Soil stack condensation. Internal.

[Alltheones]

Alright it of a long one here.







so I’ve just got my bathroom up and running and noticed where the internal soil stack boxing is on the ground floor the floor boards are wet, now this looks like a old issue as there are water marks around here which I noticed ages ago but didn’t think much of them, I can get my hand though a 1 gang phone back box hole and the whole pipe is wet right around it, I’ve dried it off ran the tap too see if it’s a leak on the soil stack but I see no runs or drips after 10mins but when I touch the pipe it’s wet the whole way around again. I can get too the pipe upstairs also and same there it’s wet on the bottom of the horizontal pipe then where it Ts in too the vertical it’s wet on the bottom side of the T pretty much all on the T piece but not on the top out too the roof.
I leak doesn’t make sense to me as the wet is all over the place and the plaster around the T is dry.

just a bit more info

I’ve checked the stack for leaks, up until last week I had a hole in the ceiling right next to the boxing and there was nothing not even condensation. Seems like since I filled in the ceiling and plastered the riser.

I can get my whole hand around the joint in the T and there’s noting dripping. Most of the wet seems too be right at the bottom.

so I can feel a massive draft rushing up the boxing. My thought was foam fill the hole where the soil pipe goes through downstairs floor.

 

[Ian H]

I would have thought the draft would blow out any condensation? Have you tested for a leak with drain dye? The dye don’t lie.

 

[HERTS P&D]

It's leaking. Check for any blockages.

Andy

 

[Alltheones]

thanks for the replies, its also worth mentioning there's a cold feed that runs up that box which is also covered in water

I was thinking about a putting colouring in the sink to try that I just can't see how its a leak, I dried it off and ran the water for ages there was nothing at all no drips no run down the pipe I had my hand on the top of the bottom join on the T from pic 1 also what I presume is a solvent joint just under that for the T connector too push into (all push joins seem to be facing up) , 4 hours later whole pipe is wet again the whole way around, evenly wet and not running like damp, given the pipe holds no water I can't see how its a leak.

the pipe is vertical straight down I can feel the water right at the bottom flowing with tap on, and before my toilet was on I could hear the water running in the sewer through the soil pipe, which I guess wouldn't do that with a block.
The wet patch I saw has now completely dried, from the bottom picture you can see the floor board touching the pipe, this is where it is really wet, there was also some cut plaster and stuff resting on the pipe, which I presume tracked it from the pipe which I moved away.
also from pic 2 I can get underneath that connection which is a orange pipe, that's wet all the way around as well.

 

[Alltheones]

Ok so it turns out it’s 3 problems.
1 roof leaking slightly causing the water upstairs at that T piece.
2 condensation which was tracking on bits of floor board confirmed by running hot water which dried it up

3 the one that I found be accident.
Orange pipe which comes up through the hole from under the floor has a crack right down it deffo leaking at least from the top half. many pointers on a repair job here please.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Looks like a lump of Supersleve clay pipe, to have cracked like that. If that's the case you have 2 options. Replace it or get it lined. If that is the collar just showing in the bottom of the photo, you may be lucky and be able to pull it out to replace it. If, (even better) you can get the collar off with it (or as well), replace the collar with a clay to plastic adaptor, and come up from there with plastic.

Otherwise, the drainage guys may be able to line it for you, provided they can get access from a suitable point.

 

[Alltheones]

Thanks for the reply. One thing I know for sure is that I will not get to the bottom of the pipe, it’s too deep. pipe is clay orange with black centre and says super strength on it so Ye you’re right.

I’ve got some pics. The bottom seems like I’ll pull it out from that connection just fine , the top has a coupling on it too the black soil pipe.

could I break the pipe then pull the bottom out, then pull the top out and lose the coupler and fit a brown plastic pipe with the flange on it push the none flange side into the clay at the bottom and then drop the black into the flange of new pipe.

if this can happen my only issue is holding up the soil pipe while I’m fixing this, everything is under the floor boards and accessible but holding the pipe might prove difficult. I really font want too cut the boxing.

if I got it sleeves what’s a rough price. There’s a man hole 4m away.

 

[Alltheones]

 

[Alltheones]

 

[Ian H]

You might need to join it back with an internal connector.

Be careful if you do break the pipe, it’s like glass when broken.

 

[Ian H]

If you got it lined they would want access at the top anyway to seal the liner otherwise water can pass it. I’d say it’s better off replaced.

 

[Alltheones]

Ive got a drainage place coming back with quotes but If it’s massive I’ll be trying myself.

my mate just pointed out that I can’t lift my soil pipe up so I’ve no idea how I would get the new one in as there’s no movement at allunell there’s done kind of slip ring connector but then I’d have a downwards facing join.

could they not cut it in the loft and sleeve it downward then the sleeve would be higher than any water going down.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

I'd have a go yourself, I think the hardest part is going to be removing that broken Supersleve.

Remove the existing clay pipe, but as Ian has said, be bl00dy careful, and I'd advise wearing gloves. (Cuts and sewage are not good together.) Make sure you dont loose any bits down the drain. If you can get bottom collar off, replace that with same as you got currently at the top, (wouldn't advise reusing the existing as it may leak). Fit new section of plastic in between and then use a slip coupling to make the top joint. If you cant get bottom collar off, then I'd fit a new section of clay into that bottom collar, cut and chamfer the top end as required, fit clay to plastic collar and make up difference with plastic, using slip collar at the top to join.

Whatever you do, make sure there is enough room to allow the pipework to expand slightly, push the plastic collar on fully home, and then pull it back a few mm. A frequent reason for a longitudinal crack is thermal movement somewhere and no room for movement on the pipework.

 

[Alltheones]

That’s what I’ve been thinking for a diy. I’m just trying too figure out how I hold the soil pipe up when I take away the bottom bit, it’s fixed too the wall but not too stop it drop. That’s where I’m worried about having too cut a hole.

 

[Ian H]

I’ve never had a stack fall but there’s always a first time. It should be held pretty tight in its first connection upwards even if it isn’t clipped to the wall.