THE WASTE PIPE

CHAPTER 5 OF PLUMBING DESIGN AND ESTIMATE

INTRODUCTION

• The effectiveness of plumbing installations depends upon the strict observance of the
natural laws of nature such as: gravity and the atmospheric pressure that affect the whole
system.
• Most of the failures encountered in the plumbing installation, we due to non observance
of these natural laws, and the grave abuse of its functions.
• Generally, it is smaller in size than the soil pipe. Smaller, because of the kind of waste it
receives from various plumbing fixtures. Among the suspended materials found in the
water wastes are: grease, lint, matches, hair, garbage and many other objectionable
substances.
DRAINAGE INSTALLATION

The drainage installation of plumbing system comprises of three major component parts:
1. The Drainage
2. The Waste
3. The Vent
It is simply called the DWV.
DWV

Drainage Pipe - It refers to an installation that receives and conveys discharges from water
closet with or without waste coming from other fixtures.
Waste Pipe – It is any pipe in a drainage installation that receives the discharge of any
fixture except the water closet and conveys the same to the soil branch, soil pipe or house
drain.
Vent Pipe – in a plumbing system functions as air passage or conduit to ventilate the
drainage and waste pipe installation.
DWV PIPE

Any pipe that that receives and conveys human waste is affixed by the word “Soil” such as;
soil branch, soil stack, etc.
Soil Stack is a vertical pipe installation where the soil branches terminate. The pipe is called
a stack being installed vertically, and the word soil is affixed because it receives human
waste from soil branch. Otherwise, it will again be classified as waste stack.
When a waste pipe is not directly connected to a soil stack or house drain, it is called
Special Waste.
GENERAL CONDITIONS FOR A GOOD WASTE PIPE
INSTALLATION
• By making the right choice of materials
• By conservative use of fittings
• Right location of cleanouts
• Right slope or grade of pipelines
• Using the right size of pipe
• Correct manner of joining pipes
• Providing a stable and rigid support
BY MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE OF MATERIALS

• The character of the waste to be drained, and the service to which it is intended for
dictates the kind of materials to be used.
CONSERVATIVE USE OF FITTING

• The smooth flow of waste inside the pipe is a primary consideration.

• Most of the waste pipe line failures were attributed to the unwarranted use of
accessories and too many fittings, or because of using the wrong type of fittings in a given
location.
• Conservative use of fittings refers to the right choice of the right kind of fittings for a
particular change of directions, turns or offsets.
RECOMMENDATIONS

• Do not use short radius fittings on a vertical to horizontal directions or horizontal to

horizontal changes.
• Use long sweep fittings on horizontal changes
• For vertical to horizontal direction of changes, the Y and 45 deg fittings are most
appropriate.
RECOMMENDATIONS

• The T fitting was designed for vertical run with lateral branches only. Its use on horizontal
installation will create a tilted or crooked joint connection called “Premature Waste Line
Defects”.
LOCATION OF CLEANOUTS

• Waste pipe must be provided with an ample number of cleanouts, strategically located to
opened in case of pipeline trouble.
• It is a receptacle of the plumbing system accessible to floor, walls, or ceiling.
• It is equipped with plug or flash plate so designed not to impair the aesthetical view of
the room.
• The location of cleanout must be indicated in the plan and should be sized equal to
waste pipe.
RIGHT SLOPE OR GRADE

• The ideal slope were those installed to 2% slope. (2 cm per meter length).
• For instance, a 3 m pipe installed as a waste line will have an inclination of 3x2 = 6 cm.
TRAP SEAL LOSS

• It means the loss or escape of standing water inside the P-trap usually caused by
siphonage induced by rapid flow of waste inside the pipe. It is also referred to as Water
Seal Escape.
• It occurs when the grade or slope of pipe is increased from 2% to 4%.
MANNER OF JOINING PIPES

• Injudicious connection of fittings should not be permitted in any plumbing installation.

Each pipe has its own manner of joining recommended by manufacturers.
• Example, cast iron are joined by the use of oakum and lead at the hub and spigot
connections.
• Plastic pipes are joined by the use of solvent cement or by using special fitting connector.
DETERMINING SIZE OF WASTE PIPE

• The Plumbing code on the size of waste pipe provides that:

“ The waste pipe diameter shall be adequate enough to serve the installation of
fixtures in a general way, but the best way is to fit the diameters of commercial pipe into
the fixture pattern in most efficient manner.”
The size of waste pipe is intended to receive water from the fixture must be of sufficient
diameter to accommodate velocity of flow, making them as nearly scouring as necessary to
prevent the silting of pipe.
SCOURING

• Means to flush or wash out, to remove dirt or grease by flowing through.

THE PLUMBING CODE FINDINGS IN WASTE PIPE
SIZING
• By increasing the size of drainage pipe, does not guarantee scouring action, or self cleaning ability of the
pipe. Self cleaning are present when the liquid and waste inside the pipe flow smoothly and
simultaneously together.
• Water flow inside a larger pipe is relatively shallow. The solid waste does not follow on shallow water
but tend to remain at the bottom of the pipe.
• Drainage pipe must be of the right size to have a liquid flow of about 50% of the pipe diameter. Meaning
the flow of water inside the pipe must have a depth of ½ pipe diameter.
• If the pipe is 100mm, the water flow inside the pipe must have a depth of 50mm to attain scouring
action.
• On the other hand, too small pipeline is subject to overloading of flow.
THE FIXTURE UNIT

• The National Plumbing Code strongly indorsed the use of Fixture Unit Value as waste
load in determining the size of waste pipe.
• A “Unit Fixture” is equivalent to 1 ft3 or 30 Liters of waste discharged by the fixture in
one minute interval.