Toilet Closit Drain Drop Issue

[ddocfletcher]

I am converting to PVC from copper. Gravity flow closet drain drops about a foot from from the flange to a 90* ell. Then horizontal to a tee mounted horizontally 8"s away to the main drain.. My problem is that the tee ended up level, so I can't get closet drain slope. My thought it that it won't make much difference over such a short 8" span.

One option is to place a 60* ell at the flange and a 60* ell at the tee which would make for a 60* drop. Thus leaving only only the tee level.

So I am hoping a pro can chime in here and shed a little light on the matter. Thanks in advance.

I may not be able to do the 60* ell's do to space constraints. However two 45* ell's in instead of 60* ell's would work.

 

[johnjh2o]

You also shouldn't have a sanitary tee laying flat. It should be a Y and 45*.

John

 

[lordofthepipes]

i would use a long sweep 90 and not worry about it not having pitch as long as it is not back pitched. You allways make your fittings level and pitch your pipe but on such a short run not much you can do when you are comming into the branch of a tee like that. You could also do what johnjh20 suggests and replace the sanitary tee with a wye and pick up your flange with a 45 but you would have to revent the toilet with a 3x2 tee right after the flange and run the vent up the wall then tie into the vent stack 42'' above the floor. if it was me i would just stick with the san tee set up.

 

[johnjh2o]

Codes do not allow sanitary tee's to lay flat. Sanitary tee's are only allowed on vertical lines.

John

 

[ddocfletcher]

John, So if I take out the tee & use a Y horizontal will be OK? All I have done is replicate that which was already there from 1964. It wi8ll not be a big deal for me yo use a Y instead because one side of the tee connects to a steel jacket coupling . So when I cut out the bad tee I can re-plumb that section with a Y. The closet bend is located 1 foot from a 3" vent stack which runs direct up through the roof.

Lordofthepipes, thanks for your thoughts on the matter. I'm not sure why I need to re-vent the toilet. Please explain why this needs to be done.

 

[johnjh2o]

Use the Y. I take it your replacing the copper because it's starting to fail. When copper was being used for drainage it wasn't uncommon for them to use DWV tubing which was very thin. The first signs of the copper failing would show up as dark green spots on the top side of the pipe. If I were you I would be checking as much of the copper as possible.

John

 

[ddocfletcher]

Yes John, DWV Copper failing. Everything replaced except one 3" cast elbow which serves the vent stack (up) and kitchen sink upstream and toilet downstream. The stack is fine, e all it sees is rainwater but I think I'll see if I can find some sort of cover for it.

All the elbows were the cast brass type. I think I'll hold on to them rather than scraping them.

 

[johnjh2o]

If you can, checkout the vent stack. The reason the copper shows signs of failing on the top side of the pipe first is because of the sewer gas. There is a very good chance that the stack has also failed.

John

 

[ddocfletcher]

Downstream from the horizontal 3" pipe run a 90* ell transitioned the run to vertical. From there out to septic. That vertical failed first, got softer & softer till pipe split. Horizontal parts failed on bottom, also by getting soft, though not as bad as the vertical had gotten. Almost like a caustic liquid over years did the damage.

I have access to the whole stack. Very solid, no oxidation & no soft spots. I'm glads it's OK, it would be a royal pain to swap out.

 

[ddocfletcher]

After my wife commandeered my services for Xmas stuff etc, I went to task on the closet drain. While doing my dry fit & measure twice, cut once routine it came to light that a flange with a built in 45 will not work with Fernco's rubber stick on toilet seal. This is because the rubber neck of the seal will interfere with the bend of the flange. As such it will not seal properly, nor will it go deep enough to allow the toilet to seat. So heads up, (no pun intended) use a straight drop Flange and place a 45 on it to use a Fernco stick on seal.