Rerouting sink from Saniflo toilet to existing drain

Users who are viewing this thread

Pisti

New Member
Messages
11
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
Denver
I have a Saniflo toilet in our basement and the bathroom sink is tied into it. I would like to change the drain pipe from the sink to drain into the existing plumbing so it doesn't drain into the toilet, which causes the toilet to flush often. Originally it was plumbed this way because Saniflo said the sink wouldn't need be vented, which was not accurate. We are now doing renovation above, so we can properly vent the sink. I have two questions.

1. If I was to remove the sink drain pipe from toilet, it would leave about 3ft of pipe behind a tiled wall that goes from the adjacent mechanical room, in the photo, to the toilet. Would it be acceptable to just cut the pipe and cap it? Would that cause any issues with the toilet functioning properly? https://www.saniflo.com/us/home/74-sanicompact.html

2. You can see the drain pipe that comes from the hot water tank doesn't have a trap, but there has never been any smell that has come from that. Is this normal because I would expect odor to be coming from it at some point? That black pipe doesn't have the proper slope and is nearly level, which I know will need to be adjusted. Would this has anything to do with odor not coming back through the pipe? I want to make sure that drain is correct before I tie a sink into it.

Screen Shot 2022-11-08 at 12.09.20 PM copy.jpg
 

Breplum

Licensed plumbing contractor
Messages
1,904
Reaction score
767
Points
113
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
The T & P line going into a drain is not a code approved or allowed method.
Some jurisdictions will allow T & P to dump into a utility sink. BTW, WH on concrete floor that does not have a functioning floor drain is not legal either.
A trap is required on any and all drainage plumbing b/c it is the way to prevent sewer gas from entering a dwelling.
 

Pisti

New Member
Messages
11
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
Denver
I guess that is a question that I have now since there isn't a trap on that and yet there hasn't been any smell over the years. Why would that be? That drain pipe runs for about 8 feet past the main stack by about two feet and then drops into the slab. On the other side of the wall is the floor drain. I would assume it would connect into the main line leaving the house at that point? I am trying to figure out what the previous owners may have done when setting this up.
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,795
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
The reason you don't smell anything may be that the copper pipe is sealed into the black pipe. So no air gap. Photo does not show.
 

Pisti

New Member
Messages
11
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
Denver
There is a gap, it is just a bad angle. The copper stops short of the top of the black pipe.
 

Tuttles Revenge

In the Trades
Messages
4,132
Reaction score
1,410
Points
113
To answer the first question. Yes, your sink should be able to connect to the black ABS drain. It needs to connect with proper drainage fittings and be vented in some manner either connecting to the other vents in the house or via the AAV. The saniflow should also be vented, but needs to be vented to atmosphere or the building vent system.

The T&P needs to be drained to an approved location. In some jurisdictions that could be via an indirect drain such as shown, but that indirect drain is required to be trapped and that trap is required to be vented and the trap seal is required to be maintained by a trap primer.

PS. Washington state amendment to the UPC states that if I'm replacing a water heater in my home where it was legally installed prior but has no access to piping the relief to the exterior, it may just discharge to the floor. Whenever I encounter this, we install a secondary lower pressure relief valve that discharges to the exterior or other approved drain.
 

Pisti

New Member
Messages
11
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
Denver
To answer the first question. Yes, your sink should be able to connect to the black ABS drain. It needs to connect with proper drainage fittings and be vented in some manner either connecting to the other vents in the house or via the AAV. The saniflow should also be vented, but needs to be vented to atmosphere or the building vent system.

The T&P needs to be drained to an approved location. In some jurisdictions that could be via an indirect drain such as shown, but that indirect drain is required to be trapped and that trap is required to be vented and the trap seal is required to be maintained by a trap primer.

PS. Washington state amendment to the UPC states that if I'm replacing a water heater in my home where it was legally installed prior but has no access to piping the relief to the exterior, it may just discharge to the floor. Whenever I encounter this, we install a secondary lower pressure relief valve that discharges to the exterior or other approved drain.
Thanks for the info. I am nervous that the black pipe doesn't actually drain into my main line and obviously don't want to add to the problem if that is the case. As I mentioned, there has never been smell even without a trap. I don't know if images will help, but here is how the layout look. I have no clue what the metal pipe is next to the stack. It doesn't vent to the roof as far as I can tell. The second pic is the drain coming in from the hot water tank and then vertical is a utility sink drain. I plumbed it after a plumber told me it would be how he would plumb a sink 6 years ago, but not sure if I should have trusted him. Thanks for any insight.

IMG_0163 Medium.jpeg
IMG_0162 Medium.jpeg
IMG_0164 Medium.jpeg
 

Tuttles Revenge

In the Trades
Messages
4,132
Reaction score
1,410
Points
113
As I mentioned, there has never been smell even without a trap.
Regardless of whether you can smell it or not or whether you have negative pressure pushing air down the open drain.. it still needs a trap and the trap needs to be vented. I can't smell sewer gases that make most people gag.

The Pic with the NSF fitting: That drains a sink from the top of the photo? and the horizontal section is what picks up the water heater discharge? If so, then I think you're fine draining to the ABS line.

The pipe coming out of the ground next to the stack is a lead pipe used to vent a fixture in the ground, likely the floor drain in the last photo.
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,795
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
You said " I am nervous that the black pipe doesn't actually drain into my main line".

It is possible that the mystery pipe is going to a "dry well", or the ground water sump, rather than the septic.
 

Pisti

New Member
Messages
11
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
Denver
Ok, so I am clear. You would feel comfortable draining the sink into the current black pipe? If so, would this diagram be correct? I am unsure how the new trap needs to get vented. Would this make sense as long as I am 6" above the sink? If I opted for AAV, I can vent both of them to this, correct? I could tie the vent into existing if it is the best and proper solution, but it comes with a lot more work/demo.

Screen Shot 2022-11-10 at 8.34.13 PM copy.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Tuttles Revenge

In the Trades
Messages
4,132
Reaction score
1,410
Points
113
Yes, assuming that drain is connected to your sanitary.. I don't see any reason to assume that it isn't, but strange things happen in old homes.

But following the rules that each connection to the horizontal drain must use Drainage style fittings / long sweep fittings. Each fixture must be trapped and each trap must be vented.

This is how I would do it which I think uses the least number of fittings. It could be set up differently if there isn't enough room to get all of that into the vertical distance between the horizontal drain and the sink trap arm.

Indirect drain.jpg
 

Pisti

New Member
Messages
11
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
Denver
And I assume there isn't an easy way to make sure the original pipe is connected to sanitary? It is a 1949 home and the basement was finished in 2000, which I am guessing when they made the current setup.
 

Jeff H Young

In the Trades
Messages
8,753
Reaction score
2,164
Points
113
Location
92346
Good chance if you don't know where pipe is going that it just goes to daylight and isn't even tied into the sewer. the ABS is going somewhere upstream? Something else drains into that? another sink or something? Grey water outside ? No idea based on provided info I assumed its part of the DWV system
 

Pisti

New Member
Messages
11
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
Denver
good chance if you dont know where pipe is going that it just goes to daylight and isnt even tied into the sewer. the abs is going somewhere upstream? something else drains into that? another sink or something? grey water outside ? no idea based on provided info i assumed its part of the DWV system
The boiler T&P drains into the pipe that you see going upstream. Then both run into the slab in the NSF pic previously posted. I also looked back at the video when we had the line inspected before buying the house. Right at 4ft inside the line leaving the house, you do see a pipe coming into the main sewer line. Not sure if that would be where the NSF is or for some reason where that lead pipe comes into the line. I don't see anywhere where that floor drain is connected though. So I really just can't tell if the pipe entering at 4ft would be that vent or the drain. Not sure if that helps at all or not.
 

Pisti

New Member
Messages
11
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
Denver
Well, it is near impossible to hear down the pipe since all the noise of the water rushing down the stack over powers it. But, I can see there is standing water at the bottom of the pipe going into the slab. So I would guess a trap because when I pour water down the open pipe, there suddenly is sewer smells coming up through it. I also can see the water moving a bit when a toilet is flushed so it seems like it must connect into the main line. Do those assumptions make sense?
 

Tuttles Revenge

In the Trades
Messages
4,132
Reaction score
1,410
Points
113
Its not good that there is standing water in that drain line. You can see standing water in the vertical section? But the standing water isn't backing up / clogging? Is it possible that the drain it connects to at the floor is an old laundry that was trapped under the slab? That seems odd to me but not out of the realm of possibility. That may be the reason that the water heater relief was plumbed in untrapped and no sewer gas was emitting. What connects to that ABS drain upstream of the water heater drain connection?
 

Pisti

New Member
Messages
11
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
Denver
Its not good that there is standing water in that drain line. You can see standing water in the vertical section? But the standing water isn't backing up / clogging? Is it possible that the drain it connects to at the floor is an old laundry that was trapped under the slab? That seems odd to me but not out of the realm of possibility. That may be the reason that the water heater relief was plumbed in untrapped and no sewer gas was emitting. What connects to that ABS drain upstream of the water heater drain connection?
It looks like it is starting to slope where the water is, like as if I was looking at a trap. No, the utility sink has been hooked up to it for 6-7yrs and no issues of clogging. It is a metal pipe going into the slab and the top looks like it was cut at some point before the ABS was put in. Upstream is the boiler and T&P draining into the pipe, just like the hot water tank.
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks