knowledge of parts that are available to me. A friend of the family who does HVAC and plumbing is coming over today to take a look at my work and assist me. I am still interested in hearing more feedback. It is a learning experience to me. Also what do you mean about the cleanout on it's side? I pretty much copied the old setup of cast iron, except replaced with PVC. Actually the old cast iron had two tees and i decided to use one tee and one Y. My old sink and bathtub was so bad. It would drain very slow, and the copper pipe was small, and it was sloping towards the sink and tub rather than sloping downhill towards the sewer stack. Also I am finishing my whole basement, and did not want the pipes hanging accross the ceiling since my ceiling down there is already not that high (Like 8 feet tops.) I have absolutely no leaks now, and the drains work beautifully. Please continue to educate me. Thanks again.

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by darkman5001

I appreciate your feedback. What are ells? I guess I lack the knowledge of parts that are available to me. A friend of the family who does HVAC and plumbing is coming over today to take a look at my work and assist me. I am still interested in hearing more feedback. It is a learning experience to me. Also what do you mean about the cleanout on it's side? I pretty much copied the old setup of cast iron, except replaced with PVC. Actually the old cast iron had two tees and i decided to use one tee and one Y. My old sink and bathtub was so bad. It would drain very slow, and the copper pipe was small, and it was sloping towards the sink and tub rather than sloping downhill towards the sewer stack. Also I am finishing my whole basement, and did not want the pipes hanging accross the ceiling since my ceiling down there is already not that high (Like 8 feet tops.) I have absolutely no leaks now, and the drains work beautifully. Please continue to educate me. Thanks again.

Some principles to keep in mind:

* Every fixture's drain also needs a vent.

* All drain fittings should change direction smoothly with no sharp bends or sudden changes of direction. Smooth transitions ensure that the "product" doesn't separate from the liquid that's carrying it.

* In vertical drain pipes, the liquid clings to the sides of the pipes, it doesn't just fall down the middle.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

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[jon_ran]

Originally posted by Jim Katen

* Every fixture's drain also needs a vent.

I may be wrong, but I believe that the requirement is that the vent must be within 10' (piping length) of the fixture being drained. If the distance is over 10', additional vent(s) should be installed. Air admittance valves could be installed under fixtures more than 10' from the vent. If you have any gurgling in a fixture while it or another is or has completed draining or bubbling of a fixture while it or another is draining, venting is insufficient.

Originally posted by Darkman5001

What are ells?

Ells are nothing more than 90's, but they are long sweeping 90's with a more gentle bend. They take up are about 2 1/2 times the size of the 90's that you used and help the fixture drain faster while reducing clogs.

You will be much beater off correcting all of the issues with this setup now before you drywall. If you have not corrected it prior to selling your home, the buyer may require you to do it then if they have a competent inspector.

[hausdok]

Hi Scott,

Not exactly what you wanted to hear, was it? It would probably be a good idea, before you start cutting and gluing again, to go down to the library or the big box and pick up a book on plumping. Rex Cauldwell wrote one called Remodel Plumbing or something like that which is fairly easy to follow. Map out and plan every fitting change first so you don't get into trouble again.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by jon_ran

Originally posted by Jim Katen

* Every fixture's drain also needs a vent.

I may be wrong, but I believe that the requirement is that the vent must be within 10' (piping length) of the fixture being drained. If the distance is over 10', additional vent(s) should be installed. Air admittance valves could be installed under fixtures more than 10' from the vent. If you have any gurgling in a fixture while it or another is or has completed draining or bubbling of a fixture while it or another is draining, venting is insufficient.

The distance to the vent depends on two things, the diameter of the trap, and the code you're using. The UPC is more conservative than the IRC. The one's in the picture are too far away from the main stack in either case. They need their own vents. (See table 3105.1 in the IRC.)

You can use an AAV, but they have to be located above level of the trap weir and they can't be any further away from the trap than the vent can be.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[fqp25]

Long sweeps help with drainage, and if you ever have to stick a rod in the drain line it helps with that. Where the tub drain and sink line come together that really should be wye fitting or wye-45 combo.

For that goofy fitting above the P-trap you could have used a 1-1/2" tail piece extension with an 1-1/2" x 1-1/4" washer. That coupling looks bad, and is often considered a last resort fitting.

I'm kind of curious how you sealed the new PVC stack into the hub of the old cast iron? (Something seems crooked.) Did you use oakum & lead, or another method. I've seen on occasion, when a piece of oakum had slipped past a piece of straight pipe in the hub, causing an obstruction. They make a Soil Hub Adapter Fitting which will sit in the cast iron and has a flanged end which sits on the bottom of the hub. Then you can pack the oakum on top of the flange, and it will not get tucked under and cause an obstruction.

I've also seen when DIY, have not packed oakum tight enough, and when the molten lead gets poured it flows into the pipe and cools, causing an obstruction. Also, clean outs are essential every time a main stack changes direction.

Frank

[darkman5001]

Very good question. Actually it was just sitting in the cast iron until I figured out what to do with it. I decided to change the pipe coming through the wall with PVC as well.

Originally posted by fqp25

I'm kind of curious how you sealed the new PVC stack into the hub of the old cast iron? (Something seems crooked.) Did you use oakum & lead, or another method. I've seen on occasion, when a piece of oakum had slipped past a piece of straight pipe in the hub, causing an obstruction. They make a Soil Hub Adapter Fitting which will sit in the cast iron and has a flanged end which sits on the bottom of the hub. Then you can pack the oakum on top of the flange, and it will not get tucked under and cause an obstruction.

I've also seen when DIY, have not packed oakum tight enough, and when the molten lead gets poured it flows into the pipe and cools, causing an obstruction. Also, clean outs are essential every time a main stack changes direction.

Frank

[darkman5001]

Okay, I appreitiate all the feedback, and look forward to more feedback to help me learn. I have finally revised some of the sewer. I am including a link to my new revised photo bucket sewer album. I did away with all the iron and have new pvc coming through the wall. I revised the main stack to include a cleanout. I do have a couple other modifications to make. I plan on removing the cleanout T and replacing it with a 4" Y and then a 4" 45 degree bend to go up to the toilet. Otherwise this stack should be about done. There are no leaks at all. Please give me your feedback and input. Here is the link. Thanks!

http://s32.photobucket.com/albums/d45/D ... nts/Sewer/