Replacement drain

[Merlin]

Hello Experts. I am looking for some advice on replacing the section at the bottom of the soil pipe.

Our soil pipe (Plastic, not original) feeds into a ceramic curved pipe that curves about 90 degrees to then feed into the drain.

The ceramic curve is cracked at the top, as I have found when digging down to it to check is was ok. How easy is it to replace this section of pipe? I have never done any drainage works before. Are there any regulations, or is it just a simple - old out, new in swap?

Many thanks Merlin

 

[Penners]

It rather depends on how old your 'ceramic' pipe-run is. If it's the standard 4-inch salt-glazed system that was used for many decades before plastic arrived, then it shouldn't be difficult to replace.

Can you post a photo of the curved section?

Assuming it is what I've described above, then you'll be able to buy an adaptor/joiner to join a new plastic section to the old salt-glazed. You need to identify the type of pipe-end that you'll be joining to - is it socketed or non-socketed (ie: does the pipe have a female boss on the end or does it just stop?)

As I said, a photo showing what you're replacing and what you want to join to would help enormously

 

[Lime]

Lots of information in this pdf.
http://www.wickes.co.uk/content/ebiz/wickes/resources/images/gil/74.pdf

 

[Flyfisher]

I've replaced quite a lot of drainage pipes with plastic, mainly because the old glazed pipes were either leaking or blocked, usually due to plant/tree roots.

It must be a common practice because all the necessary and various adaptors from old to new seem readily available.

It's not technically difficult but it does require a lot of digging! I found that the temptation to dig as small a hole as possible resulted in frustration at leaving too little room to work.

I would definitely recommend having a go. Even if you decide the actual pipework is too much for you and have to get someone in, you'll still have saved money by doing all the spadework yourself.

 

[middi]

Not difficult at all.

Make a sketch of what you want to replace including internal and external dimensions of your existing pipes, take a trip to your nearest plumbing supplier and they will sell you all necessary adapters ( and new plastic bend with adapter if needed)

Middi

 

[chuckey]

Modern people use a "slow " bend - radius of curvature 24"? The Victorians used a very sharp bend which gets broken as the weight of the cast iron soil pipe rests on it as the wooden plugs in its fixing brackets rot away. If you still have a cast iron stack pipe, beware, they are very, very heavy. If you have a plastic stack pipe, just made good the cleaned outside of the bend with waterproof mortar- goes off in a couple of hours.
Frank

 

[Penners]

does the pipe have a female boss

Now come on, you lot! I'm not going to feed you the lines if you don't pick up on them! :wink:

 

[Flyfisher]

I assumed it was a rhetorical question.

 

[middi]

does the pipe have a female boss

Now come on, you lot! I'm not going to feed you the lines if you don't pick up on them! :wink:

Well Mr P, Having analised the content of the previous posts all one would need to solve the problem would be a " 4 inch" , " having a go", at " curved", " female boss", " with", " plastic", " small hole", "experience", "frustration", " and ", " no room".

It sounds like the poor man is attempting to sexually assault one of those blow up dolls as opposed to repair the drain. :wink:

 

[Penners]

I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, Middi.

 

[Merlin]

Update on this.

Started some further digging out to take some photos yesterday morning. Ended up with the top of the 87.5 degree bend collar collapsing into 6 pieces and a nice 6 inch gap between the soil stack base and the bend to the drains. Hence didn't take photos, but:

Quick trip to Wickes, and a purchase of:
Soil stack collar
Plastic Bend
Short piece of 110mm pipe to run between Bend and Converter Collar.
Converter Collar - plastic pipe to clay pipe

All went well, once I had called a mate in with a Stihl saw to cut off the old clay pipe collar. Push fitted all the parts together (quite straightforward with a bit of brute force) and packed round the pipes with hardcore and sand. Without the mate with the Stihl Saw, I would have really struggled.

The man in Wickes was very helpful. 10 out of 10 for his help.

Anyway, this problem is now solved. Thanks for the advice and help from the forum.

Merlin

 

[Flyfisher]

Thanks for the update. It's always nice to read how things worked out, especially when it's good news.

Without the mate with the Stihl Saw, I would have really struggled.

I presume you mean one of those rather fearsome petrol-engined tools? I've found that a more manageable alternative is an electric angle-grinder fitted with a diamond cutting disc. Very handy for all sorts of brick/paving/tile/misc ceramic cutting jobs, though not as heavy-duty as a Stihl.

Well, when I say 'more manageable', it's clearly not as useful as having a mate with a Stihl saw. :wink:

 

[Merlin]

Without the mate with the Stihl Saw, I would have really struggled.

I presume you mean one of those rather fearsome petrol-engined tools? I've found that a more manageable alternative is an electric angle-grinder fitted with a diamond cutting disc. Very handy for all sorts of brick/paving/tile/misc ceramic cutting jobs, though not as heavy-duty as a Stihl.

Well, when I say 'more manageable', it's clearly not as useful as having a mate with a Stihl saw. :wink:

Yes, one of those fearsome petrol tools. 3 or 4 horsepower diamond toothed cutting beast. Would remove a leg in seconds, and made short work of clay drains. I would not want to use one, hence calling in the mate who has one, and uses it regularly. Experience matters with that sort of tool, I think.

As a tip, I bedded fine builders sand around the replaced section and have not filled the hole in yet. I will remove the sand tonight and if there are any signs of wet sand it will indicate a leak, and that can then be dealt with. No sign of wet sand and all is well, and I will fill the hole back in properly. (Obviously dependant on the weather, but it works for me!)

 

[d49xc]

Yes, The standard 12" blade diameter petrol cut off saw needs to be treated with some care: with much the same safety gear and safety approach to the job as when using a chainsaw - but obviously full eye protection rather than just a chainsaw type face screen.
...but you should try the larger 14" diameter cut off saw version. The gryoscopic precession forces on these once they are running at full rpm are quite significant - due to the larger diameter and much heavier blade.
I've used one once and found that for safety once you had finished the cut and withdrawn the saw hold it stationary while in ran down in speed...do not try and turn it to put it down to the side while it was runnning at full speed otherwise the tool would try and precess - ie rotate in your hands.

The advantage of the petrol saws is that they are fitted with a water spray device/nozzle which you connect to a tap/pressuried resevoir with a hozepipe so you can spray the cut - this reduces the dust level to almost zero whereas obviously the electric ones have to be used 'dry'

 

[Penners]

I bedded fine builders sand around the replaced section and have not filled the hole in yet. I will remove the sand tonight and if there are any signs of wet sand it will indicate a leak, and that can then be dealt with. No sign of wet sand and all is well, and I will fill the hole back in properly.

Very good idea, Merlin!