Installing a pipe into a cast iron down pipe

[cyclogenesis]

Ok, I may need to draw pictures in the end but I have a cast iron pipe that comes from my toilet upstairs through into the basement where I am going to be building my e-Brewery.

I want to be able to put in a basin for cleaning and water runoff. Is there any way to cut into the cast iron pipe and tap it to install a PVC pipe to the basin?

 

[onthekeg]

You will have to cut the pipe, and use PVC with a 1 1/2" elbow. Two of the Fernco couplers will attach the PVC to the cast iron.

 

[cyclogenesis]

Thanks... I guess you need to brace the pipe some how?

What are peoples thoughts of DIY versus cost of a plumber?

 

[wilserbrewer]

Thanks... I guess you need to brace the pipe some how?

What are peoples thoughts of DIY versus cost of a plumber?

DIY will be a lot cheaper

Link 4" Feernco Tee fitting http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BQQZEI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[pickles]

Cutting cast iron will either require a special "cracker" ( which can be rented), a cold chisel (skill and patience), or a carbide sawzall blade. The cracker is easy, the other two are not. Also be sure to support the pipe above the cut very, very well. The leaded joints can easily fail with all that weight hanging and you'll have a mess on your hands.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

What are peoples thoughts of DIY versus cost of a plumber?

I'd be happy to tell you, but I charge $150 an hour with a 2 hour minimum.

 

[pickles]

DIY will be a lot cheaper

Only if you know what your doing.

 

[cyclogenesis]

Cutting cast iron will either require a special "cracker" ( which can be rented), a cold chisel (skill and patience), or a carbide sawzall blade. The cracker is easy, the other two are not. Also be sure to support the pipe above the cut very, very well. The leaded joints can easily fail with all that weight hanging and you'll have a mess on your hands.

Yep..

I saw there is a device like a chain with blades in it you can use?

 

[cyclogenesis]

I'd be happy to tell you, but I charge $150 an hour with a 2 hour minimum.

EggsCrackly...

My desire to DIY comes from chatting to the plumber who did some emergency work when we bought the house (old people.... VERY blocked sewage pipes!) and asking how much it would cost to replace the Cast Iron with PVC... Something like $10,000

 

[onthekeg]

DIY will be a lot cheaper

Link 4" Feernco Tee fitting http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BQQZEI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I didn't know they made this style coupler now! Easy fix.

 

[the_bird]

EggsCrackly...

My desire to DIY comes from chatting to the plumber who did some emergency work when we bought the house (old people.... VERY blocked sewage pipes!) and asking how much it would cost to replace the Cast Iron with PVC... Something like $10,000

See, that's why I love living where I do. I've had plumbers come in and do all kinds of work, and it's usually just a couple hundred bucks.

This kind of job, I'd hire out. It's not going to be $10k, you aren't replacing all the cast iron (going into the walls), you're just having to cut it and tap in. In any case, get a couple plumbers over to give an estimate before making up your mind.

 

[cyclogenesis]

See, that's why I love living where I do. I've had plumbers come in and do all kinds of work, and it's usually just a couple hundred bucks.

This kind of job, I'd hire out. It's not going to be $10k, you aren't replacing all the cast iron (going into the walls), you're just having to cut it and tap in. In any case, get a couple plumbers over to give an estimate before making up your mind.

Yep.. that is the plan... But I do like to go in prepared!

Admittedly the plumber I called was a random one, I now "know a guy" who is doing a lot of other work for me and I will probably get one of his mates over...

 

[Dirtie]

Is there any visible connectors in the piping that you can get to like couplings, elbows or tees? If so then I would go from there and it would be a lot easier than cutting your pipe but I might have another solution for you if you don't have access to anything like that. also is it 1/2" I'm pretty sure it is.

 

[Dirtie]

If you have to cut your pipe the cut about a 3" section where you want to come down from. At ace where I work we have a fitting that has compression couplings on each end and tees down to a 1/2" FPT. These things are really easy to use just cut the pipe slide this thing on and tighten it down. Inset the threaded coupling and start running your plumbing. In the pics I have some 1/2 iron pipe to show you what I mean but yours will obviously not be threaded when you cut it. I know it will work and would only cost around 6 bucks if you already have a sawzall.

 

[the_bird]

I personally wouldn't be comfortable using a compression fitting on what sounds like the house's main plumbing drain. This is the main drain, right? Like five inches in diameter?

 

[Dirtie]

If its a drain then yeah he would have to do it a different way but I understood he wanted to supply it with water. But no most houses use 3" sometimes 4" if it needs the extra flow. In that case the hose clamp coupling would work as shown in a previous post. Those compression couplings are used in many applications and would hold up well enough to any typical pressure found in residential plumbing.

 

[cyclogenesis]

I personally wouldn't be comfortable using a compression fitting on what sounds like the house's main plumbing drain. This is the main drain, right? Like five inches in diameter?

This is one of two stacks.. but yeah, ~5"

 

[Dirtie]

I still don't believe it's 5" but what do I know. Anyways if I were you and you are looking for a way to drain I wouldn't tap into the main drain. I would simply just run a 1 1/2" line outside and let it flow. I mean how much would you be using it anyways.

 

[the_bird]

So, the OP wants to install a basin/sink where he can clean up his gear, and instead of actually hooking into his house's plumbing, you're proposing that he just run a line outside and let it "drain" out into the open? Really? That's the advice I'm going to get at Ace Hardware?

FWIW, the cast iron stack in my house has an outside diameter of 4 1/2", which I'm pretty sure it more-or-less standard.

 

[Dirtie]

You're right.

 

[Reelale]

So, the OP wants to install a basin/sink where he can clean up his gear, and instead of actually hooking into his house's plumbing, you're proposing that he just run a line outside and let it "drain" out into the open? Really? That's the advice I'm going to get at Ace Hardware?

FWIW, the cast iron stack in my house has an outside diameter of 4 1/2", which I'm pretty sure it more-or-less standard.

Actually, a lot of places allow that. It's Grey Water. As long as it's not lavatory or kitchen waste, a septic system or sewer connect is not required.

 

[lschiavo]

Actually, a lot of places allow that. It's Grey Water. As long as it's not lavatory or kitchen waste, a septic system or sewer connect is not required.

But he's in the basement...how will it just drain outside without a pump?

 

[the_bird]

He's also in Chicago; probably not a good idea to just run the waste water into the driveway in January.

 

[Reelale]

But he's in the basement...how will it just drain outside without a pump?

I guess it won't. I was just commenting on Gray Water discharge. If there is no floor drain, he'll have to tap the sewer line from the commode.

 

[Reelale]

He's also in Chicago; probably not a good idea to just run the waste water into the driveway in January.

Definitely. A sodded yard or a plant bedding area makes a great leach field though. Need to check local codes. Some require a retention basin and leach lines. Way more trouble than a sewer tap.

 

[Dirtie]

Definitely. A sodded yard or a plant bedding area makes a great leach field though. Need to check local codes. Some require a retention basin and leach lines. Way more trouble than a sewer tap.

Where we're going, We don't need codes!!

 

[lschiavo]

I guess it won't. I was just commenting on Gray Water discharge. If there is no floor drain, he'll have to tap the sewer line from the commode.

Yeah, I should not have quoted you. Sorry.

I agree with you. All my brew water/etc. Goes straight out the side of my garage on the lawn. Grass loves it.

 

[Reelale]

Where we're going, We don't need codes!!

Ha!

Yeah, I should not have quoted you. Sorry.

I agree with you. All my brew water/etc. Goes straight out the side of my garage on the lawn. Grass loves it.

No problem. Mine does too. 1 1/2" drain line through the wall for a utility sink. Grass never looked greener.

 

[the_bird]

Yeah, I should not have quoted you. Sorry.

I agree with you. All my brew water/etc. Goes straight out the side of my garage on the lawn. Grass loves it.

I don't have a problem with letting the waste water go into the yard (we all do that) when I'm cleaning up outside, it's just not an acceptable solution for the problem the OP presented. I certainly wouldn't hook up a slop sink in the basement (which is what I'm imagining the OP is thinking about) without it actually draining into the house's plumbing system; you're just asking for a mess otherwise.

 

[lschiavo]

I don't have a problem with letting the waste water go into the yard (we all do that) when I'm cleaning up outside, it's just not an acceptable solution for the problem the OP presented. I certainly wouldn't hook up a slop sink (which is what I'm imagining the OP is thinking about) without it actually draining into the house's plumbing system; you're just asking for a mess otherwise.

Yes. We are straying from the topic.

I also pee in my yard. If you spread it around it does no harm but if you just use one spot it seems to be bad for the grass.