Former Montana state plumbing inspector, it would be nice to see more videos like this. So many homeowners wanting to do their own work get it wrong and wind up spending three to four times the cost. And when in doubt, call your local inspector. They are more than happy to come out and look and it WON'T COST A DIME! Better to be safe than have a real mess in the end.
Most inspectors are to nice, so most people don't reach out. I did some plumbing on my house. Had it inspected, it wasn't vented right. I asked him what was wrong and how to fix it. He said I ain't your contactor and walked off.
i’ve seen a couple of videos from out east were inspectors are helpful and come by to help you as you go. I did not have that same experience here in Kansas. I actually made a TH-cam video with a rant about the inspectors.
B-boo Duffy my apologies that some of us don't have all day to sit here and type the exact names for their licences for you. I'm a contractor in Washington state, I hold a C36/C20 in California, and am a Master plumber in Colorado. Currently working in Colorado Springs. Would you like my blood type as well?
I have been doing plumbing for 56 years, with the last 38 of those years working for myself in Australia as a licensed plumber, roof plumber, drainer, gas fitter and LPG installer I have seen many changes in the industry, some not good but most were. As an apprentice, I spent 5 years studying, 3 years to become a journeyman and 2 years of advanced plumbing to become licensed. I began with earthenware drainage pipes joined with cement, copper for hot and cold water, with copper wastes into cast iron stacks in multistory buildings. Also galvanised steel pipes for gas lines. Today, almost everything is in plastic. The worst is that a plumber today is more interested in the money than the job. Most of them think of a plumbing license as a license to print money. Even though as I am approaching 72, I still work part time as a licensed plumber. I like it too much to give up completely. There is some differences with what we call the fittings. For example; a sanitary 'T', we call an 88° square junction. We don't have "a combo wye and 1/8 bend", we just add a 45° bend to a 45° junction. We never use fractions to describe any fitting, only ever the degrees that it is, that reduces confusion. Our sanitary bend fittings come in 5, 15, 30, 45, 60 and 88 degrees.
Marti a....your comments and attitude is exactly why there are very few goog tradesman any more. They take it on for money and not a lifetime vocation. I'm a carpenter joiner and will never retire from learning more about my trade. More power to the dude still on the tools at 72. You see i know where he's coming from.😀😎
recently corrected plenty of these mistakes in a house a bought and currently doing a full house remodel. as well as added more venting. Before they decided that the waist pipe going from upstairs to down stairs needed more venting so they just drilled 3/4 inch holes on top of the pipe... you cant make that shit up. they tried to make the upstairs sink and shower drain uphill into the main which of course doesnt work. They used Ts instead of wyes or combos, used short radius 90s instead of long radius, ran to small diameter piping in places and went from 1 1/5 down to 1 1/4 from a banch to the main. found several joints incorrectly mated. decided glue was all it needed. lacked true supporting of piping which had sagged over time. a lot of which wasnt noticed until you removed the 3 foot of insulation off of it, or pulled the drywall to see it. Or well lack of drywall and more paneling. Even the domestic water was a mess, PVC main, switch to cpvc to copper back to cpvc, back to copper. ripped it all out except the main, added a true main shut off inside the house back at the point it comes out of the ground. I know some will boo and hiss, but i went with pex as a replacement. In union commercial construction anyway. Most of the guys were telling me why not copper, pex isnt real plumbing. I said The price. Im doing it out of pocket, copper is nice and i dont mind it when im not paying for it. but I couldnt justify using copper in my house do to the price. so I went with pex and used the copper crimp rings vs the stainless pinch ring. No shark bites, ive seen those fail to offend. I have used the caps for temporary while testing or getting some plumbing working to at least have running water. I was going to use a pex manifold but for this house i couldnt justify the cost of one. but none the less i did install isolation between upstairs and down stairs as well as a shut off before and after the water softener and water heater. Might be over kill but if something happens i want to have control quickly.
As a drain tech I thank you for this, I hope an installer learns from this. One other thing that is code that I wish wasn't is the use of double wyes. A sewer cable has a very difficult time with making the turn. It almost always goes straight across unless there is a length of pipe between the wye and 45. Usually they are put in with street 45s into the wye or are part of the fitting itself. I have watched on camera cables going right across these fittings. I have also watched waste getting deposited up into the opposing branch after a toilet flush. The waste is pushed up and is left there as the water drains out. If the branch that is receiving this waste doesn't get used much it will eventually become clogged from the other branch line. This was a serious head scratcher for us until we actually witnessed in on video.
Amen Hammerpedia! I've been cleaning drains & sewers for over 30 years. You are dead on. Nothing more frustrating than a tee when there should be a combo or wye. I recently cleared a bathtub line where the homeowner did his own plumbing. He said he couldn't get the trap to line up with the tub drain, so he built a "360 degree loop" followed by a p-trap. My stomach sank. This was in the basement with a concrete floor. Getting a 1/4" cable through it was hell, but with lots of persistence I got the cable through and into the main sewer. The water drained great. There was just one problem.........I opened the back flow prevention device (it was about 5 feet away) and I saw the cable in there. Problem was, there was no water coming through. Hmmm. That means the pipe broke under the concrete. Sorry mister homeowner, but if you don't know how to plumb, this can be the result. Last I knew, he was jack hammering his basement floor. Thanks for the video.
Wow! This is among the best-produced and thorough youtube videos I've ever watched. I'm preparing (watching lots of videos and reading plumbing books!) to replace my entire DWV stack and the bathroom fittings in my 1920 house. As soon as I can scrape together $50 for your ebook, I will definitely buy it. Again, great video.
The National Standard Plumbing Code used in New Jersey allows short pattern fittings to be used in horizontal to horizontal changes in direction. But only for individual fixtures.
Thanks for sharing this. Great information. As a plumber for 35 years, I tell inspectors all the time to call me if this line backs up so I can watch a maintenance man pull a ceiling cleanout plug for a stoppage on floor above. He responds and said "It's the code" and I say "don't forget to call me!" Lol
Lisa O'Donnell oh indeed it is! In TH-cam now watching music vids, saw your notification! Lol I'll send you a video of why ceiling clean outs shouldn't be used.
Why would anyone pull a main line clean out plug inside of a building. I've been in the business for well over 40 years. I'm not sure I've ever pulled an inside clean out. Go outside and open the outside clean out. Run the snake back towards the building. 99% of the time mains do not plug inside a building anyways. The weight of the water will push anything you can put down a toilet clear out of the building. What stops up then. Is roots, broken pipes, pipes don't plug unless the waste has something to hang up on.
I swear our computers are listening in on us, only last night my neighbours emptying of her bath tub resulted in much gargling in my bath waste. Her dad is a plumber! and ever since he made an alteration in her bathroom my bath drain is noisier, To cut along story short, it woke me up, the computer must have heard my rantings and low and behold just the following day the 'potential' answer, come source of my troubles is most likely in this video. Thank you for posting, so nice to hear from people with a really professional outlook and conduct. I do a bit of plumbing myself sometimes so I am without doubt taking on board what you have said.
Thanks for posting this - best I've seen so far. I'm not a plumber, but I like to know what's going on so I can make sure work is done right when plumbers do it, and for easier tasks, when I do it.
Today is the last day of 41 years of doing plumbing. And it's not like I took time off to do something else. Too bad. All that I've learned in that time will now disappear into the mist. It will have to be learned by a newby all over again. Nobody is interested. Mistakes will be made, over and over. And the clients will bear the brunt. The march of time.
This is the first video of yours I've seen, fantastic information and providing things free is above and beyond, sir. Thank you and Godspeed Mr. Spitz!
You Sir are the Best at Plumbing Knowledge & a Life Saver for providing your Amazing guides to you're viewers. I have Liked, Subscribed & now commented on you're video ..this is the least I can do, to show my appreciation for you're work...thank you!
Trick I learned from a Australian plumber years ago. Have to install a toe tap tub waste on a slab? With plastic tee,boot and overflow? Lay a piece of plywood on the floor and tack a piece on the studs. Use a pencil to mark the plywood through the holes. Then, pull aside the tub, make your measurements, using your marks. You'll never have a boot too low or too high. Same with the overflow.
Old Builder here (72) and it makes me chuckle to see how many "master plumbers/inspectors/pros...." comment here after watching! :-) You figure they wouldn't need to be watching any of this on YT, right? haaaaa.... Me...I just like pretty pictures :-) Thanks for the show!!
I used sanitary ts as shown on horizontal piping during my remodel a bunch of years ago. It passed rough inspection no problem, only afterwards did I realize what I had done. I spent a couple days and redid all the waste piping to have proper y's. It made sense then, and now. Local code required it too, which made me pretty disappointed in the local inspection office.
Hammerpedia I live in a major metropolitan area with over a million people in the area. My little "suburb" has their own inspection department. Believe it or not I don't even need a permit for gas piping but I need 2 permits and 3 inspections for a garden shed. Their plumbing inspector just graduated college and works for numerous areas. I felt like a complete idiot when I realized what I did. At least due to cleanouts and access to all the plumbing it likely wouldn't have been end of the world had I left it. I felt a lot better knowing it was right. The inspector never commented on the final on anything, and I didn't mention it to him since he was in a hurry. Pretty crazy to think that's the best a 500$ permit fee could get.
Hammerpedia Yes.. a pre pour inspection to check gravel depth/forms, after pour to verify concrete depth, and a final after the shed is on it. The type of shed doesn't matter, plastic or do it yourself. You also have to pay 300$ for a certified lot survey, plus 45 for the permit. You also have to prove it will handle something like a 25 to 45 pound per square foot snow load rating even though we barely get a a foot of snow in a month. Yet there are no inspections or permits for gas piping. So strange how things differ in every city lol.
Another reason why people have so little confidence in so-called inspectors. Also when in some places there is no fee schedule for permits but instead it's a percentage of the job estimate it becomes obvious that the permits are really just a tax and not actually for safety.
Hi, must vent pipe be vertically straight to the roof? Can it be like an upside-down L shape going out through wall? I installed a new bathroom, but i dont want to open another hole on the roof. Can the vent pipe go out through the wall instead? Thanks
Thanks Dylan! I could have saved myself a failed rough-in drain plumbing inspection had I seen this video first. :) I just received your free PDF download cheat sheet for this. Thanks! I got the impression it was going to be more than what you showed on the screen during the video, but I like it and saved it for future reference nonetheless! Looking forward to more videos! :)
if you are watching this video to learn plumbing may i suggest buying the illustrated plumbing book. also attend a class about backflow. Find a plumber that has years of experience doing residential and commercial construction. Check with your local utility and see if thay have seminars on heating. Learn about controls regulation venting and venting.
I've had this argument many times with my Foreman that we need to use sweeps instead of 90's. In Georgia its common to use 90's. I think the reason my company and foreman are so cool with using 90's is that they cost less, but I also feel its because they've always been new construction plumbers and not service plumbers. They don't realize how much more of a pain in the ass a 90 can be to snake a cable through. A sweep is much easier to service.
Not all Codes. I'd suggest reading The National Standard Plumbing Code (IAPMO) 2.3.1a 2 Short radius fittings may be used in the drain piping of an individual fixture.
After observing failure after failure during inspections of master plumbers installations/ rough-ins, I’ve just come with a few simple rules that guarantee avoidance of most issues. In the case of this video, the rule is simple: NEVER use a sanitary T in drainage except in a vertical orientation at a trap arm connection. No need to learn all the do’s and don’ts when following one rule is all that’s needed
Most of the problems are back flow and or sucking the P trap dry. I agree with your video. However I would do a back up video of why these codes exist. To explain proper venting, back flow or P trap safety. Such as keeping out sewer gas and the reason these codes exist to prevent future problems, or dangers of not having proper flow, vrs suction. Good video by the way. I believe the more people understand why these codes exist, the more likely they will follow the codes. ;)
Dan Bedard He clearly stated in the video that even professionals are guilty of making this mistake. It helps to have some cursory knowledge of these things so you can potentially spot an error that is being done on your house. It also could keep the help honest and in top form if they know the person understand the basics
I can’t believe UPC says no to a 1/4 bend for a vertical to horizontal line! That’s crazy. What’s maximum 2” pipe mean though for diameter? Like IPC says you can use one but with an asterix.
0:20 Every tract home in my town is plumbed like this, the left being from the kitchen and the right coming from the washer in the garage. Every house has problems and all have back ups in both. Plus a 1/2 inch ONLY drop in 40 ft. of line. LOL My job, inform and replace for money. Tract homes will keep plumbers busy for years to come.
Indeed, workers just haphazardly build your house anyway and close it up, people have no idea how crappy a lot of builders are but the phrase "lipstick on a pig" comes to mind.
The video only covers one of the issues that is displayed in the picture provided. The other issue is with the pipe that is upstream of the fitting that was discussed. It is one of two things, either a vent or a stack, but whichever it is, the configuration is wrong. "Dry" vents are not allowed on a horizontal, they require a fixture will wash the pipe so as displayed it cannot be just a vent. If the verticle pipe goes up and leads to a bathroom group or any other fixtures, it would require a sanitary tee with a cleanout or a "y" with a 45 * fitting going up with a cleanout at the base of the stack, which isn't there. This is added info, not a crique of was shown in the video.
Not sure if or why code book says you can't connect 2 horizontal pipes with a T because you can. You just can't lay a T on it's side. You can however bring a horizontal pipe in on a higher elevation and turn the T up to a minimum of 45 degrees.
In Australia if homeowners performed their own plumbing work especially on sewer drainage systems, hot or cold water supply or gas fitting works they would be subject to prosecution by law. The only advice a Plumbing Inspection would give a homeowner here is to use a licensed Plumber for all of the above work and to ensure the Plumber provides a Certificate of Compliance upon completion of the work.
It's really unbelievable the mistake's I find, lately it's been no traps on laundry tubs. I can't figure out why anyone would think it isn't necessary.
I had noticed smells at the top of the landing in my cousins house. Where the laundry room is. I poured a glass of water under the washer, and fixed it. 😉
Hammerpedia, Why does my toilet only flush every other time? The tank fills up every time and is not leaking but the bowl only empties every other time that it is flushed.
I've run across this several times. Have you put a blue jell like cleaner in you toilet tank? I believe these jell packs do something where the water comes into the toilet around the rim of the bowl. In those cases, I've had to replace the toilets.
Is the refill tube working? The water level in the bowl is critical. Do you have a fluidmaster BCV? It's important that the refill tube doesn't stick below the tank's water level.
So what issue would this cause? I have this and the straight run “not coming in through the sanitary t” is backing up but I’ve cleared it with an auger and checked for vents being blocked and nothing. Will drain if after a few days and gurgles the whole time when it’s drained enough to do laundry. The toilet that comes in of the sanitary t has worked fine the whole time so not down the line it’s just the straight branch off the t.
This is for directional flow having to do with drain cleaning. I believe it’s still code in my area to use a double wye but if it were up to a lot of local plumbers they would make them illegal to use , either above or below ground.
New Jersey has it's approved codes online free pdf as laws in the state. NJUCC gives the plumbing codes to National Standard Plumbing Code. The right year's is listed as law and can be read.
can this Reducing Double Sanitary Tee, All Hub, 4" X 4" X 2" X 2" be used under a toilet one 2" will go to a walkin shower drain the other 2" will go to a vanity sink drain?
@@johnnyvannoy8931 true. But not impossible, I've seen it happen before in tight spaces for other uses. That's the whole idea of knowing how to use the code.
Well you are right on that knowing how to use the code references . Most codes do leave it up to the AHJ to make rulings on these situations. Normally it’s done thru the code modification process, where one has to show and alternate method to meet the spirit and intent of the code .
And then there was the crew sent out by ServiceMaster that made up a drain line with a santee in the reverse direction! But at least they were consistent. They also hooked up the bathroom supply lines to the old, abandoned iron piping!
I immediately subscribed to your channel because of the informative code and extra details in your video, Thank you so much for your time and efforts sir, God Bless.
Thank you very much for the information, just moved to a house with this problem, toilet so closeto a T that waste backs up!!! now I now how to solve the problem
Dylan, can you help plan out the upgrade of an historic house? I have unfinished areas and areas to be updated like the empty kitchen, and need more bathrooms, a real full bathroom, kitchen drains, laundry maybe on the second floor, well everything. Do you make house calls? I could use some help in the planning parts. I downloaded your papers many years ago and use the pictures often. I was planning on putting a laundry on the back porch once I finish cutting out the gigantic oil burning sheet metal vents because the HVAC guys won’t use them so I have no heat, or AC but Ned bathrooms and laundry. So then I thought why not put it upstairs…. Ugh help please.
If I use a combination wye can I add a 45 directly to the end of sweep? Almost a 180 turn. It will be stubbing out at the far right side of my sink cabinet and I would need to turn it back towards the sink a little.
What is the proper connection for separate shower drain next to tub drain? Do each need p-trap? What prevents the volume of tub water from escaping into shower? Vent is clear, and no blockages. Thank You!
The only time to use a elbow is either for a toliet or venting. Dont let a inspector see a elbow on your lines. Use 90s or 45s u can never fail with those
This is especially the case in apartment buildings where clogs and buildups are far more inaccessible in many cases and a snake trying from horizontal drain trying to go down a T , is really frustrating ,even with a floating head on the snake why oh wye didn't they figure this stuff out long ago
I have a 12 square meter roof and i want to affix a rain floor drain with a downwards pipe. What is the smallest ammount of tickness. Can it be less than 7 cms? Thanks.
Hmmm... When I read the IRC plumbing code, connecting a horizontal drain to another horizontal drain must be > 45 degrees to the center line of the drain being connected to. Looks like you connect at 0 degrees. ???? Am I missing something?
As a master plumber in West Virginia I stand by it as well.Unfortunetly I see it FAR to much.And what's worse than someone laying a tree on its side is the inspector is the person who should have caught it.But u say dwv code doesnt allow a tee on it side but it does when it's a vent.So what u are saying is only partially right.The appreciation dwv means drain waste vent.So your right but wrong.If it's a drain u cannot lay a tee on its side.But if it's a vent u can.By the way I dont lay tees on there side ever.I just know u can in a vent.Most people dont even know that the pipe that drains the water out of the fixture was only designed to have liquid in its bottom 1/3 rd.The other 2/3 rds is for air to pass back and forth.
Yeah a gravity drain needs that air in it work properly and a bigger pipe imparts less resistance to the liquid, hence why a 3" or 4" pipe is used enough though the trap portion on a toilet is a lot smaller.
Probably nothing substantial where as if you were picking up a toilet on same branch that’s be an issue because of the toilet paper blocking up from the improper tee
well you will get some smells coming back up the pipe especially without traps. if you then have others off that line you will have to have a puff pipe separate to exit above the highest window. Thailand carries out the same way and the pipes do not have run on them. I personally have seen hospital toil
Toilets all choked because they did not have sufficient width in the piping and no run. It is just about every house and buildings through out Thailand. They build houses themselves without training or knowledge. I presume this all comes from the states but perhaps im wrong. Ex plumber site agent and clerk of works. Work in UK had to be checked out especially drainage before it was infilled which included a smoke or water test.
So I'm not a plumber I'm a carpenter I had to do a repair for a sink drain when I was done I realized my tee is upside down how worried should I be I cant replace it without re doing the whole job..its in a real tight spot
Is it possible to plumb a whole house interior with schedule 80 (gray pipe) with all the various bends?!?! I saw a video of a high end home being built and they said it was being done there as more of a sound deadening material but I hadn’t heard of it before.... Thanks
I am installing 3 salon backwash shampoo bowls side by side and need to create a simple drain chain for all of them to flow into one pipe. Do you have a product that I can buy that addresses the best way to do this to code? Thanks in advance!
Well damn, I recently repaired some terrible plumbing on my house and used a t-fitting to plumb in my washing machine drain. What is the reason for this code? Prone to leaking or clogging?
Clogging. When a sanitary tee is used, the water hits the opposite wall and drops solids before continuing. You needn't worry. W/M's put out so much water and so few solids that a tee on its side shouldn't be a problem. Of course, that's assuming the p-trap and piping are 2".
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When you have a sink in the garage and it's hooked up to the bathroom sink and they want to put a garbage disposal in the in the garage yes or no
Please reply
This guy is doing the Lord’s work, I tell ya... what an incredible resource.
I know right! He's amazing
Former Montana state plumbing inspector, it would be nice to see more videos like this. So many homeowners wanting to do their own work get it wrong and wind up spending three to four times the cost. And when in doubt, call your local inspector. They are more than happy to come out and look and it WON'T COST A DIME! Better to be safe than have a real mess in the end.
based this is the way
Most inspectors are to nice, so most people don't reach out. I did some plumbing on my house. Had it inspected, it wasn't vented right. I asked him what was wrong and how to fix it. He said I ain't your contactor and walked off.
@@cfg7523 yep.. moral of the story, hire a professional plumber so it won’t cost you time and having to do it all over again in the future.
Here in va inspectors cost a TON of money
i’ve seen a couple of videos from out east were inspectors are helpful and come by to help you as you go. I did not have that same experience here in Kansas. I actually made a TH-cam video with a rant about the inspectors.
As a master plumber in Colorado and Washington I stand by this video. Thank you for giving folks this info.
Master Plumber in WA?
B-boo Duffy my apologies that some of us don't have all day to sit here and type the exact names for their licences for you. I'm a contractor in Washington state, I hold a C36/C20 in California, and am a Master plumber in Colorado. Currently working in Colorado Springs. Would you like my blood type as well?
Username checks out. All I need is your shop's name.
The Whole Truth and Nothing But ... combo ... Journeyman Plumber here .. peace ✌️
Matthew AZ boy same to you brother
I have been doing plumbing for 56 years, with the last 38 of those years working for myself in Australia as a licensed plumber, roof plumber, drainer, gas fitter and LPG installer
I have seen many changes in the industry, some not good but most were.
As an apprentice, I spent 5 years studying, 3 years to become a journeyman and 2 years of advanced plumbing to become licensed.
I began with earthenware drainage pipes joined with cement, copper for hot and cold water, with copper wastes into cast iron stacks in multistory buildings. Also galvanised steel pipes for gas lines.
Today, almost everything is in plastic.
The worst is that a plumber today is more interested in the money than the job.
Most of them think of a plumbing license as a license to print money.
Even though as I am approaching 72, I still work part time as a licensed plumber.
I like it too much to give up completely.
There is some differences with what we call the fittings.
For example; a sanitary 'T', we call an 88° square junction.
We don't have "a combo wye and 1/8 bend", we just add a 45° bend to a 45° junction.
We never use fractions to describe any fitting, only ever the degrees that it is, that reduces confusion.
Our sanitary bend fittings come in 5, 15, 30, 45, 60 and 88 degrees.
Kenneth Lyneham mi
Wouldn't the only 88 degree fitting be a sanitary tee?
Marti a....your comments and attitude is exactly why there are very few goog tradesman any more. They take it on for money and not a lifetime vocation. I'm a carpenter joiner and will never retire from learning more about my trade. More power to the dude still on the tools at 72. You see i know where he's coming from.😀😎
Martin Allen The man enjoys what he does.When you love what you do it isn't work.
Kenneth Lyneham
NononmlnikkiNJmp
Thanks. I was getting ready to convert a single sink drain into a double and I think you just saved me a headache.
recently corrected plenty of these mistakes in a house a bought and currently doing a full house remodel. as well as added more venting. Before they decided that the waist pipe going from upstairs to down stairs needed more venting so they just drilled 3/4 inch holes on top of the pipe... you cant make that shit up. they tried to make the upstairs sink and shower drain uphill into the main which of course doesnt work. They used Ts instead of wyes or combos, used short radius 90s instead of long radius, ran to small diameter piping in places and went from 1 1/5 down to 1 1/4 from a banch to the main. found several joints incorrectly mated. decided glue was all it needed. lacked true supporting of piping which had sagged over time. a lot of which wasnt noticed until you removed the 3 foot of insulation off of it, or pulled the drywall to see it. Or well lack of drywall and more paneling. Even the domestic water was a mess, PVC main, switch to cpvc to copper back to cpvc, back to copper. ripped it all out except the main, added a true main shut off inside the house back at the point it comes out of the ground. I know some will boo and hiss, but i went with pex as a replacement. In union commercial construction anyway. Most of the guys were telling me why not copper, pex isnt real plumbing. I said The price. Im doing it out of pocket, copper is nice and i dont mind it when im not paying for it. but I couldnt justify using copper in my house do to the price. so I went with pex and used the copper crimp rings vs the stainless pinch ring. No shark bites, ive seen those fail to offend. I have used the caps for temporary while testing or getting some plumbing working to at least have running water. I was going to use a pex manifold but for this house i couldnt justify the cost of one. but none the less i did install isolation between upstairs and down stairs as well as a shut off before and after the water softener and water heater. Might be over kill but if something happens i want to have control quickly.
There's a saying about the person that did the plumbing before you, "They know enough to be dangerous". Lacking Common Sence.
As a drain tech I thank you for this, I hope an installer learns from this. One other thing that is code that I wish wasn't is the use of double wyes. A sewer cable has a very difficult time with making the turn. It almost always goes straight across unless there is a length of pipe between the wye and 45. Usually they are put in with street 45s into the wye or are part of the fitting itself. I have watched on camera cables going right across these fittings. I have also watched waste getting deposited up into the opposing branch after a toilet flush. The waste is pushed up and is left there as the water drains out. If the branch that is receiving this waste doesn't get used much it will eventually become clogged from the other branch line. This was a serious head scratcher for us until we actually witnessed in on video.
You actually gave a really cool explanation. Thank you.
Perhaps you should start a TH-cam site showing your camera views of such issues as you come across them. Maybe you will be the next TH-cam Star.
Amen Hammerpedia! I've been cleaning drains & sewers for over 30 years. You are dead on. Nothing more frustrating than a tee when there should be a combo or wye.
I recently cleared a bathtub line where the homeowner did his own plumbing. He said he couldn't get the trap to line up with the tub drain, so he built a "360 degree loop" followed by a p-trap. My stomach sank. This was in the basement with a concrete floor.
Getting a 1/4" cable through it was hell, but with lots of persistence I got the cable through and into the main sewer. The water drained great. There was just one problem.........I opened the back flow prevention device (it was about 5 feet away) and I saw the cable in there. Problem was, there was no water coming through. Hmmm. That means the pipe broke under the concrete.
Sorry mister homeowner, but if you don't know how to plumb, this can be the result.
Last I knew, he was jack hammering his basement floor.
Thanks for the video.
The item you are referring to is a Backwater Valve for drains.
A Backflow Preventer is for potable water.
Wow! This is among the best-produced and thorough youtube videos I've ever watched. I'm preparing (watching lots of videos and reading plumbing books!) to replace my entire DWV stack and the bathroom fittings in my 1920 house. As soon as I can scrape together $50 for your ebook, I will definitely buy it. Again, great video.
The National Standard Plumbing Code used in New Jersey allows short pattern fittings to be used in horizontal to horizontal changes in direction. But only for individual fixtures.
Can you make more videos please? I'm an apprentice plumber and your videos are the best I can find.
Thanks for sharing this. Great information. As a plumber for 35 years, I tell inspectors all the time to call me if this line backs up so I can watch a maintenance man pull a ceiling cleanout plug for a stoppage on floor above. He responds and said "It's the code" and I say "don't forget to call me!" Lol
I don't get it. Obviously you have to be a plumber. Something is code but stupid nonetheless?
Lisa O'Donnell oh indeed it is! In TH-cam now watching music vids, saw your notification! Lol I'll send you a video of why ceiling clean outs shouldn't be used.
Can't find video of apprentice pulling plug from cleanout on floor below stoppage but it's classic.
Why would anyone pull a main line clean out plug inside of a building. I've been in the business for well over 40 years. I'm not sure I've ever pulled an inside clean out. Go outside and open the outside clean out. Run the snake back towards the building. 99% of the time mains do not plug inside a building anyways. The weight of the water will push anything you can put down a toilet clear out of the building. What stops up then. Is roots, broken pipes, pipes don't plug unless the waste has something to hang up on.
I swear our computers are listening in on us, only last night my neighbours emptying of her bath tub resulted in much gargling in my bath waste. Her dad is a plumber! and ever since he made an alteration in her bathroom my bath drain is noisier, To cut along story short, it woke me up, the computer must have heard my rantings and low and behold just the following day the 'potential' answer, come source of my troubles is most likely in this video. Thank you for posting, so nice to hear from people with a really professional outlook and conduct. I do a bit of plumbing myself sometimes so I am without doubt taking on board what you have said.
Thanks for posting this - best I've seen so far. I'm not a plumber, but I like to know what's going on so I can make sure work is done right when plumbers do it, and for easier tasks, when I do it.
No matter when you recorded this video; it will always be relative as long as there is “PLUMBING “!
I Am going to use this info.
Now!
Today is the last day of 41 years of doing plumbing. And it's not like I took time off to do something else. Too bad. All that I've learned in that time will now disappear into the mist. It will have to be learned by a newby all over again. Nobody is interested. Mistakes will be made, over and over. And the clients will bear the brunt. The march of time.
richard wysham So ypu did it wrong for 41 years?
Yeah, That's right. I can retire as a plumber, but a Bitch is a Bitch forever
Richard, thanks for your 41 years of service to the plumbing industry!
richard wysham make videos!
Thank you,Sir.
This is the first video of yours I've seen, fantastic information and providing things free is above and beyond, sir. Thank you and Godspeed Mr. Spitz!
You Sir are the Best at Plumbing Knowledge & a Life Saver for providing your Amazing guides to you're viewers.
I have Liked, Subscribed & now commented on you're video
..this is the least I can do, to show my appreciation for you're work...thank you!
Thanks!
Trick I learned from a Australian plumber years ago. Have to install a toe tap tub waste on a slab? With plastic tee,boot and overflow? Lay a piece of plywood on the floor and tack a piece on the studs. Use a pencil to mark the plywood through the holes. Then, pull aside the tub, make your measurements, using your marks. You'll never have a boot too low or too high. Same with the overflow.
I am an apprentice but Ive ran into this a lot surprisingly, Im glad my boss taught me up on the subject
Useful information. In short, when in doubt, use the largest radius bend that you can fit in the available space.
Old Builder here (72) and it makes me chuckle to see how many "master plumbers/inspectors/pros...." comment here after watching! :-) You figure they wouldn't need to be watching any of this on YT, right? haaaaa.... Me...I just like pretty pictures :-) Thanks for the show!!
Great video. You showed us handymen important complex information in an easy to understand way. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
I'm so glad that I live in an area that doesn't have any building codes. No added expense, and no problems.
Michael Michael ...... Talk about an oxymoron.
I used sanitary ts as shown on horizontal piping during my remodel a bunch of years ago. It passed rough inspection no problem, only afterwards did I realize what I had done. I spent a couple days and redid all the waste piping to have proper y's. It made sense then, and now. Local code required it too, which made me pretty disappointed in the local inspection office.
Good for you for making it right. Can't believe your inspector missed that one.
Hammerpedia
I live in a major metropolitan area with over a million people in the area. My little "suburb" has their own inspection department. Believe it or not I don't even need a permit for gas piping but I need 2 permits and 3 inspections for a garden shed. Their plumbing inspector just graduated college and works for numerous areas. I felt like a complete idiot when I realized what I did. At least due to cleanouts and access to all the plumbing it likely wouldn't have been end of the world had I left it. I felt a lot better knowing it was right. The inspector never commented on the final on anything, and I didn't mention it to him since he was in a hurry. Pretty crazy to think that's the best a 500$ permit fee could get.
That is crazy...a garden shed
Hammerpedia
Yes.. a pre pour inspection to check gravel depth/forms, after pour to verify concrete depth, and a final after the shed is on it. The type of shed doesn't matter, plastic or do it yourself. You also have to pay 300$ for a certified lot survey, plus 45 for the permit. You also have to prove it will handle something like a 25 to 45 pound per square foot snow load rating even though we barely get a a foot of snow in a month. Yet there are no inspections or permits for gas piping. So strange how things differ in every city lol.
Another reason why people have so little confidence in so-called inspectors. Also when in some places there is no fee schedule for permits but instead it's a percentage of the job estimate it becomes obvious that the permits are really just a tax and not actually for safety.
Anyone running DWV, should have these basics in the forefront of their minds when slinging pipe
Hi, must vent pipe be vertically straight to the roof? Can it be like an upside-down L shape going out through wall?
I installed a new bathroom, but i dont want to open another hole on the roof. Can the vent pipe go out through the wall instead? Thanks
As a Master Plumber & Gas Furnace Installer in Scotland, I 100% approve of this video. It's the same over here.
;)
Thanks Dylan! I could have saved myself a failed rough-in drain plumbing inspection had I seen this video first. :) I just received your free PDF download cheat sheet for this. Thanks! I got the impression it was going to be more than what you showed on the screen during the video, but I like it and saved it for future reference nonetheless! Looking forward to more videos! :)
Thanks Tom!
I wish I could do videos like this. I save your videos to show Construction apprentices that get assigned to my big jobs.
if you are watching this video to learn plumbing may i suggest buying the illustrated plumbing book. also attend a class about backflow. Find a plumber that has years of experience doing residential and commercial construction. Check with your local utility and see if thay have seminars on heating. Learn about controls regulation venting and venting.
I've had this argument many times with my Foreman that we need to use sweeps instead of 90's. In Georgia its common to use 90's. I think the reason my company and foreman are so cool with using 90's is that they cost less, but I also feel its because they've always been new construction plumbers and not service plumbers. They don't realize how much more of a pain in the ass a 90 can be to snake a cable through. A sweep is much easier to service.
Going from a new con plumber to a maintenance plumber, I agree. Though we would use long sweeps where applicable in the code.
I thought sanitary tee joints were primarily used in venting applications.
I'm a ga GC, and caught that instantly...
a sweep is a 1/4 bend! 90's are technically not a callout for drain fittings per code books!
Get away from those Ratty non-union plumbing shops in the South. If you work in a union shop, you learn how to do things correctly. Thnx.
This is why I always call a pro for larger projects
Not all Codes. I'd suggest reading The National Standard Plumbing Code (IAPMO) 2.3.1a 2 Short radius fittings may be used in the drain piping of an individual fixture.
I purchased the course and it is excellent.
Thanks Roy!
After observing failure after failure during inspections of master plumbers installations/ rough-ins, I’ve just come with a few simple rules that guarantee avoidance of most issues. In the case of this video, the rule is simple: NEVER use a sanitary T in drainage except in a vertical orientation at a trap arm connection. No need to learn all the do’s and don’ts when following one rule is all that’s needed
Everything depends on what your code book in your area calls for.
Makes sense, thanks
Most of the problems are back flow and or sucking the P trap dry. I agree with your video. However I would do a back up video of why these codes exist. To explain proper venting, back flow or P trap safety. Such as keeping out sewer gas and the reason these codes exist to prevent future problems, or dangers of not having proper flow, vrs suction. Good video by the way. I believe the more people understand why these codes exist, the more likely they will follow the codes. ;)
Great points Chris.
Or if you want to do the plumbing...go get trained properly maybe? Stop relying on the professionals to make free videos on how to.
Dan Bedard
He clearly stated in the video that even professionals are guilty of making this mistake. It helps to have some cursory knowledge of these things so you can potentially spot an error that is being done on your house. It also could keep the help honest and in top form if they know the person understand the basics
Dan Bedard You've been making this mistake, that's why you came here to get educated! LMAO
Or they can just follow this or do ur 5 year apprenticeship like most do
I can’t believe UPC says no to a 1/4 bend for a vertical to horizontal line! That’s crazy. What’s maximum 2” pipe mean though for diameter? Like IPC says you can use one but with an asterix.
Great job. You have a really good voice for narration. Very clear and articulate.
Thanks Peter!
Exactly what I found under my house that’s clogged🤦♂️ Great video-answered every question in minutes!
Awesome! Laymans description of what to use. This will be quite helpful when I get to the plumbing portion of my house build.
0:20 Every tract home in my town is plumbed like this, the left being from the kitchen and the right coming from the washer in the garage. Every house has problems and all have back ups in both. Plus a 1/2 inch ONLY drop in 40 ft. of line. LOL My job, inform and replace for money. Tract homes will keep plumbers busy for years to come.
Indeed, workers just haphazardly build your house anyway and close it up, people have no idea how crappy a lot of builders are but the phrase "lipstick on a pig" comes to mind.
Hydroponicist here and I found this very enlightening but not usually what I do with PVC pipes.
The video only covers one of the issues that is displayed in the picture provided. The other issue is with the pipe that is upstream of the fitting that was discussed. It is one of two things, either a vent or a stack, but whichever it is, the configuration is wrong. "Dry" vents are not allowed on a horizontal, they require a fixture will wash the pipe so as displayed it cannot be just a vent. If the verticle pipe goes up and leads to a bathroom group or any other fixtures, it would require a sanitary tee with a cleanout or a "y" with a 45 * fitting going up with a cleanout at the base of the stack, which isn't there. This is added info, not a crique of was shown in the video.
Not sure if or why code book says you can't connect 2 horizontal pipes with a T because you can. You just can't lay a T on it's side. You can however bring a horizontal pipe in on a higher elevation and turn the T up to a minimum of 45 degrees.
In Australia if homeowners performed their own plumbing work especially on sewer drainage systems, hot or cold water supply or gas fitting works they would be subject to prosecution by law.
The only advice a Plumbing Inspection would give a homeowner here is to use a licensed Plumber for all of the above work and to ensure the Plumber provides a Certificate of Compliance upon completion of the work.
It's really unbelievable the mistake's I find, lately it's been no traps on laundry tubs. I can't figure out why anyone would think it isn't necessary.
Scary!
I had noticed smells at the top of the landing in my cousins house. Where the laundry room is. I poured a glass of water under the washer, and fixed it. 😉
Hammerpedia, Why does my toilet only flush every other time? The tank fills up every time and is not leaking but the bowl only empties every other time that it is flushed.
Drain could be starting to backup, vent is restricted, maybe restriction in toilet trap
I've run across this several times.
Have you put a blue jell like cleaner in you toilet tank? I believe these jell packs do something where the water comes into the toilet around the rim of the bowl. In those cases, I've had to replace the toilets.
Is the refill tube working? The water level in the bowl is critical. Do you have a fluidmaster BCV? It's important that the refill tube doesn't stick below the tank's water level.
So what issue would this cause? I have this and the straight run “not coming in through the sanitary t” is backing up but I’ve cleared it with an auger and checked for vents being blocked and nothing. Will drain if after a few days and gurgles the whole time when it’s drained enough to do laundry. The toilet that comes in of the sanitary t has worked fine the whole time so not down the line it’s just the straight branch off the t.
This is for directional flow having to do with drain cleaning. I believe it’s still code in my area to use a double wye but if it were up to a lot of local plumbers they would make them illegal to use , either above or below ground.
New Jersey has it's approved codes online free pdf as laws in the state. NJUCC gives the plumbing codes to National Standard Plumbing Code. The right year's is listed as law and can be read.
Watching this as I'm driving back with the sanitary tee to do the job. I guess I'll turn around and take you back. Thanks for clarifying
can this Reducing Double Sanitary Tee, All Hub, 4" X 4" X 2" X 2" be used under a toilet one 2" will go to a walkin shower drain the other 2" will go to a vanity sink drain?
True, Also the authority having jurisdiction can approve the change if necessary. Is on the code book.
Oscar it not likely to happen in this case . It is a improper use of a sanitary tee .
@@johnnyvannoy8931 true. But not impossible, I've seen it happen before in tight spaces for other uses. That's the whole idea of knowing how to use the code.
Well you are right on that knowing how to use the code references . Most codes do leave it up to the AHJ to make rulings on these situations. Normally it’s done thru the code modification process, where one has to show and alternate method to meet the spirit and intent of the code .
And then there was the crew sent out by ServiceMaster that made up a drain line with a santee in the reverse direction! But at least they were consistent. They also hooked up the bathroom supply lines to the old, abandoned iron piping!
Hello Dylan, My question is, Is it allowable to drain a toilet toward the front and have venting coming from behind?
I immediately subscribed to your channel because of the informative code and extra details in your video,
Thank you so much for your time and efforts sir,
God Bless.
I am plambar in India . You. Are knowledge is very good.
Thank you very much for the information, just moved to a house with this problem, toilet so closeto a T that waste backs up!!! now I now how to solve the problem
Dylan, can you help plan out the upgrade of an historic house? I have unfinished areas and areas to be updated like the empty kitchen, and need more bathrooms, a real full bathroom, kitchen drains, laundry maybe on the second floor, well everything. Do you make house calls? I could use some help in the planning parts. I downloaded your papers many years ago and use the pictures often.
I was planning on putting a laundry on the back porch once I finish cutting out the gigantic oil burning sheet metal vents because the HVAC guys won’t use them so I have no heat, or AC but Ned bathrooms and laundry. So then I thought why not put it upstairs…. Ugh help please.
If I use a combination wye can I add a 45 directly to the end of sweep? Almost a 180 turn. It will be stubbing out at the far right side of my sink cabinet and I would need to turn it back towards the sink a little.
What is the proper connection for separate shower drain next to tub drain? Do each need p-trap? What prevents the volume of tub water from escaping into shower? Vent is clear, and no blockages. Thank You!
They both need to be vented and trapped unless wet vented from a basin or something
The only time to use a elbow is either for a toliet or venting. Dont let a inspector see a elbow on your lines. Use 90s or 45s u can never fail with those
This is especially the case in apartment buildings where clogs and buildups are far more inaccessible in many cases and a snake trying from horizontal drain trying to go down a T , is really frustrating ,even with a floating head on the snake why oh wye didn't they figure this stuff out long ago
Can I connect two long sweeps (sink drain) to go round an immoveable object?
I wonder if you could have a lock out on the toilets so both can not flush at the same time. This would prevent collisions at the T.
Thank you! I am turning a washing machine drain into a shower drain and appreciate this info :)
Always have a 45 degree angle dumping TOWARDS the drain flow to prevent blockages!
I have a 12 square meter roof and i want to affix a rain floor drain with a downwards pipe. What is the smallest ammount of tickness. Can it be less than 7 cms? Thanks.
What category does horizontal waste to horizontal waste with a 6" offset fit? (from between joists to under joists)
Hmmm... When I read the IRC plumbing code, connecting a horizontal drain to another horizontal drain must be > 45 degrees to the center line of the drain being connected to. Looks like you connect at 0 degrees. ???? Am I missing something?
As a master plumber in West Virginia I stand by it as well.Unfortunetly I see it FAR to much.And what's worse than someone laying a tree on its side is the inspector is the person who should have caught it.But u say dwv code doesnt allow a tee on it side but it does when it's a vent.So what u are saying is only partially right.The appreciation dwv means drain waste vent.So your right but wrong.If it's a drain u cannot lay a tee on its side.But if it's a vent u can.By the way I dont lay tees on there side ever.I just know u can in a vent.Most people dont even know that the pipe that drains the water out of the fixture was only designed to have liquid in its bottom 1/3 rd.The other 2/3 rds is for air to pass back and forth.
but you can put a san tee on a 45 degree to the vertical and use it to connect a horizontal pipe
Yeah a gravity drain needs that air in it work properly and a bigger pipe imparts less resistance to the liquid, hence why a 3" or 4" pipe is used enough though the trap portion on a toilet is a lot smaller.
But how would a long sweep or Wye fit in a 90⁰ corner of a 3.5" wall? They wall would need to be 8" thick for this to work.
very nice vide. the descriptions of why it is you cannot use the sanitary tee will help people remember.
Thanks Kenneth!
Congratulations, I am soon retiring too,it's a journey that challenges you everyday, good luck.
Thank you for referencing the code. Very much appreciated.
how do you get hold of one of those code books for S.C ?
Would this be the same for a drain to a leach field? I notice people are using the sanitary tee to save money instead of a distribution box
What would happen if this was done on a washing machine drainage and bathroom sink to the main waste?
Probably nothing substantial where as if you were picking up a toilet on same branch that’s be an issue because of the toilet paper blocking up from the improper tee
if your more than 1/4 pitch are you no longer horizontal? if not when do you become not horizontal...?
A vertical pipe is any pipe making an angle of 45 degrees (or more) from the horizon.
Question!
How mani times did you do it before someone told how to do it
I've worked in both UPC and IPC areas. I always preferred the UPC due to its higher standard (fewer allowances.)
Very well explained on waste vent piping and sweeps..Thank you
Henry, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I try to make these tutorials short and sweet!
Not talking about venting! Talking about moving shit!! And shit don't move in a vent,! Just air
do you ever use different fittings for different contents, like smaller radius for just liquid? and long radius for solids
The proper "drainage" fitting is based on what direction the drain pipe changes (not what's inside it). Good Question 🪠
Where I’m from if using a wye it must rolled up to a 45 and cannot lay flat. Only a combo can be on its side must have some slope of course.
That's why we have plumbing codes and inspections.
well you will get some smells coming back up the pipe especially without traps. if you then have others off that line you will have to have a puff pipe separate to exit above the highest window. Thailand carries out the same way and the pipes do not have run on them. I personally have seen hospital toil
Toilets all choked because they did not have sufficient width in the piping and no run. It is just about every house and buildings through out Thailand. They build houses themselves without training or knowledge. I presume this all comes from the states but perhaps im wrong. Ex plumber site agent and clerk of works. Work in UK had to be checked out especially drainage before it was infilled which included a smoke or water test.
So I'm not a plumber I'm a carpenter I had to do a repair for a sink drain when I was done I realized my tee is upside down how worried should I be I cant replace it without re doing the whole job..its in a real tight spot
However, a horizontal tee can be used for venting only.
Is it possible to plumb a whole house interior with schedule 80 (gray pipe) with all the various bends?!?! I saw a video of a high end home being built and they said it was being done there as more of a sound deadening material but I hadn’t heard of it before.... Thanks
Your link isn't working for me. Any chance you can help me out? Thank you and thumbs-up!
I just checked and this page is working now. Can you please give it another try: hammerpedia.com/dwv2
Hey thanks for taking the time to do this. Awesome information!
I'm remodeling a bathroom and find this video to be of great help. Thanks for posting.
I am installing 3 salon backwash shampoo bowls side by side and need to create a simple drain chain for all of them to flow into one pipe. Do you have a product that I can buy that addresses the best way to do this to code? Thanks in advance!
We keep it real simple, no quarter bends or sanitary tees allowed on any job; even with venting.
Well damn, I recently repaired some terrible plumbing on my house and used a t-fitting to plumb in my washing machine drain. What is the reason for this code? Prone to leaking or clogging?
Clogging. When a sanitary tee is used, the water hits the opposite wall and drops solids before continuing. You needn't worry. W/M's put out so much water and so few solids that a tee on its side shouldn't be a problem. Of course, that's assuming the p-trap and piping are 2".
Thanks Dylan! Big up to you sharing when the people!!!!🌺💚🔥
You can never lay a sanitary tee on the side era where you're from but you got to use PVC pipe schedule 40 or foam core depending what city
Do u have waterline installations videos?..God bless u!