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Before I start replacing the cast iron building drain, I’m going to use an endoscope to see if I can squeeze a vent in a space that is mostly obstructed by a 3-inch drain, gas piping, and domestic water. Does your reading of 12.17.8 indicate that a combination drain and vent from the standpipe...

I could also raise the slope to 3 percent, which would increase the allowable DFUs from 20 to 180. 12.17 is the relevant section of the NSPC: https://epubs.iapmo.org/NSPC/2024/

In that case, I'll just size up the trap arms to make them serve as the combination system until they hit the building drain. I want to leave a little headroom to add fixtures.

For what it’s worth, the NSPC says that combination systems cease being combination systems when they connect to conventionally vented drains.

For the combination waste and vent, can I use a section of the 4-inch building drain as described above without factoring in the DFUs of the conventionally vented upstream fixtures?

At some point, a washing machine appears to have been removed from the basement of my house; I see a 12-inch concrete platform right next to a wye with a test plug in the 2-inch branch inlet. As I replace that 4-inch cast iron building drain, I would like to reinstall a basement washing machine...

That 1/4 bend at c) is going from horizontal to vertical (the picture was taken from below, looking up toward the ceiling). I'm not sure I understand what's wrong with it. Are you recommending that I offset the stack after c) using two 1/8 bends to align with the combo fitting? Would that be...

I recently spoke with the previous owner, who bought the house in the early 70s, and he never mentioned having a stoppage when I discussed my plans to remove the cast iron. I've owned the house since 2019. ***EDIT**** I took a closer look at the vertical-to-horizontal transition on the stack...

Until yesterday, I hadn't paid attention to the upstream bends in the stack from the second floor bathroom. As seen below, the stack enters the basement directly over a beam, a) makes a short jog with two 1/8 bends (thought it was a standard radius 1/4 bend until I got a closer look), b) enters...

I don't think house traps were ever required for septic systems in Jersey. I know they are currently disallowed unless the AHJ asks for them. Currently, I believe the rationale for installing them here is to avoid damage in high density urban areas where the sewer gas is particularly caustic.

I have discovered a several places where the drain system is open (air gap, missing cleanout plug, etc.), and I think the house trap is the reason we didn't smell anything. I wouldn't want to start smelling anything on the roof terrace or through dormer windows if we removed the trap. I know I...

No, but I stay in touch with the previous owner, and I’m quite certain the Central Foundry cast iron is original.

I agree! The last owner tried to do things by the book and paid for inspections and professional project management, and he still ended up with some ill-advised retrofits that I will be correcting. I suppose I was explaining why I'm not inclined to ask the construction official his opinion...

I think that fitting is what caused our stoppage last summer. Seeing that tee made me wonder if the construction official inspected the plumbing. The previous homeowner (a prominent member of the legal community) paid big bucks for architectural plans and a GC to make a major addition and the...

At the very least, I will be installing a combo fitting for that PVC stack and removing all the upstream cast iron on the horizontal drain. I think I'll need to use a couple of 1/16th bends to offset the PVC stack so it will align with the new 4x4x3 combo fitting, which will be longer than the...

The NSPC leaves things up to the AHJ. The existing configuration seems to have worked well for 70 years until the stoppage last summer. Do you think I should leave the XH weight trap or would a change to PVC be in order? I strongly suspect our stoppage occurred due to the soil stack...

I am about to replace the remaining cast iron drains in my house with PVC because they experienced an obstruction last year. The house is served by a septic system. The blockage may have arisen due to a vent stack that was converted to a soil stack back in the late 1980s without swapping the...

The highest pressure I was seeing upstairs is 53 psi. I can find the 119 gallon tanks with replaceable bladders for an acceptable price. I'm ready to upsize the well pump, too. If the pressure floor were at least 20 psi greater, I think we would be a lot happier. I suppose if fixtures start...

Check out these guys: https://www.easternwater.com/hydraulic-fracturing.html Here's a map of their service area: https://www.easternwater.com/service-area.html I hope you never need their services!

Two 119 gallon pressure tanks would provide sufficient drawdown to address the pressure increase. The existing tank is only 44 gallons, so I'd be adding a tank at some point anyway. My family of nine uses a lot more water than the two prior owners, especially when I'm topping off the swimming...