[tjuser23]

Hey guys,

I posted here before but I am still trying to make sure I figure out the correct way to finish my basement bathroom.

I talked to the city and they have no diagrams on file for the layout of the plumbing.

If anyone could help me identify what pipes belong to what that would be much appreciated.

I know the green arrow is the shower and blue is the toilet but everything else I am unsure.

In the first picture you can see the backwater valve in the room behind the bathroom. The street is to the left in that picture.

Thanks!

 

[tjuser23]

I drew a quick drawing of how I think it should be.

Does this look correct?

 

[jmon]

Not for sure, but I would guess one is the drain for a possible sink and other one is for the vent. Plumbers will be along soon.

 

[Ghostmaker]

Open up the shower drain and the 2 pipes in the wall. Insert a hose into the shower drain turn on water let us know the pipe you see water in also let us know if it is a sanitary tee on its back or a wye with a 45.



Now open up your toilet drain and hose it. Which pipe in the wall has running water? Can you see the toilet water? Or do you only see a 90 at the bottom with no water?






We need to know your state so we know what code it was installed under.

 

[tjuser23]

Open up the shower drain and the 2 pipes in the wall. Insert a hose into the shower drain turn on water let us know the pipe you see water in also let us know if it is a sanitary tee on its back or a wye with a 45.



Now open up your toilet drain and hose it. Which pipe in the wall has running water? Can you see the toilet water? Or do you only see a 90 at the bottom with no water?






We need to know your state so we know what code it was installed under.

Thanks for the reply!

I cut off all of the caps, I don't have a hose handy tonight and there isn't a trap on the shower yet (I will post a pic of that too) so pouring water in would be tough but I used a bright flashlight and from the shower drain I could see light only in the RIGHT pipe in the wall.

I then poured water down the toilet drain and could see moving water in the LEFT pipe. It looked like it was moving perpendicular to the pipe (like the tee was pointing directly away from where the toilet drain is) After I was done pouring there was standing water at the bottom of the left pipe I could still see.

As for the type of connection at the bottom of the pipes in the wall it was hard to tell and I can't be sure. Is there an easy way to tell?

I hope that helps!

Also, I live in Minnesota.

Let me know!

Here is the shower setup:

 

[Ghostmaker]

You are located in a UPC state Eplumber is the one we need have him read over what you found. I'm a IPC plumbing inspector and unfamiliar with your code. But from what you wrote it sounds like you have 2 vents 1 for the toilet 1 for the shower. I'm also concerned about the standing water that means the plumbing that was installed is not pitched to drain.

 

[tjuser23]

You are located in a UPC state Eplumber is the one we need have him read over what you found. I'm a IPC plumbing inspector and unfamiliar with your code. But from what you wrote it sounds like you have 2 vents 1 for the toilet 1 for the shower. I'm also concerned about the standing water that means the plumbing that was installed is not pitched to drain.

Okay hopefully he will chime in!

Wouldn't one of them have to be for the sink drain though? Or would I use the right side vent as my sink drain and consider that a "wet" vent?

 

[Nealtw]

Okay hopefully he will chime in!

Wouldn't one of them have to be for the sink drain though? Or would I use the right side vent as my sink drain and consider that a "wet" vent?

Drill hole in the shower drain and use a funnel, just tape it when done.

I see it like this.

 

[tjuser23]

Drill hole in the shower drain and use a funnel, just tape it when done.

I see it like this.

Thanks for the reply!!

Can you explain your additions?

I think how you moved the toilet plumbing off to the left makes sense from what I saw but what is the 90 degree right angle with the black line? Are you thinking that basically it is just the shower drain line that connects into the toilet drain past the 2 pipes in the wall but before the backwater valve?

And if so then I can tie the sink drain into the right pipe and use that as my vent for the sink and shower?

And then tie the right side vent into the left side before connecting the left side to the capped pipe in the ceiling joists?

 

[Nealtw]

Thanks for the reply!!

Can you explain your additions?

I think how you moved the toilet plumbing off to the left makes sense from what I saw but what is the 90 degree right angle with the black line? Are you thinking that basically it is just the shower drain line that connects into the toilet drain past the 2 pipes in the wall but before the backwater valve?

And if so then I can tie the sink drain into the right pipe and use that as my vent for the sink and shower?

And then tie the right side vent into the left side before connecting the left side to the capped pipe in the ceiling joists?

The location of the preventor is confusing. It just looks to me that the left pipe would be the vent. But I guess only 2 would know for sure, god and the plumber.


I have asked a few why they don't label things or drawn it on a wall.
They just can't waste that much time.

 

[tjuser23]

The location of the preventor is confusing. It just looks to me that the left pipe would be the vent. But I guess only 2 would know for sure, god and the plumber.


I have asked a few why they don't label things or drawn it on a wall.
They just can't waste that much time.

Okay thanks for the response!

Any other plumbers around that have an opinion?

 

[TheEplumber]

Hey guys,

I posted here before but I am still trying to make sure I figure out the correct way to finish my basement bathroom.

I talked to the city and they have no diagrams on file for the layout of the plumbing.

If anyone could help me identify what pipes belong to what that would be much appreciated.

I know the green arrow is the shower and blue is the toilet but everything else I am unsure.

In the first picture you can see the backwater valve in the room behind the bathroom. The street is to the left in that picture.

Thanks!

my guess is the yellow vertical pipe is a 2" vent for the WC
The red vert. pipe is the shower vent and can also serve as the lav waste (wet vent) The 1-1/2" trap arm serving the lav must not exceed 3'-6''. The vertical wet vent section must remain 2"
These 2 vents can be connected together 6" above the rim of the lav (typically 42"). This combined vent line must be 2" all the way to the ceiling vent connection.

You can remove the BW valve lid to confirm the flow direction.

It looks like you have another vent in the ceiling. Do you have a bar sink or floor drain in the basement too?

 

[tjuser23]

my guess is the yellow vertical pipe is a 2" vent for the WC
The red vert. pipe is the shower vent and can also serve as the lav waste (wet vent) The 1-1/2" trap arm serving the lav must not exceed 3'-6''. The vertical wet vent section must remain 2"
These 2 vents can be connected together 6" above the rim of the lav (typically 42"). This combined vent line must be 2" all the way to the ceiling vent connection.

You can remove the BW valve lid to confirm the flow direction.

It looks like you have another vent in the ceiling. Do you have a bar sink or floor drain in the basement too?

Thanks a lot for chiming in ePlumber! That makes sense and is what I was thinking too after doing those tests last night. You mean the horizontal run from the sink trap to the tie in of the vertical wet vent section cannot be more than 3' 6"?

And when you say "It looks like you have another vent in the ceiling" are you refering to the yellow arrow in the picture above? I was assuming that is where I would tie in the bathroom venting.

I don't have any other sinks or anything in the basement, there is a floor drain in the laundry room by the water heater (in the picture where you can see the BW valve it in further behind that close to the back wall)

I will try to take the cover of the BW valve off tonight, what will that tell me though?

I added a picture of the approximate location where the floor drain is

 

[tjuser23]

I think I understand what you meant about the other vent now. I think you are refering to the pipe below the yellow capped one in the ceiling. I haven't closely inspected it to see where it goes but I assumed it was a vent for the washing machine drain (you can see the washing machine behind the 2 pipes in the wall. Maybe those don't need a vent?)

 

[TheEplumber]

Inside the valve you'll find a flapper hanging down. You can tell the direction of flow based on the swing of the flapper. It is designed to keep the sewer from backing up into your basement. The washer and floor drain will also be upstream of the valve.

Trap arm is defined as the length from the trap weir to the vent connection.
Under UPC, 11l2 " is 42" and 2" (shower) is 60"

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[tjuser23]

Inside the valve you'll find a flapper hanging down. You can tell the direction of flow based on the swing of the flapper. It is designed to keep the sewer from backing up into your basement. The washer and floor drain will also be upstream of the valve.

Trap arm is defined as the length from the trap weir to the vent connection.
Under UPC, 11l2 " is 42" and 2" (shower) is 60"

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

Thanks a lot!

Does that other vent pipe in the ceiling affect anything though? I am just curious why you asked about that and if I had a floor drain?

 

[TheEplumber]

Thanks a lot!

Does that other vent pipe in the ceiling affect anything though? I am just curious why you asked about that and if I had a floor drain?

Well, the BW valve is kind of in an odd spot. It looks like the bathroom would drain into the left side of it and flows to the right. But, if I recall you indicated it flows toward the left to the street- perhaps it comes into it dead on in front of the bathroom, then turns left...... Won't know until you look inside- no biggy.

The vent connection in the ceiling told me there is more plumbing downstairs since in almost all cases a trap needs a vent- including a floor drain or washer box. Their drains will enter the BW valve on the same side as the bath room group.

UPC allows up to 24 DFU on a 2" vent. With a toilet, shower, lav, FD and laundry you are well under that vent loading. Depending on how MN calculates them, you're at about 10 DFU's. So connecting all your vents to that capped 2" will be fine. Remember, a toilet requires 2" vent size regardless of it's DFU. All the other fixtures can be 11/2"

 

[Ghostmaker]

Thanks Eplumber glad to see you help him.

 

[tjuser23]

Thanks again for the helpful info ePlumber. Honestly I don't know what way the main sewer line runs, I guess I just assumed they normally left the house out towards the street as I thought that typically city sewer is run under the residential streets. So that would point out to the left.

If it went right then it would exit the house under my back yard (which does butt up against a county road).

Anyway, I pulled the cover off the backwater valve to try to check what you suggested and I'm not really sure what I am looking at. It looks like about a foot down there is a black cover that is the actual cover to the valve, but I tried sticking a 2x4 in the slot and turning and it won't budge. How much force is needed? I don't want to break the thing off.

Also, it looks like the white PVC is actually sitting on top of the cover so the cover won't be able to come out without first removing the white PVC. Is this normal? I am guessing they just used the white PVC pipe when pouring the cement to keep the hole there and then didn't remove it before putting the top cover on?

Here is a pic:

 

[TheEplumber]

Sorry for the delay. My time here has been limited recently
The lid probably has a large o-ring and the friction between plastic and rubber is why it wont budge. Probably best to leave it alone for now.
Walk around the exterior of your home and you will find a clean out cap close to you foundation. This will tell you where the drain exits.

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