Replacing sewer pipes in an apartment that was built during the Soviet era is a fundamental condition for the start of repairs. The old sewer communications are in disrepair and can no longer cope with the task in full. Doing it with your own hands is not as difficult as it seems, you just need to follow certain rules that experts advise you to follow. We will analyze in detail the question of how to change the water pipes and the sewer riser with your own hands. In addition, we will try to understand the reasons for replacing the riser and find out how long it will take.
Replacing the riser - preparatory work
Replacing a sewer riser with your own hands, as it may seem to many, is so complicated that it is simply impossible to do it with your own hands. This operation is not simple, but you can still do it yourself. Although if you have special skills and certain knowledge, secondary difficulties will not be an obstacle for you. But how to deal with the main problems?
Changing the sewer riser in the house with your own hands is a job for physically strong and developed people. The next problem is very limited space. After all, the sewerage located in the Soviet Khrushchev is very compact, and it is not easy to get access to it. In modern apartment buildings, the sewer communications system is laid in special shafts or basements, which also do not differ in large dimensions.
Replacing the sewer requires operations to change the sewer riser that are almost the same as the work to change the riser of the water pipe, because in both cases it will be necessary to dismantle part of the interior ceiling, and in the worst case, part of the floor ceiling. Therefore, it is easier to try to find a common language with neighbors about changing the riser, because all residents of an apartment building are interested in this.
In any case, you will have to talk with neighbors, because they must be made aware of the upcoming work, even if they refuse to replace the riser. After all, neighbors who live on floors above (if any) will have to refuse to use the sewer for the agreed time, since all drains will go directly to your home. Therefore, in addition to the preliminary preparation of tools, it is very important to negotiate peacefully with neighbors.
Necessary materials and tools
In modern houses, the replacement of a sewer riser has its own characteristics: in the basement and shafts, sewer pipes are made of polymer alloys (propylene, polyethylene). In order for the work to be done efficiently and the first time, you need to act according to the saying “measure seven times, cut one”. Therefore, the scheme of upcoming work is simply necessary. This will allow us to save time on rash actions, as well as avoid buying too much material. Only then do we begin to dismantle the old sewer communications.
What you need to buy at a hardware store:
- Cement, sand;
- Silicone based sealant;
- Plastic tee with a pipe diameter of 110 millimeters;
- Metal clamps;
- Plastic corners (for shifting the riser to the side);
- Compensator with a diameter of 110 millimeters;
- Plastic pipes with a diameter of 110 millimeters and a small margin in length from the required margin.
It is not possible to indicate the exact number of all listed components, because each case is unique, and there may be slight deviations in how many components to take in your particular case. Changing the riser with the efforts of housing and communal services workers will result in a fairly tangible amount, and everyone can buy the components listed above, so changing the sewer riser with your own hands is a justified decision from the point of view of economy.
What tools do you need to prepare:
- ladder / stepladder;
- perforator;
- hacksaw for metal;
- grinder with discs for various purposes;
- hammer and chisel;
- screwdrivers;
- mounting knife;
- trowel, spatula, bucket.
Dismantling the old riser
After the materials have been purchased and the tool has been prepared, you can begin to dismantle the old sewer riser. If the location of the riser is in a special shaft, then you will have to use a hammer and chisel to dismantle the protective material. As a rule, this is a brick or asbestos wall, and the asbestos wall must be dismantled very carefully, because it will have to be returned to its place. After the protective layer is removed, you can directly proceed to the analysis of the old riser.
First of all, according to the scheme drawn up earlier, it is necessary to break the old cast-iron pipe one and a half meters above the distribution tee. To do this, make cuts with a grinder with a disc designed to work with metal, or a hacksaw for metal, and then, using a hammer and chisel, break off the cut off fragment of the old pipe. Similar work is carried out under the ceiling (at a distance of 10-20 centimeters from the ceiling).
Important! When working with a hammer and chisel, be careful and make sure that fragments of cast iron do not get into the sewer system. To prevent accidental entry of such fragments, a tight gag from old rags is inserted into the incision, which is then easy to pull out. A gag made of rags can also come in handy in order to protect yourself and your apartment from the unpleasant smell that is in the sewer.
Now it is necessary to remove the cut off fragment of the old pipe located above the tee, and directly pull the tee up (a lot of effort will be required, so it is recommended to use a mount). As a last resort, it is necessary to deform the concrete floor around the tee.
The final step must be done with extreme caution. This is done in order not to touch the cast-iron riser below the tee during the application of mechanical stress. If you can’t get the device with your own hands, you will have to use a grinder and cut it into fragments, and then take them out until we free the pipe neck.
The socket of the pipe, which is located below, is also freed from small fragments of the tee. Now you can appreciate the power of persuading neighbors to change the sewer riser together. This will save you from unnecessary physical work, as well as reduce cash costs, since when buying a large number of goods in a hardware store, you can count on a good discount.
We collect and install a new sewer riser
In order not to cause additional inconvenience to neighbors who have already agreed to temporarily refuse to use the sewer, the assembly of a new riser should take a minimum of time, and all work must be done very quickly. The sequence diagram will look like this:
- On the upper part of the polypropylene pipe, which in the future will be connected to a cut piece of pipe sticking out from the ceiling, an adapter (cuff) is mounted, well lubricated with a silicone-based sealant.
- A plastic adapter is put on over the cuff.
- An identical adapter is put on the lower edge of the sewer pipe, having previously installed a plastic tee. All this device is carefully sealed. Next, you need to measure the section of the desired length with a compensator.
- The pipe must be inserted into the adapter, which is located on top. The pipe should be cut off 5 centimeters from the socket where the compensator is installed. All parts must be connected and additionally treated with a silicone-based sealant.
- The sewer riser is securely fixed with metal clamps to avoid longitudinal or transverse displacements of the sewer pipes.
- A protective layer is put in place (brickwork, or a previously dismantled fragment of an asbestos wall).
If work is to be done to replace the old metal tee with a new one made of polymeric materials, then, according to the recommendations of specialists, it is advisable to install the compensator immediately on the tee. If, in place of one sewer pipe, installation is required from the connection of two sewer pipes, then the compensator should be placed at the junction.
By and large, the work on replacing the sewer riser can be considered completed in full. It remains only to deal with wall cladding with various building materials. From this article, you can understand how difficult the process of replacing a sewer riser is. But it is quite justified and profitable from an economic point of view, therefore, before starting work, it is necessary to strictly follow the above instructions.
A professional plumber can provide invaluable assistance and give you some good advice on how to perform these operations. After all, in order not to quarrel with neighbors, all the proposed work must be done quickly and efficiently, within the agreed time. Make a plan in advance, and to ensure safety, all work should be done in protective gloves, goggles and a face mask.
