soil pipe connection for new upstairs toilet

[Tony Morse]

Hi, i was wondering if i can some advice please, call a guy in to do this job, but has not come back, so desperate to get it finished, myself if i have to, can you please take a look at the pictures that i have taken, and tell me what i have to do, they guy said that the hole he dug, is the existing toilet soil pipe, he said that he was going to connect the new toilet to the same toilet pipe, with a Y branch fitting, i spoke to our local council which said that this was ok and we didn't need any permission of of them to do this, can somebody please explain what i have to do, i am DIY competent, but haven't done this type of work before, any help would be fantastic thanks'

 

[CBW]

Hello Tony,

It might be worth downloading a copy of building regulations document H - drainage. I think you may need a rest bend, and some fittings to get into that y piece. Also your main stack should be ventilated.

 

[Tony Morse]

Hi, thanks for the reply, i have spoken to my local council about this, and asked him some questions, he said that i could join the new to the existing soil pipe, and the existing stack would be ok for both, and ideas how i would use the rest bend to link this all up properly? but as i haven't got a clue, i thought i'd ask others here who do this for a living, i'll find it online and check it out, thank you appreciate your help

 

[johnny2007]

If the underground pipe is all clay you will need a transition piece to join plastic to clay.
Then a very firm hand with a grinder and a bit of luck (old clay pipes may shutter when touched).
I agree with Chris, the stack should (or should i say must?) be ventilated.

 

[Tony Morse]

Hi Johnny, appreciate the reply, so just to confirm, i can connect a branch connection to the existing clay pipe from the existing toilet? as the council man said i can? but i would have to vent the pipe again from somewhere? any ideas how i join it together ? thanks

 

[johnny2007]

Yes, problem now is that the new stack is in and is not vented.
Only solution i see is a t piece where pipe enters the upstairs toilet and then up past the fascia.
Or a t piece in my second image

 

[johnny2007]

This image i mean

 

[Tony Morse]

This image i mean

Hi Johnny, can i choose what way to do it, use both the options you have put there? or just the second option? do it that way? and also what type vent do i need?. thanks

 

[johnny2007]

A vent is simply an open bit of the 4 inch soil pipe which stays open or with a grill on top to prevent birds falling.
Usually it goes past the fascia because it must be 1 metre away from any window (last time i checked, others will correct me if i'm wrong).
See this picture

 

[Tony Morse]

Hi Johnny, i think i understand that, i was just speaking to my brother, and mentioned it, had a good idea, he said check to see if any of the neighbours have done it, and to my left side of the house, i took this picture, i can only assume that they have done an upstairs toilet too, i should be able to add that vent, as the pipework he left behind is only held with clips, and the connection to the toilet at the back, i don't know if you just pull it off? of if it's sealed in some way. i can add this vent, but still not 100% sure what parts i need to connect it upto the Clay pipe properly.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

I have worked on, in and around drains for the last 30 years, so will throw my two penneth in for what it's worth. Looks like the bulk of the work has already been done for you, but to finish it off, my advice is you do the following.

You will need a shallow inspection chamber, such as https://www.screwfix.com/p/floplast-3-inlet-45-inlet-inspection-chamber-base-black-295mm/68090. Fit this into the existing clay pipe run you have exposed, excellent instructions for this part of the operation are available here. https://www.pavingexpert.com/drain15

This will leave you a 45° connection available from the new chamber to use for your stack. Run across from the chamber to the wall and fit a 90° rest bend at the foot of the stack, https://www.screwfix.com/p/floplast-double-socket-rest-bend-87-5-110mm/12719 before going up and joining onto the tail of the already fitted stack.

Then, at the other end, you'll need to fit a vent section. Doesn't have to be right at the end, anywhere along the horizontal run will do, you may get away with an air admittance valve as the neighbours have done. If you find you have problems elsewhere with odours of pressure bubbling back though the downstairs WC, or another appliance, then at a later date, you may have to look at continuing the vent up and leaving it open to atmosphere.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Looking again, there may be another option. If that hopper is to go, then the gulley it discharges into will be redundant. Can you trace the line from that gulley, if it goes directly to a manhole, then you may be better off removing the gulley, and connecting the stack there, rather than cutting into the other pipe.

 

[CBW]

Agree with @Hugh Jaleak with using the redundant gulley, if it discharges into a manhole and just connect onto here.

 

[Tony Morse]

Looking again, there may be another option. If that hopper is to go, then the gulley it discharges into will be redundant. Can you trace the line from that gulley, if it goes directly to a manhole, then you may be better off removing the gulley, and connecting the stack there, rather than cutting into the other pipe.

Hi Hugh Jaleak, yes the hopper is going, i'm connecting the bath water pipe, what normally goes into the Hopper, into the new pipe with a boss 40mm connector, so it will make that drain redundant, so if i fill the bath up, and then let the water out, and pop the manhole covers and see if it's running into one of the man holes? i think all the water runs towards my neighbours, would the Hopper by any chance run into the pipe that i want to cut?? it#s right next to it, if could do this, it would save a lot of trouble and stress, but obviously want to do it properly, really appreciate the replies.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Yes, provided the pipe from the gulley goes to the foul sewer, then you could use it for the stack. If it goes straight to the manhole, then brilliant, however, if it connects to the sewer 'blind' then you wont be able to use it without additional work. (The main things to remember about drains are, they must run in straight lines, and have a chamber at every change of direction, water flows downhill, and all sections must be accessible for rodding in the event of a blockage.)

I couldn't tell you where it goes from the information we've got, but if the run from the existing gulley goes straight to the manhole, then you can rod upstream from that manhole in the event it ever blocks. If you cant get access to the bottom end of the run, then you'll need to look at putting access in elsewhere. This could be as simple as fitting an access point at the foot of the stack before it goes under the ground, or a mini chamber as per my earlier link, in the line from the stack.