Main Drain Connection Failure/Mess (cast iron and clay)

[Bryan in Wyo]

Hello all,

I have a mess and quite the project on my hands here. I am a handy guy but this is outside my comfort zone. I think my comfort zone is gonna expand after this project because i have no option to hire this out...

I am hoping to get some advice and guidance during this research so that I do not make matters worse.
any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

So.... It all started because of this






That was the toilet flange. It has been broke for a long time and leaking. So I decided to re-do some flooring and replace the flange. When reinforcing the floor joists, I found this:

• 

That is the elbow coming up and out of the main drain. It is cracked out on one side and clay. The whole main is still clay. There is a stack of cast iron Tee's that feed into this.

• 

There are a couple different drains that feed into this. Off to the left is the toilet drain that started this wonderful discovery.
To the right of the last photo is the main drain connection further down the line, shown here:

• 

As far as I know at the moment this line down to the main drain is ok... It seems that over time the elbow that holds up the IRON has shifted and broke under the weight. I am a little confused as to what is even holding it all up...I am assuming the cast iron t's weigh a lot. Apparently these clay pipes could hold a lot of weight,,,, for 75 years. Anyway, The top "T" reduces down to a vent. This vent is also cast iron and i believe it goes up and out the roof... I am guessing there is a lot of weight on this shifted and cracked out elbow. I have no idea how much. The weight is my biggest concern... as i do not know if modern sewage drain techniques support this type of weight. In all honesty, I do not know much about modern drain designs.... Like I said, I would love to hire this out I just cannot afford it at the moment. Furthermore, there are about 8 other connections like this one under this old place. Better now than ever to learn. Another thing I am trying to keep in mine is the inevitable replacing of the main. Whatever I do now will have to tie in well with future main drain fixes/replacement. A plus is that all of the main connection and piping is relatively shallow and showing in some cases.

Well there is my problem, here is what i have come up with for a solution, thus far:

option 1: Determine if modern "DWV" plumbing techniques can support the cast iron monster. If so, Tie up the iron "T's" to a floor joist. Replace the elbow connection on the main drain side of things. Complete the connections??? (whatever this entails), and loosen the tied up "t's."

This seems like the easiest way to do it.....But i am seeing a lot of pvc stuff being used so i am doubtfull that it will suppurt all the iron weight. But i am not sure on this either.

Option 2:

abandon the cast iron....this will be the hard part because i will have to work top down as i understand these are built from the bottom up....so i would have to pull the 12+ft of vent from the top of the roof, lol, and dissasemble from the top "T" down. and replace from the next best section of main back up.

Option 2 seems like the most thorough and complete repair from a longevity stand point. Seems like the most amount of work also....What are your thoughts guys? I am open to anything at the moment.....

I really appreciate you reading this and any and all help...I am hoping that I will be able to assist someone on this page at some point in return. I am not asking for handouts here.... with any assistance I receive - I will pay it forward. There is some stuff I know, lol, just not this old main drain stuff.

Anyway, I appreciate you and all your help,,

Bryan from Wy.

 

[oz-plumber]

Time for a total re-plumb.
Or at least, anything that is connected to the earthenware pipe redo in PVC.
I would get rid of any cast iron above ground level. It's too hard to support!

 

[Gasmk1]

Time for a total re-plumb.
Or at least, anything that is connected to the earthenware pipe redo in PVC.
I would get rid of any cast iron above ground level. It's too hard to support!

if he is in america then some states the code is for cast iron waste if run internal so he may not be able too as he would be breaking building codes hi sbest bet is to get a plumber in.

 

[centralheatking]

Hello all,

I have a mess and quite the project on my hands here. I am a handy guy but this is outside my comfort zone. I think my comfort zone is gonna expand after this project because i have no option to hire this out...

I am hoping to get some advice and guidance during this research so that I do not make matters worse.
any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

So.. It all started because of this






That was the toilet flange. It has been broke for a long time and leaking. So I decided to re-do some flooring and replace the flange. When reinforcing the floor joists, I found this:

• 

That is the elbow coming up and out of the main drain. It is cracked out on one side and clay. The whole main is still clay. There is a stack of cast iron Tee's that feed into this.

• 

There are a couple different drains that feed into this. Off to the left is the toilet drain that started this wonderful discovery.
To the right of the last photo is the main drain connection further down the line, shown here:

• 

As far as I know at the moment this line down to the main drain is ok... It seems that over time the elbow that holds up the IRON has shifted and broke under the weight. I am a little confused as to what is even holding it all up...I am assuming the cast iron t's weigh a lot. Apparently these clay pipes could hold a lot of weight,,,, for 75 years. Anyway, The top "T" reduces down to a vent. This vent is also cast iron and i believe it goes up and out the roof... I am guessing there is a lot of weight on this shifted and cracked out elbow. I have no idea how much. The weight is my biggest concern... as i do not know if modern sewage drain techniques support this type of weight. In all honesty, I do not know much about modern drain designs.. Like I said, I would love to hire this out I just cannot afford it at the moment. Furthermore, there are about 8 other connections like this one under this old place. Better now than ever to learn. Another thing I am trying to keep in mine is the inevitable replacing of the main. Whatever I do now will have to tie in well with future main drain fixes/replacement. A plus is that all of the main connection and piping is relatively shallow and showing in some cases.

Well there is my problem, here is what i have come up with for a solution, thus far:

option 1: Determine if modern "DWV" plumbing techniques can support the cast iron monster. If so, Tie up the iron "T's" to a floor joist. Replace the elbow connection on the main drain side of things. Complete the connections??? (whatever this entails), and loosen the tied up "t's."

This seems like the easiest way to do it...But i am seeing a lot of pvc stuff being used so i am doubtfull that it will suppurt all the iron weight. But i am not sure on this either.

Option 2:

abandon the cast iron....this will be the hard part because i will have to work top down as i understand these are built from the bottom up....so i would have to pull the 12+ft of vent from the top of the roof, lol, and dissasemble from the top "T" down. and replace from the next best section of main back up.

Option 2 seems like the most thorough and complete repair from a longevity stand point. Seems like the most amount of work also....What are your thoughts guys? I am open to anything at the moment...

I really appreciate you reading this and any and all help...I am hoping that I will be able to assist someone on this page at some point in return. I am not asking for handouts here.. with any assistance I receive - I will pay it forward. There is some stuff I know, lol, just not this old main drain stuff.

Anyway, I appreciate you and all your help,,

Bryan from Wy.

Hi Bryan we can certainly help you, we need a diagram of what is now then we can tell you which parts you need. If you are in Trumpton. (USA its a childs program in Uk) which material Plastic or cast might be stipulated different to Uk. Now Christmas is very soon do you need to do this urgently ? If so I would go out and but loads of stuff and return what you do not need. centralheatking

 

[Bryan in Wyo]

Hi Bryan we can certainly help you, we need a diagram of what is now then we can tell you which parts you need. If you are in Trumpton. (USA its a childs program in Uk) which material Plastic or cast might be stipulated different to Uk. Now Christmas is very soon do you need to do this urgently ? If so I would go out and but loads of stuff and return what you do not need. centralheatking

I am in the USA. It is not an urgent matter... It is a work in progress. I am about to end my week vacation and go back to work on Monday...so it will be a little work here and there on my days off. I am just doing my research right now and trying to get my head around a plan...as this is a little outside my comfort zone...but a professional is to expensive. Plus, i have learned that a professional is just a learned man that knows a trick or two... Haha at least that is what i tell myself when issues like this come up and i can't pay the pro...But something always works out whether it is right or wrong up to code or not 🙂

 

[ShaunCorbs]

If your area / city allows drainage to be done in pvc is doable for a diyer

Fernco coupling to go from clay to pvc
Dual outlet for your white waste pipes
Tee
Elbow
Toilet flange adapter etc
Reducer to vent
Then another fernco for your vent

Glue pack eg primer (purple) and glue