Small Shower Remodel

Hello everyone. I've been lurking on this site for a bit in preparation for my first remodel project. I'm starting with a small shower originally part of a nanny suite.

I have gutted the old shower (what a mess what with 1/2" drywall covered by 1/2" plaster, with a concrete shower bed on top of a lead pan; not very waterproof as the dry rot uncovered indicates).

I will be doing a Kerdi shower and need to replace the 1 1/2" shower drain pipe with 2" (ABS?). My problem is illustrated in the pics below.

The first shows the shower drain exiting the floor of the shower (I have access to a crawl space below the shower).

The second shows the drain as it goes towards a branch off the main drain. It goes over duct work, and then, in the third photo, connects to a branch off the main stack.

My question is how to remove the shower drain? Do I remove it all the back to the branch off the main stack/drain?

Any help appreciated. (I'm in Toronto, Canada if that makes a difference on code, etc.)

If that copper pipe is 1-1/2", you have to replace it all until you can get to 2" or larger drain line. Now, if this had been last year, you could have sold the copper scrap for like $4/pound...but, it's still worth recyling.

I looked quickly, but didn't see where it was vented, or if it was, it's too far away for today's codes (I might have missed it, though). So, you may need to address this as well.

You can use ABS or PVC, whichever is more easily available in your area...make sure to get the Kerdi drain in the same type. If you haven't been to www.johnbridge.com, check it out for help with the new shower. Kerdi is a nice way to build a shower!

Jim, thanks for the quick reply.

jadnashua said:

If that copper pipe is 1-1/2", you have to replace it all until you can get to 2" or larger drain line.

Click to expand...

Yes, it is 1-1/2". So that means I have to cut into that branch line right?

jadnashua said:

I looked quickly, but didn't see where it was vented, or if it was, it's too far away for today's codes (I might have missed it, though). So, you may need to address this as well.

Click to expand...

Its a bit of a dog's breakfast, but I can't see any venting. Will have to explore further.

jadnashua said:

You can use ABS or PVC, whichever is more easily available in your area...make sure to get the Kerdi drain in the same type. If you haven't been to www.johnbridge.com, check it out for help with the new shower. Kerdi is a nice way to build a shower!

Click to expand...

I've been to johnbridge.com and have spent many hours there already which gave me the lead to come here first for some plumbing advice.

I'll post a few more pics with details to see if I can get some advice on the venting issues.

In the meantime, how far away does code want the vent to be? I assume "far away" means proximity to the main stack?

Thanks again.

What plumbing code is Toronto under¿

Toronto Plumbing Code

Kingsotall,

Toronto is covered by the Ontario Building Code, which is the province that Toronto is located in. Does that answer the question?

kingsotall said:

What plumbing code is Toronto under¿

Click to expand...

Surprisingly, most of us do know that Toroto is in the Provice of Ontario. I even knew that you are under the Ontario Building Code, but being from lala land ( Southern California ) I don't know your code details.

If that shower was built with 1 1/2", perhaps it is still OK to stay with that. You can couple to it ( at least under our code you can do this) with a banded coupling. Of bigger concern is the vent. That should be checked out.

Ontario Building Code Detail

jimbo said:

Surprisingly, most of us do know that Toroto is in the Provice of Ontario. I even knew that you are under the Ontario Building Code, but being from lala land ( Southern California ) I don't know your code details.

Click to expand...

Did some checking and found that:

code is 1 1/2" for 1 shower head
2" for 2-3 heads
3" for 4-6 heads

But, I want to install a Kerdi drain which is 2". So I assume I will need to take the 1-1/2" off all the way to the branch?

Never want to go from larger pipe to smaller pipe in drains.

A vent must be within a certain distance of the p-trap...depends on where you are, but for a 2" pipe, figure probably 5'. Closer is fine, just not further away.

Vent Discovered... along with other issues

The drain appears to be vented about three feet out.

While checking this I noted another problem.

The drain itself is not sloped to the waste stack by the 1/4" per ft rate. In fact there is no slope at all. There is a duct in the way (see pics from my first post) so I suspect that the duct work either proceeded the plumbing or came after and they repositioned the shower drain (it does attach to a branch at an unusual angle for a new build, which it would have been in 1968).

Any ideas?