So, a simple re-tile job of a downstairs toilet is turning into a bit of a headache.
The floor was sloped and 4-5″ higher than the adjoining one and so with no water pipes under the concrete I figured it’d be reasonably straight forward to level it all out. Unfortunately the re-routing of the soil pipe was the reason for the raised floor as the top of the PVCu pipe was 15mm higher than the level I required.
Figured, as I was this far in (found 4 floors) I may as well have a look at the joints and see if there was anything I could do to drop it slightly. Excavating the clay PVCu joint revealed a void in the soil where’d there’d obviously been a leak.
This is what I found:
The lesser known ‘bottomless putty tub’ connector inside a coupling joint.
Anyway, any advice on how the improve/flatten the soil pipe? Grinder & cutting disc?
There’s only 2″ of pipe at the low point and 4″ at the high point so I could do without cracking the pipe. I guess seperating the concreted joint isn’t an easy option either?
You can get a flexible joint for soil pipes, I used one when I found a crack in the soil pipe under the patio – cut the crack out with an angle grinder and jointed the two parts together with a plastic repair section.
If it was me, I’d just replace it with a new PVC one.
Don’t think it’s that easy unless you can enlighten me. Under the soil is the clay 90 deg bend. I don’t want to excavate any further so my options appear to be:
1) Level off that break and join at that point
2) Split the two clay pipes where they’ve been cemented together.
I don’t like option 2 as it’s pretty risky I’ll crack the 90 deg clay piece and then be in more trouble.
That clay pipe cracks at the slightest provocation. It actually cuts very well with a diamond blade but any movement will open it up at a join (where it probably already has a hairline crack). Hard to tell how jagged it is but a rubber coupling should slip over it as is, or with minimal grinding, no need to go completely flat. Top tip, soak the coupling in warm water than apply a little silicon grease (or washing up liquid) and it should slide over easily. Also put a capped Tee rather than an elbow at the top. That will give a good rodding point.
Posted 9 years ago
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