[gcross]

Hi All,

I have been "lurking" in on this site for a long time and I ussally find the answers I need without having to ask but here goes.

The Scene

I have a three story old house with a Cast Iron Stack.

- first floor toilet and sink go directly into the stack (no vent). The toliet is three feet of pipe from the stack.

- Second floor is the same thing straight to the stack (about 3 feet) no venting. At least that I can find without ripping the entire wall out.... I am assuming that the waste flows right past the downstairs bathromm drain opening etc..

The Challange

I would like to put a bathroom on the third floor. Again the toliet will be about three feet from the stack.

My questions are as follows.

1. Can I do this? (is it called wet venting?) What if the second bathroom group does have a vent into the same stack?
2. Do I need to vent it anyway?

3. Do I just cut the cast iron and insert an ABS wye or what??? I could use a fernco flex one but I am afraid of the weight of the 8 feet of CI about the tee.

4. What else am I missing here? problems, issues that I may have not though about?

Now I know that I may get the odd "you need to get a professional" comment but this is a DIY chat and we are all here for that reason. Lets face it, it's a pride thing to say "yeah I did it and it only cost 100 dollars more than if I hired a pro...":thumbup:

I would like to win this fight cause my wife thinks I am going to lose!

Thanks for any input and I look forward to some replys!

GC

 

[Alan]

Hi All,

I have been "lurking" in on this site for a long time and I ussally find the answers I need without having to ask but here goes.

The Scene

I have a three story old house with a Cast Iron Stack.

- first floor toilet and sink go directly into the stack (no vent). The toliet is three feet of pipe from the stack.

- Second floor is the same thing straight to the stack (about 3 feet) no venting. At least that I can find without ripping the entire wall out.... I am assuming that the waste flows right past the downstairs bathromm drain opening etc..

The Challange

I would like to put a bathroom on the third floor. Again the toliet will be about three feet from the stack.

My questions are as follows.

1. Can I do this? (is it called wet venting?) What if the second bathroom group does have a vent into the same stack?
2. Do I need to vent it anyway?

3. Do I just cut the cast iron and insert an ABS wye or what??? I could use a fernco flex one but I am afraid of the weight of the 8 feet of CI about the tee.

4. What else am I missing here? problems, issues that I may have not though about?

Now I know that I may get the odd "you need to get a professional" comment but this is a DIY chat and we are all here for that reason. Lets face it, it's a pride thing to say "yeah I did it and it only cost 100 dollars more than if I hired a pro...":thumbup:

I would like to win this fight cause my wife thinks I am going to lose!

Thanks for any input and I look forward to some replys!

GC

The first step if you've been lurking ( you may know already but overlooked it ) is to put your location in your profile so that we can help you appropriately based on local code.

As for the way that is set up, it would not fly past inspection here. As for cutting a waste line into the stack you should be allowed to use a Sanitary tee instead of a wye since you are going horizontal to vertical.

You can put ABS or PVC in between there with no-hub couplings, but It would be just as easy IMO to put a cast iron tee in there and then change everything to plastic from there.

You're going to want to secure that stack above your cut with about 10,000 FT of plumber's tape. Once you cut it, it's going to want to come down on you. Typically secure one side of the tape to lumber with a screw, wrap the tape all the way around the pipe and then secure it to another piece of lumber on the opposite side of the pipe. When you drive the second screw, drive it at an angle so that it tightens the plumber's tape fully around the pipe. Do this in a couple of spots, you don't want that thing going through your floor and ending up in your basement.

 

[gcross]

Hi Alan,

Thanks for the reply - I am in Ontario, Canada - I thought I entered that but maybe forgot to save the profile update.

Anyway - Chances of me having an inspection are very slim. I will sneak the plumbing and fixtures in after dark....

Joking aside, I like to do it right. I cannot afford to change whats already been done though so my options are limited. So if I support the stack ( which I can easily at the roof level as my attic has no drywall yet) I can then insert a tee into the pipe at the proper floor level connect my group to that.

no venting?

and I can just cut a cunk from the stack - put in a CI sanitary tee and then connect the abs to that... of course folowing all the decline and trap codes for the bathroom group.

sounds almost too easy LOL

Thanks

GC

 

[Alan]

Regardless of whether you're getting inspected or not, I don't know what the TYPICAL way of doing things up there are. If I were to do it here, each fixture would have to have it's own vent, and could tie together and back into the stack before it exits the building.

 

[gcross]

Okay,

So when i "tap" into the CI stack pipe I will be able to see for sure if the second floor bathroom group is vented.

I will vent the third floor one because it will be a new install and easy to do.

My question is "can I have the third floor toliet flush past the second floor and first floor bathroom vents and or drains all using the same stack for vents and drains?"

I will try to insert a picture of the layout. The third floor will be new, the second and first is already there and work fine.

Thanks.

 

[Bud Cline]

Just for my information because I don't know, but isn't the stack also the necessary vent in this case?

 

[gcross]

I believe it is - keep in mind this house is 90 years old. Codes change lol

The stack acts as a vent and a drain I think. But thats what I am trying to confirm.

Right now I am not sure if the second floor is even vented. Untill I open the foor up (or the ceiling of the second level) and see.