Hi. I have a question about replacing a section of ceramic waste pipe that has developed cracks and root penetration over the 70 years that it’s been in the ground. The 6” pipe runs parallel to the length of my ranch house, 8 feet away; it’s fed by lines from two bathrooms (the kitchen, further downstream, is not affected).
I’ve dug up a few areas to determine how much of it needs to be replaced. I’m trying to be selective about where I dig, as the “yard” is mostly covered by red brick. (I can’t afford to hire a pro; at worst, I would do all the digging myself and have a pro come in just to help with the actual pipe fittings.)
For the bathroom at the “headwaters” end, the pipe angles away from the house at ~60 deg. before turning parallel to the house. I haven’t yet found where the other bathroom joins into the main pipe. Is the joint there more or less likely to be a right angle vs. a wider angle (which would seemingly provide for better flow)? If it were a right angle, it would be exactly where a large tree is now growing; digging there would require cutting through a tangle of thick roots and removing the tree. On the other hand, if the pipe from the 2nd bathroom were at the same angle (60 deg.), well, I’ve dug there and there’s no joint.
So, was there a standard practice 70 years ago as to the angle of a joint where a side pipe feeds into a main pipe (both ceramic)?
Any tips or advice would be appreciated.
Kraig
I’ve dug up a few areas to determine how much of it needs to be replaced. I’m trying to be selective about where I dig, as the “yard” is mostly covered by red brick. (I can’t afford to hire a pro; at worst, I would do all the digging myself and have a pro come in just to help with the actual pipe fittings.)
For the bathroom at the “headwaters” end, the pipe angles away from the house at ~60 deg. before turning parallel to the house. I haven’t yet found where the other bathroom joins into the main pipe. Is the joint there more or less likely to be a right angle vs. a wider angle (which would seemingly provide for better flow)? If it were a right angle, it would be exactly where a large tree is now growing; digging there would require cutting through a tangle of thick roots and removing the tree. On the other hand, if the pipe from the 2nd bathroom were at the same angle (60 deg.), well, I’ve dug there and there’s no joint.
So, was there a standard practice 70 years ago as to the angle of a joint where a side pipe feeds into a main pipe (both ceramic)?
Any tips or advice would be appreciated.
Kraig
