[saxman00]

Hello,

I recently moved into a new home. It is a 2-story home with a walk out, unfinished basement. The basement has roughed in plumbing for a toilet and sink. Opposite those pipes, by the stairs, there is a rectangular shaped hole filled with gravel. There is a pipe that is adjacent to the hole that goes up. This side of the basement is underground. I have run water through all the drains on the two other levels and I haven't heard water coming down this pipe. I excavated an entire bucket of gravel from the hole and haven't come across any pipes yet. Not sure if I should keep going or not.

Is this a location for a shower drain? A future location for a sump pump? The home inspection did not note any sump pumps nor did the previous owner. We have had some very heavy rains and there is no indication of water anywhere in this area. It was dry as far down as I dug. Possibly a radon vent?

I can't get plumbers to call me back for a quote to finish the bathroom and wondering if it's something I could do myself. I have zero experience in plumbing. Thanks

 

[lenaitch]

Seeing as the pipe is right close by, can you stick your head in and see what it looks like under the slab? And/or trace where the other end of the pipe goes.

 

[saxman00]

Thanks! I didn't think to look under the slab. There is a pipe that runs laterally under the concrete where that pipe seems to connect.

 

[icerabbit]

Maybe they had to make a repair?
Maybe they took out a floor drain?

Where does the upper end of the pipe go to?

 

[saxman00]

Thanks for your reply. The pipe goes up into the basement ceiling, cuts over about 8 feet by the concrete wall and connects to another set of pipes and goes back down.

pic 1 = connecting to other drainage pipes
pic 2 = the combined pipes coming down
pic 3 = other pipes for sink (?) and toilet (dog for scale) the pipe in the right corner of the concrete wall is where the pipe in the first set of pics apparently leads.

edit: the house was built in 2001

 

[icerabbit]

If no water runs through some of the pipes, then they are vent branches / loops to aid with drainage.

Along the lines of:

 

[saxman00]

Thanks for the diagram. That makes sense. Since the former mystery pipe runs to what is likely drainage pipes below the concrete to the sewer system, would that be an acceptable place to put in a shower?

 

[icerabbit]

As long as you have enough clearance to enter the waste line from above, I don't see why you could not take advantage of that hole, if it is in a suitable location layout wise.

If the clearance is tight, there exist shallow depth and / or length shower drains to help install a trap in confined spaces. Confined space shower drain or trap should yield some search results.

 

[chandler48]

The square box in the floor is your shower pit. There should be a trap under all the gravel.

 

[Nealtw]

The shower tub drain only has to be deep enough to be vented, as the vent is right there the shower trap can go to that vent pipe at any level.

 

[Matt1963]

I think Larry is correct. Keep digging a little more and you should find the top of a pea trap. Not sure why they didn't leave a piece of pipe sticking up.

Seems like a shower drain and it's matching vent. Why it's not over by the toilet and sink makes no sense.

 

[Nealtw]

I think Larry is correct. Keep digging a little more and you should find the top of a pea trap. Not sure why they didn't leave a piece of pipe sticking up.

Seems like a shower drain and it's matching vent. Why it's not over by the toilet and sink makes no sense.

They put it where is will connect with the vent above.

 

[saxman00]

Thanks everyone! Step 1 of 135 completed (-;

 

[TheEplumber]

They put it where is will connect with the vent above.

The trap must be at the level of the drain.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

 

[TheEplumber]

I think Larry is correct. Keep digging a little more and you should find the top of a pea trap. Not sure why they didn't leave a piece of pipe sticking up.

Seems like a shower drain and it's matching vent. Why it's not over by the toilet and sink makes no sense.

I don't install the trap until I know for sure where the drain is located. Owner may want a 36x36, 36x48 or just a tub. Each requires a different trap location

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[Matt1963]

I don't install the trap until I know for sure where the drain is located. Owner may want a 36x36, 36x48 or just a tub. Each requires a different trap location

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

I get that but even an unglued one for location purposes.

Funny how it wasn't disclosed, someone had to have some knowledge of a plan. Also, look at the layout, hard to imagine it will even work without removing more concrete.

 

[Nealtw]

The trap must be at the level of the drain.

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As opposed to something I said?

 

[TheEplumber]

As opposed to something I said?

yes

 

[Nealtw]

yes

If you are adding a trap there would it not go with a slight slope to that vent pipe.
Hard to imagine some one would go 24" deep for venting when the vent is right there.

 

[TheEplumber]

If you are adding a trap there would it not go with a slight slope to that vent pipe.
Hard to imagine some one would go 24" deep for venting when the vent is right there.

You attach a trap to a trap arm, not to a vent