Old toilet drain pipe

[msrfba]

HI
This is the first time I am using this forum. It is because I am stuck in one of my DIY projects. Basically I am trying to build an outside toilet in the back garden. There used to be a toilet which was then closed off few years ago before we moved in here 6 years ago.

So when I dug up the concrete floor in that old toilet room I found the old drain pipe. The pipe is of brown coloured and is blocked from the top with some cement type material. The problem is that I am not sure how to open that pipe and would that drain pipe be still usable if I install a new toilet on top of it. I have tried to look all around if it is closed with the help of a cap or something that I can twist open or something but it looks like something else. I have not yet used heavy hammering on it in case I damage a good usable drain pipe.

Can anybody please help me and let me know from your experience how to deal with it? Thank you very much.

msrfba

 

[Dan Robinson]

The problem is that I am not sure how to open that pipe

Doesn't look good - you do not want that lot falling down the pipe when you break it up - sounds like a bit of excavation is needed.

 

[msrfba]

Thank you very much for your reply. But has this method of closing/blocking of a toilet drain pipe been in practice before. Have you ever seen anything like this? If I can carefully cut across the pipe and find it hollow, can I assume the drain pipe is usable?

Thanks

msrfba

 

[tryitandsee]

When removing an old wc you would normally break off the china pan and any drain pipe still protruding quite roughly, level with the floor surface. Bung up the resulting 'hole' in floor with anything at hand, old newspaper, dish cloth anything and sand/cement /concrete over the top. Job done. Should be easy to break through if you are careful not to allow bits to fall into newly found drain.

With regard whether the drain is still live, have you not found a manhole some where, that has a drain entering, that has not been used i.e. not wet, if so, this will be your man.