adding new toilet to stack in tower block

Discussion in 'Plumbers' Talk' started by fff, Jul 27, 2021.

  1. fff

    fff Active Member

    I would appreciate some advice if any plumber is around to answer my question.

    I live in a tower block. I have a toilet and bathroom separate with the stack system in between. No access panel but I plan to remove part of the wall behind the toilet in order to put in a new one with a frame and false wall for a hanging toilet. I can see how this can be done fairly easily. My question is I would like to add a toilet to the room on the other side of stack system which at the moment has bath and sink.

    Would this be done with a Y to the current toilet and new one with the Y entering the stack where at the moment the single pipe enters?

    Is this how it is done?

    Also I will be having a new shower and washing machine and sink which all need the waste planned out. Can they also be part of the same Y?

    Basically how do I put all these new wastes into the current stack? Will one new Y work and is this the correct way to do it?

    Many thanks for any advice.
     
  2. Would a double branch do it?
     

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    fff likes this.
  3. fff

    fff Active Member

    Because I haven't seen how the pipes enter the stack I am not sure how to do it. I presume that the stack has an access point at each point in the tower. I am not looking forward to investigating this. Does anyone know would I actually have to change anything going into the main stack or can I just modify at the point before the plumbing that enters the stack? Is there any reason that I wouldn't be able to use the same point of entry for all the waste from my flat?

    If I can put in a double branch this might be the answer. And I am wondering would I be able to enter this same pipe with waste from a washing machine and sink and shower? These would all be extra and need to access the stack somehow.
     
  4. best thing to do is start investigating, take some photos and post. No one can tell you if u can use what u have, as u don’t even know what u have there yet:)
    Bare in mind if u have to cut in to the stack and it feeds properties above then you have the very real possibility that the properties above will be flushing :eek:
     
    fff likes this.
  5. just pumps

    just pumps Screwfix Select

    Is it a leasehold flat, if so you might want to read the lease.
     
    Deleted member 246321 likes this.
  6. fff

    fff Active Member

    That would be absolutely horrendous haha
     
  7. fff

    fff Active Member

    It is a leasehold you are right. I have wondered about this. However, I know other leaseholders have done this so I was hoping to just quietly get on with it.
     
  8. fff

    fff Active Member

    Thank you. I have started investigating. I think I know what I have now. It looks like a horizontal soil pipe going off into a main vertical (serving all the floors of the tower).
    I think I would need to cut into the horizontal before it reaches my bathroom, then put on a branch to serve two toilets. If both are at correct drop angles that should work I think. I also need to add in for shower, basin and washing machine waste.
    I will post pics if anyone is willing to advise
     
  9. Yeah post some pics. Not too bad cutting in to the horizontal, I thought u meant u had to cut in to the vertical lol
     
  10. fff

    fff Active Member

    That really made me laugh. Imagine the horror. There are a few floors above me and two flats on each floor per soil stack.

    I now think I should ask permission from the council because I do not want to breach my lease. I am doing a whole house refurb. It is extremely difficult because I have to do it whilst living in the house. It is the sort of work you need an empty house for.

    One more question- I have noticed that when plumbers work on toilet pipes they do not seem to worry about the smell. Isn't it sewer gas when you open that pipe? The builder next door had the toilet out for about a week and just left the pipe open. It seemed ok but is that not unhealthy? There is nothing between horizontal and vertical soil so what about the smell? I just want some warning so I can prepare. (And send my son in to do that bit if necessary ha). Why do plumbers not immediately block the pipe when they are not working on it directly?
     
  11. I feel your pain, I am currently living in mine whilst carrying out a full refurb on a 100 year old property that hasn’t been touched in 50years, it makes life a lot harder living there.

    As for the open end, Most plumbers are used to the smell lol. It shouldn’t be left open all the time tho, whilst not there it should be bunged, some plumbers will use proper bungs that push in the pipe, or some will block with a bag taped on, or a towel stuffed in etc.
     
    fff likes this.
  12. fff

    fff Active Member

    Yes i have seen them bunged with a bag or even paper but it never seems enough and sometimes just open. Isn't it sewer smells? Like how bad?

    And yes so difficult whilst living in the house. i need to take all the floors up and it's impossible really with the mess and noise. I also worry about the impact on the neighbours from the noise. I need to fit new subfloor and put in an extra bathroom. Basically a whole refurb. It's a 1970s council flat. I would love to work on a 100 year old house but an empty building is what you need.
     
  13. fff likes this.
  14. fff

    fff Active Member

    I have now had a chance to investigate the current plumbing and can see that there is a soil stack with a branch coming off at each floor for each flat's toilet. This is a cast iron horizontal that takes a 90 degree turn into the flat for the toilet to connect. Can I cut this horizontal cast iron and fit a double T to allow two toilets?
    Can anyone advise?
     
  15. fff

    fff Active Member

    Would it make more sense if i posted photos?
    behind one toilet is brick wall. I have removed bricks in order to access soil pipe.
    The other wall is solid concrete and I would need to get into this for the new toilet in second bathroom. so the toilets would be back to back. soil pipes would need to be supported somehow before they join the cast iron horizontal because it is an open chimney type situation.
     

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