Comercial Clean outs?

[Montybell]

Thanks guys I was just wondering! It seemed needless because the cost is exponentially higher than it's smaller contemporaries. So a larger line means more can pass through thereby decreasing my chances of issues? If I read it correctly?

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Montybell

Thanks guys I was just wondering! It seemed needless because the cost is exponentially higher than it's smaller contemporaries. So a larger line means more can pass through thereby decreasing my chances of issues? If I read it correctly?

Correct.

['Cause]

About an 'oversised' waste line, this is NOT always a good thing. If the line is sized too far over you will not get the scrubbing effect needed to keep solids from settling in the line!

[wwwrongeorgedesigncom]

The cleanouts generally are required to be the same size as the pipe they serve. Therefore if you have an 8 inch building sewer, you will have an 8 inch cleanout. You never really discussed the problem with the cleanout other than it was hard to find. That should not be a function of the size.

As a plumbing designer with over 30 years experience, and as a member of the ASME product standards commmittees for floor drains, trench drains, cleanouts and roofdrains, I typically specify the cleanout type and locate the cleanout outside of a building in an accessible area. If it is in a grassy or planting area, it should be brought to grade and a concrete pad should be poured around it to prevent damage from garden equipment or pedestrian traffic. Cleanout covers are generally a brass or PVC plug inside a sump that allows several inched of space between the pipe and the sump cover to allow for settling without affecting the pipe below. The cover should be rated for whatever traffic is anticipated, Pedestrian (light duty or medium duty) vehicle traffic (medium to heavy duty) depending on the type of traffic anticipated, If the cleanout is in an area where heavy delivery trucks, garbage trucks, or forklifts can drive over the cleanout cover, then a heavy duty or extra heavy duty top should be installed. When the cleanout is located in a paved area, the top elevation should be specified to match the grading and it should be set in a concrete pad anticipated for the traffic loading.

[wwwrongeorgedesigncom]

As for pipe sizes,

With the new low flow and ltra low flow fixtures the pipe sizes need to be kept as small as possible so that you dont end up with oversized drain lines. Oversized drain lines are contributing to drainline transport problems with many of the ultra low flow (ULF) water closets. The ASME standard only requires them to transport the solids 40 feet down the pipe to meet the solids removal portion of the ASME A112.19.2 standard for vitreous china fixtures. Most public sewers are much more than 40 feet from the fixture. They reley on subsequent flushes to move the solids to the public sewer. If the subsequent flushed do not occure within a given time frame (in a business where there is a three day holiday or other interupted usage) In installations where the pipes are oversized, and the distances are long, with no additional fixtures to help move things along, there has been an increase in drain line stoppages when buildings are retrofitted with water conserving fixtures.
To compound things, Many green initiatives are calling for water reuse and grey water systems which divert grey water away from the sewer to be reused for other purposes. This is creating a phenomenon known as "Dry Drains" which is like a river with not enough water to float the boats.