submersible sewage pumps ireland

Cast Iron or Plastic?

Debate Over Pipe Material

I've been debating over this for a year now. I'm going to have to cut part of this anyhow to install a 3" Wye for second-floor front load washer, so I'm wondering if I should just add supports to the cast iron stack, and cut it just below where it enters wall in photo one. This would leave about 10' of cast iron from cut to where it exits roof.

I would then cut it (I'm thinking) just above where PVC pipe is with rag hanging out of it (last photo,) right after it curves horizontal, or below PVC pipe. And then replace everything in between with 4" PVC. This would allow me to reconfigure smaller bathroom (it's back-to-back with main bathroom) layout if needed. I was going to replace all cast iron drain pipes in smaller bathroom with PVC when I can get to it.

My question is could I use the same pipe layout as currently there, just with PVC fittings? Or would I have to use a 45 degree double wye fitting for toilets? Doing so will drop the drainpipe even lower than configuration I now have.

What I'm afraid of is that if I cut that cast iron to install that 4x4x3 wye, even with good strapping, that it will not be rigid and the heavy cast iron will be able to shift.

I will take advice given. I am tired of losing sleep over this and it's holding up progress.

Cutting and Replacing Cast Iron

Can you cut it in the attic and pull the top out thru the roof and then section it out of the wall?

I'm scared to attempt that. I had to get on the roof and reseal some vent pipes, and I got a little vertigo from that. The main vent stack is located near the peak of the roof. I don't know if I could cut it with a diamond blade Sawzall and bring parts of it down through the roof without damaging the rubber seal of the vent pipe collar, but I would sure attempt it if I could get rid of that iron. I know pieces of it would be heavy.

Vent and Drain Considerations

That looks like a vent. You can not, by most codes, add drains to that vent section.

Do you mean the section where the PVC vent pipe is? That's where you pointed out that the vent pipe I paid to have installed was too far below tub P-trap. I have since removed most of that PVC piping. In my original plan, I was going to attach tub drain to that 2" drain fitting. And then cut out a section where the pipe goes horizontal to install a 4x4x3" Wye for second floor washer 3" drainpipe to attach to.

Your second pic shows a fixture draining into the 4". From what I see, the 4" is the main vent stack for a bathroom group. Hard to say with only pictures of sections.

But to cut vertical cast iron you must support it with the riser clamp so it doesn't fall . Cut out a section large enough for the new pvc fotting and short stubs. Use CIxPLAS shielded couplings to join the two materials

It is the main vent stack joining to drainpipe in last photo. Are you telling me I should just leave all the cast iron intact, add a couple of riser clamps to support vertical pipe, (and make sure horizontal pipe is well supported with metal strapping) and cut out section for washer drain? Or replace entire piping? Toilet flange in smaller bathroom is in really bad shape, but I think it could be cut off and replaced with PVC and sleeve. Unless I just replaced it all with PVC.

Drain pipe joining main drain pipe in photo (4) splits farther away and goes to old cast iron shower trap and drain for small sink, which I plan to replace with PVC. Can I just cut this pipe, add PVC, and cap it until I can get to plumbing in other gutted bathroom?

This was my original design, allowing for 3" drainpipe for front load washer on upper floor of split level home. It's because of cut for 3" pipe that I think the cast iron might shift around some.

Wye Placement and Support

I'm not understanding where you plan on putting the wye. But if you support the weight of the cast iron on both side you should be fine. If you suspect your cast iron is failing then you should consider replacing as much as you can while it is accessible.

I was going to cut into the horizontal area of pipe just forward of the bend in last photo of first post. It sits almost directly below where washer drainpipe will go.

Connections and Code

In picture #6 I see a no hub rubber connection of PVC to CI.

You need to use a shielded no hub connector.

Agreed. And I paid a plumber to do that work. Reason I am wanting to add 3" pipe is because someone told me I have to have 3" drain for 2nd floor washer. IPC 2012 406.2

If your following IPC you will need 3 inch to the washer if it is attached to a stackl.

I kept your instructions for using the diamond Sawzall blades, pipe supports, and 4x4x3 wye, Ghostmaker. I was just wondering if I should replace some of that cast iron with PVC since I have to cut into it anyway. Toilet location isn't the best in smaller (66" X 60") bathroom and I can't move it the way piping is now.

Decision to Leave Cast Iron Intact

Okay, to avoid a lot of hassle, and upon inspecting the outside of the iron pipe, I've decided to leave it intact, if I can add the washing machine wye to the horizontal part of the drainpipe as outlined in earlier posts. I hope I cut into it and find no rust buildup. I doubt I will.

Photo one here shows the rotted flange of second bathroom toilet. Can it be cut and repaired with sleeve and new PVC flange?

All other photos show old second bathroom shower trap and drain line for sink, all draining into pipe shown in last photo.

Please tell me if I can replace shower trap and sink drain with PVC, cut cast iron near where it joins large cast iron drain in last photo, and add hub adapter to join PVC and cast iron there.

In the OP I thought you wanted the branch in the vertical above the floor. If you are installing it in the horizontal drain section you should be fine

I'm thinking I'd be better off to leave the cast iron intact. It looks to be in good shape (if I'm qualified to know) unless I cut it open and find rust buildup inside.

I will add Oatey 4" steel riser clamps to stack and more strapping to support pipe. I thought about cutting the stack just below where it enters the second floor ceiling and replacing everything from there to where the 4x4x3 wye will be. I could only do that by replacing the cast iron pieces with exact duplicates made of PVC, and am not sure I could do that by code.

Permits and Inspections

Okay, here is the dilemma I've gotten myself into. My wife and I bought this house Spring 2019, and I already had plans to renovate the bathrooms, and replace a lot of the painted paneling in the house with drywall. We haven't claimed Homestead exemption on it yet because when we went to do so, we were told we had to be living there to claim it, not in the modular home we live in (which is why we wanted an actual house.) Well, the mortgage agent told us a few months ago that we could claim one or the other. We're going to the courthouse Tuesday to claim Homestead again (if we can get in: Covid 19 restrictions?)

I gutted the main bathroom and smaller bathroom (back-to-back) for main bedroom, as well as master closet. I hired a plumber who told me he would make new lines for sink from Pex and repair the leaking tub trap with PVC (the repair you saw in photo). He fixed the lines and told me not to worry about the cast iron. Well, I do. I wonder what it would cost for me to have a plumber replace it, whether we would have the money (making two house payments now), and, if the work was permitted, what would that cost and what would the inspector say if he came in and saw both bathrooms gutted to the studs?

Same with pulling a homeowner's permit; again, am afraid of what the inspector would say if he sees 3 rooms gutted. I'm sorry to unload on everyone, but am being honest here. I really don't know where to go with this and am really open to suggestions.

AFAIK homestead exemptions are always only on the home you're currently occupying.

Is your worry about the cast iron solely that it may be rusted up?

We are going this morning to try to claim homestead. And yes, my only worry about cast iron is that it may be rusted up.

Inspection Camera

If you have an opening above, you could buy one of those cheap (like $30?) USB inspection cameras that you connect to an Android phone or a laptop.

Plumbing Code and Washer Drain Size

I had someone from Roto Rooter come out and camera the underground pipes this week, which he said were fine. He told me I could connect the 2nd floor washing machine to 2" drain. He also said I didn't need to vent the bathtub trap because overflow did that, which I know doesn't work that way.

Uniform Plumbing Code does allow a washer on 2" but I am led to believe that is not the case for IPC. I do not know what code your area is....

An overflow does not serve as a vent for a tub. Vents are always downstream of the trap it serves.

Supposedly AL uses IPC.

Roto Rooter tech inspected the cast iron pipes above ground and pronounced them in good shape. He said I could attach a 2" washer drain (after trap) directly to stub where bathtub drain was before, as long as I didn't have bathtub drain teed into it. He told me I could run another vented 2" drainpipe from the tub trap straight down and attach to what was 2" PVC drainpipe where washer was in room below.

I tend to believe you guys here on DIY Chatroom more when you say I need a 3" drainpipe from washer stack trap to 4" cast iron below. I don't know why techs around here say different. I just can't picture plumbing configuration for it and can't find any diagrams on subject.

Ghostmaker is an IPC plumbing inspector. I trust his info he gives here. Me, I don't know the finer points of IPC code and I'm hesitant to offer advice. Now, if you were on the UPC, I'd give it a go....

Perhaps Ghost will drop by over the weekend. One thing to remember about techs at drain cleaning companies is that a portion of them are not plumbers and really don't have a grasp on the codes. Several states do not require them to be licensed for drain cleaning. I'm not saying all licensed plumbers are better either. Some score 100% on the test, Others score 75% in the end they both have Jcards......

Ghostmaker told me to go with a 3" pipe for washer drain, and I trust his judgment on the subject. I will install a 4x4x3" wye in cast iron pipe and post some pictures here of dry fitting rough-in when I get that far.

The only thing that bothers me is I need to build a 2 x 4" wall between bathtub and washer/dryer because of space limitations where I really need a 2 x 6 wet wall. I will have to add another 2 x 6" (as shown in attached photo) to make front of the washer area look symmetrical as one wall will be exterior wall of house. I really need to look at plans where someone has done this before.

Washer Area and Dryer Vent

This is what I was envisioning for the washer area. Dryer vent will have to travel 4' straight up and exit Dryer Jack on roof.

Wye vs Tee and Wet Wall Considerations

Im late on this reply but what you drew is a tee. A wye looks like the letter

If installed in the horizontal section of cast iron, should branch off wye be straight up with 3" pipe dropping into it, or can the branch be around 10 o'clock position? I hope I'm making sense here. IF not, I will draw another diagram.

Can you tell me if a 2 x 4" wall with 3/4" wood slats added to it for a total wall width of actual 4 1/4" work as a wet wall? No holes drilled through studs, but maybe in floor plate, unless I curve a 3" pipe down behind bathtub, away from floor plate.

These are the pieces and configuration I think would be correct. It's difficult to draw a configuration in 3D; I figure dry-fitting pipes and taking photos of configuration would be better.