Replacing a sewer riser is a very troublesome process that requires certain knowledge, without which it will turn into a waste of your nerves, as well as the patience of your neighbors. After all, it is impossible to do without their participation in this process.
The preparatory stage is very important when replacing the sewer. It is necessary to measure everything in advance, calculate and prepare the material:
- Plastic pipes - check for seals in joints, sockets. The pipe diameter must be at least 110 mm. This is the standard, but there are sewer risers with a diameter of 160 and even 200 mm. Based on this, all other elements are bought;
- Tee or cross. It depends on the water supply system in the apartment;
- Adapter from cast iron to plastic and rubber cuff;
- Silicone sealant;
- Fixing pipes to walls.
From the tool you will need:
- Perforator, impact drill;
- Chisel, crowbar-nail puller;
- Sledgehammer;
- A grinder or other electric tool that will allow you to cut cast-iron pipes relatively evenly;
- Chisel, screwdriver;
- Safety glasses for safe work with power tools;
- Roulette;
- Rags. Needed to remove pollution, plug pipes.
All of the above should be ready by the time the replacement of the sewer riser in the apartment begins, since everything will have to be done as quickly as possible.
An important stage of preparation
Before replacing the sewer, it is necessary to shut off cold and hot water throughout the riser. After that, it is necessary to warn the neighbors from above so that they do not drain the water and do not flush the toilet. The more floors above the apartment, the more indignation will have to be heard, especially about the blocked water, but this is a necessity, otherwise the work of replacing pipes will turn into a living hell.
First you need to turn off the water, and then warn the neighbors, there are good reasons for this:
- If you warn people in advance, they can make a supply of water, which is undesirable;
- It is 100% guaranteed that someone will start washing dishes, flushing the toilet or taking a shower, even if they are warned that the sewers are being replaced on the lower floors. It must be remembered that neighbors are often very far from each other's problems and they are indifferent to the difficulties of others. Do not rely on their discretion.
Therefore, it is better to play it safe and shut off the water in advance, it is better to listen to the indignation of the neighbors than to swim in the drains and curse everyone and everything, including the ill-fated sewer riser.
It is also necessary to negotiate with neighbors above and below so that they are allowed to bring pipes to them, and it is better for everyone to work together to replace the sewer.
Dismantling
This is the most difficult stage when replacing the sewer riser. There are several points that must be taken into account, otherwise significant problems will arise, they can lead to additional costs of finance and time.
No need to dismantle old pipes with a sledgehammer. Cast iron - the metal is brittle and easily bursts on impact, so it may happen that you have to change the neighbors' sewers for your money. To avoid this, it is necessary to carefully cut the pipes with a grinder.
If a circular incision interferes with making a wall or other communications, you need to saw through the pipe in an accessible place, then place a chisel in the cut and gently break the pipe from the riser with a hammer.
Attention! It is necessary to first make cuts in the upper and lower parts of the riser, and only after that begin the removal of the pipe section to be replaced. In the lower part, the incision is made at a height of at least 1 meter above the tee. In the upper part, it is necessary to leave about 8 cm of the pipe in order to subsequently install the adapter from cast iron to plastic.
If it was not possible to agree with the neighbors, then you will have to cut off the sewer riser under the ceiling, and mint the tee.
A cast-iron pipe in the ceiling is not critical, but it can cause problems, since in the event of a leak everything will flow down, and the neighbors will not care much. In this case, everything depends on people, neighbors.
How to mint a tee
This can be quite difficult, apart from those options when it is fixed in the old way with a rope and a cable. In this case, it is necessary to loosen the tee by gentle tapping and pull it out of the socket. But if it is filled with sulfur, you will have to try to mint it.
Here you will need a gas cutter or a blowtorch. With their help, it is necessary to heat the joint of the pipe and the tee in a circle, the sulfur will soften and it will be possible to get the tee.
Attention! Sulfur is a dangerous chemical and when it is heated, toxic fumes that are hazardous to health will be released, so it is advisable to emboss the tee in a respirator, then create a draft and ventilate the room well.
All work related to the dismantling of the old cast-iron riser must be carried out very carefully, as you can get injured. Sharp splinters of cast iron cause deep cuts, and working with power tools is also a danger.
Now that the old, cast-iron tubes have been removed, you can assemble a new plastic riser.
Installation of a new riser
This is a fairly simple process. It is necessary to put on a rubber cuff on a cast-iron pipe under the ceiling, and install a plastic adapter on it. To make it easier to install the cuff, it can be lubricated with soapy water, and preferably with silicone sealant. The same operation is carried out with a tee.
Very important! Before installing rubber cuffs, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the pipes from contamination, the old seal (concerns the socket where the tee will be installed). Additionally, it is necessary to lubricate them with silicone.
After the bases are installed, the rest is installed sewers. The principle of their connection is very simple, it is necessary to insert the pipes into the socket. First you need to check the presence of a rubber seal there and lubricate it in a circle with sealant. Also for these purposes, special glue for PVC pipes can be used.
It is very important that the riser is assembled evenly, at right angles to the floor and parallel to the wall.
In this case, it is necessary to fix the pipes with the help of special clamps-fasteners. They are easily attached to the wall, it is enough to drill holes with a puncher. After installing the fasteners, it is necessary to tighten the clamp, fix the pipe. This is necessary to minimize the load on the new plastic sewer riser.
Now you can open the water to the delight of the neighbors, prepare a platform for the toilet, or if it is ready, install it and make sewer wiring (it is also called a comb) around the apartment.
