Macerator...to be or not to be!!!

Dan the plumber · Nov 23, 2011

Morning all,

A bit of advice if poss please....

I have been asked to install a Saniflo turboflush to a WC & basin that is pretty much in the middle of a shop...pretty normal & straight forward request you may think, but here is my dilemma;

The WC & basin have already been plumbed in with the waste stack running under a concrete floor. The shop owner says that the stack has then been tee'd off with a fall towards the street at the front of the shop in order to discharge into main sewer, BUT NOW he would like the waste to discharge into a drain to the rear of the property!

Howere, my next problem is running pipework for the new macerator. I would pretty much have to run the new pipework under a concrete floor before it terminates to the rear!

Any advice from you knowledgable folk would be appreciated!

Cheers,

Dan

dontknowitall · Nov 23, 2011

Can't really understand why a Saniflo is needed if existing arrangement works but there we go.

A Saniflo can pump upwards in 22mm pipe so you could throw it up, along somewhere then down again. But I'm assuming you knew that? A word of warning though. The 22mm pipe can freeze when outside which renders the contraption useless during freezing weather.

I feel I'm missing or not understanding something somewhere though with the current situation.

Saniflos are not quiet - presumably the shop keeper/owner knows this?

I hate these machines - last one I attended I gave to another company.

Paulus · Nov 23, 2011

I'm as confused as dontknowitall, if it's not bust why fix it.

I mwould only use a saniflo if absolutely no alternative.

Dan the plumber · Nov 23, 2011

Hey thanks for the speedy reply dontknowitall.

I am pretty much of the same opinion regarding changing pipework, but because the stack is falling now in the wrong direction he is worried that there will be a problem in the future with waste not flowing away correctly!

From what he has told me, the original direction of the stack has been capped off (creating a dead leg in affect and waste would always be sitting in this section!). He changed his mind regarding direction of waste due to cost inplications I believe of digging down to discharge into sewer at front of property!

Problem I have with saniflo pipework is there are 2 doorways on same wall so only other wall to run on would be opposite side which would mean running under concrete (toilet door exits into a passageway which would be where pipework would be run!)

As for the freezing saniflo pipework, I know all about this from my own house experiance as I have a sanivite under kitchen sink and every year, 32mm pipework freezes (as is run on external wall!) ... The sooner I get rid of the thing, the better!!!! (Grrrrrrr)

dontknowitall · Nov 23, 2011

Hmmm - sorry, but I'm rather stumped on this one. Can't really see the layout as you describe but even if I could I'm not sure there's an easy way around it.

The drains method might be investigating further though. If a Saniflo is £400+ and labour is a day (£150+) then customer is looking at an installation bill of £550+ and possibly nearer £650-£700 by the time materials have been added, another visit, etc.

Additionally, the Saniflo will require annual maintenance of cleaning stuff (£50) and time and after 10 years that's £500. Then after the 10 years another Saniflo will probably be required (price more then) so 11 years of Saniflo could be costing £2,000.

£2,000 will buy you a fair amount of labour to sort the drains out, in my opinion.

I'm sure if I liked Saniflos I'd be presenting a rather different case, though!

Dan the plumber · Nov 23, 2011

It's a bit awkward to describe to be honest and I probably have confused the issue a little! Need to draw a diagram in order to give a more clear picture really.

Apparently the whole reason he wants the waste now terminating to the rear is because when he was quoted to connect to the sewer at the front of the shop, he was quoted £10,000.......basically I think it's a case of reacting after the horse has bolted so to speak! (the 5 P's= Planning Prevents P*ss Poor Performance!)

I have been at the shop today digging my way through (what felt like) 10ft of concrete in order to cap off the dead leg branch of the soil pipe as I explained the cons pretty much out weigh the pros for the macerator, so he has decided to leave the stack as is and hope that the fall is not that great that it will cause a problem in the future!

I always seem to get the fun jobs......I don't think :-|

Cheers for your help guys