Any plumbers here that can answer a question?

[MN4x4]

When I built my shop over 20 years ago I stubbed in for a future bathroom. I still can't connect because we don't have sewer to our property yet, but I am to the point that I want to at least build the walls that define the room. The problem is that I am not sure I remember what each pipe is for. Can you help?

This is a picture of the connections:



They run under the wall that you can see on the right, and go out to a future sewer connection.

The one in the upper left is a 3-inch pipe INSIDE a 4" pipe. I am pretty sure this was so that I could glue a toilet flange over the outside of the 3" pipe even after the concrete was poured.

The middle pipe is also a 3" pipe. I *think* this was a sink drain/vent stack pipe.

The right-most pipe - closest to the wall - is a 4" pipe. I think this was intended as a clean out?

If I am correct, that means my wall needs to go up over the middle pipe so it can hold the drain pipe for the sink and also run a vent up and out the roof.

Do I have this right? Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Nighttrain]

That's going to be hard to tell with just a picture. Were these pipes sealed up for the last 20 years? If not who knows whats in there. You may be better off starting new and plan the bathroom how you want it and then cut the floor and put in new pipe.

 

[blkhonda1991]

you dont have any plans from the build?

 

[Falcon67]

Can't really make any sense of that layout. I would get a 25' snake and make sure you know what way the pipes turn under the slab. A 2" vent would be plenty for a sink/toilet and even a shower too. 3" is overkill, but I can see the thought from 20 years ago when there were still a bunch of 4" iron DWV pipe around. The 3-in-4 does sound like a potty connection, but you need 12" plus wall finish material as the rough-in for the toilet flange - unless it just sits out there in the middle of the floor. you would think a clean out would be outside if the stuff is running right under the wall. No real need for one inside that close to an outside wall IMHO. Not a plumber/not in a Holiday Inn Express - but have done a bunch of it. Fun and frustrating at the same time. I can show you some pics of what I had to do around here - makes $100/hr sound real good for a real plumber.

Use a STOUT toilet flange, preferably one made of brass if you can find it. It'll have to have a plastic pipe center so you can glue it in - or use a real brass unit with a maleable center and drill mount holes in the slab for it. Silly-cone caulk will seal the waste pipe - not a lot of back pressure there, even after Taco Bell night. If you use a cheap plastic flange there, it won't be much time before you'll be sorry you did that. It breaks, it's glued in - now whatcha gonna do.

 

[59 wagon man]

no way to tell whaqt you got under there unless you call a plumber with a camera and locater . i could tell you with my setup where it goes how far and see all the connections to within inches . can save you from having to break up the floor. you might have a toilet floor drain and stack connection

 

[59 wagon man]

pvc flanges can be had with metal rings for the bolts but they do rot out if there is a leak . havent seen any with brass on them . if the old flange breaks you can buy many different types of repair flanges

 

[Grumpy365]

Toilets have a 12" rough in (i think) so the pipe for the toilet should be 12" from the wall ( i would guess the back wall)
You would have put the shower drain centered in a larger area, you wouldn't have put it real close to where you envisioned your wall.

Just guessing.

Edit:
Looking again, i am pretty sure, the one closest to the wall. (sticking up) is the toilet. The one cut off at the floor is the shower drain, and the other one sticking up is the vent.

 

[Kevro]

If one of them is supposed to be a shower drain, it should have a trap under the slab. The other pipes should not. HTH.

 

[Jayincali]

Toilets have a 12" rough in (i think) so the pipe for the toilet should be 12" from the wall ( i would guess the back wall)
You would have put the shower drain centered in a larger area, you wouldn't have put it real close to where you envisioned your wall.

Just guessing.

Edit:
Looking again, i am pretty sure, the one closest to the wall. (sticking up) is the toilet. The one cut off at the floor is the shower drain, and the other one sticking up is the vent.

I was going to state the same as you. The rough in is 12" from the wall to the center of the drain pipe, so the bottom right pipe looks to be the toilet. Theres also a 10" rough in, but not too offten does that happen.

Looks like there should be a wall in the center which the vent pipe will run to the roof, then the top left is the shower drain. All should be at least 3", the vent could have been 2"

 

[jhelrey]

Looks like one could be a floor drain.

 

[59 wagon man]

guessing on what it is you have isnt the way to do it . you can have a 10" 12" or 14" rough toilet a sewer video will not only help to inspect the line but if you use the locater also you can identify what is what , the condition of the pipe and where it goes . the 2 pics attached show how good a sewer video camera works what you see if a pvc line broken by roots. it would surely **** to hook everything up to find out you had a problem

 

[MN4x4]

guessing on what it is you have isnt the way to do it . you can have a 10" 12" or 14" rough toilet a sewer video will not only help to inspect the line but if you use the locater also you can identify what is what , the condition of the pipe and where it goes . the 2 pics attached show how good a sewer video camera works what you see if a pvc line broken by roots. it would surely **** to hook everything up to find out you had a problem

The pvc only goes out about 6 feet from that wall. I guess I could stick a flashlight in the end of the pipe and see if I can see the light anywhere?

 

[MN4x4]

you dont have any plans from the build?

I thought I did, but I haven't been able to locate them.

 

[MN4x4]

- not a lot of back pressure there, even after Taco Bell night.

Ouch - I snorted soda out my nose on that one!!! Thanks for the chuckle...

 

[MN4x4]

OK, I took a flashlight and a fish tape out to the shop and did some probing. I did a CAD drawing of what I found...



The pipes are connected per the diagram. There are no traps connected to any of the lines, they just go from one to the next.

Does this help determine what should go where?

 

[blkhonda1991]

OK, I took a flashlight and a fish tape out to the shop and did some probing. I did a CAD drawing of what I found...



The pipes are connected per the diagram. There are no traps connected to any of the lines, they just go from one to the next.

Does this help determine what should go where?

no traps? weird, atleast what i think is the floor drain (center pipe) should have a trap

 

[Grumpy365]

I would think you have to figure some way to keep sewer gasses from coming thru the drain. You may be able to trap outside?

 

[rstaichi]

OK, I took a flashlight and a fish tape out to the shop and did some probing. I did a CAD drawing of what I found...



The pipes are connected per the diagram. There are no traps connected to any of the lines, they just go from one to the next.

Does this help determine what should go where?

I don't know what the hell your lay out plan was by that set up. Not very efficient use of room space but looks like the upper most one was going to be for toilet and 2nd one was for vent or a wet vent (it means used as a combination drain and vent) for sink too and then maybe last one for floor c/o?
You could use either of the last two for the toilet vent or wet vent if the right fittings were used under ground.
Funny thing about DWV is even if its done wrong, as long as it grades it still will usually work to a point ,

 

[MN4x4]

I don't know what the hell your lay out plan was by that set up.

Apparently neither do I.



Since there are no traps, could I use the 4" pipe for the toilet?

 

[Josh Bremer]

How many of you guys are plumbers? Far left pipe is toilet. Flush with the floor. Glue a flange on it. Middle pipe is a vent or stack. Put a 3 x 2 coupling on it and run it in the wall. This becomes you vent for the toilet. If you want you could put a 3" coupling on the middle pipe. Extend it up and put a 3'' clean-out tee in the wall. Then do what ever you want with the other pipe. You could cap it off or use it as a clean-out and reduce the other pipe for your vent stack. Put your wall back from center of the first pipe 12.5" inches for drywall. If you dont have that much room go 10.5". Any questions pm me.