Can a drain pipe from a bathroom to the sewer have any turns?

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Butch-in-Jax

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I am considering having a one bedroom, one bathroom addition built onto the back of my home. The addition is for my elderly mother, who will be moving in with me and my family so that we can care for her.

Can the drain pipe for the bathroom addition (toilet, shower, and sink) have any curves or turns, or is it preferable that the drain pipe be a straight run to the sewer line?

Based on where the addition would be built, I see only two options for running the drain pipe from the bathroom addition to the sewer line:

  1. Under the concrete slab foundation. This option would allow a straight run for the drain pipe to the sewer line.
  2. Around the perimeter of the concrete slab foundation. This option would like require one or more sharp (90-degree) turns in the drain pipe based on the position where the addition would have to be build in relation to the property line.
If I choose to have the addition built, I will be hiring a general contractor for the job instead of doing the work myself. I thought I would ask the question here so that I am better informed when I interview general contractors.

Thanks for the help!
 
Generally you should avoid horizontal nineties in drain lines, unless they are long radius sweeps. Bends of any kind make it harder to snake the line when you have problems.
 
Generally you should avoid horizontal nineties in drain lines, unless they are long radius sweeps. Bends of any kind make it harder to snake the line when you have problems.
The plumbing codes cover this consideration. But good for people to know when it's been done (or being done) correctly or not.

Keep in mind that the longer the pipe is the deeper it gets, due to required slope. This may or may not be a consideration depending on elevation of existing sewer line.
 
I am not a plumber , but generally do my own plumbing .

I am guessing it is better to , for instance , use a couple of 45 degree elbows ( perhaps with some straight pip between them ? ) than to use a 90 degree elbow .

As has been said , you want the bends to be gentle enough for a drain snake to make it through the bends .

Are you running a new sewer line from the new addition to the municipality sewer line ?

Were it me , code permitting , I would run PVC plastic . I think I have read , some localities use ABS ? Around here , PVC is used for drains and vents .

Remember , vents are VERY important . Do not forget a clean out .

Best of luck to you , :)

Wyr
God bless
 
Thanks Diehard. When I posted my question, I did not consider your point about the slope; I was focused on the potential turns that would be required if the drain line were run around the concrete slab foundation instead of beneath the foundation. As you pointed out about the pipe getting deeper as it gets longer, I think running the drain line around the foundation poses a bigger issue in regard to the slope.

I wonder if a contractor would want to cut a trench in the concrete foundation in order to make the drain line a more straight and shorter run to the sewer line.
 
I am not a plumber , but generally do my own plumbing .

I am guessing it is better to , for instance , use a couple of 45 degree elbows ( perhaps with some straight pip between them ? ) than to use a 90 degree elbow .

As has been said , you want the bends to be gentle enough for a drain snake to make it through the bends .

Are you running a new sewer line from the new addition to the municipality sewer line ?

Were it me , code permitting , I would run PVC plastic . I think I have read , some localities use ABS ? Around here , PVC is used for drains and vents .

Remember , vents are VERY important . Do not forget a clean out .

Best of luck to you , :)

Wyr
God bless
After I posted my question, I did some more reading about drain lines and learned a few things about vents.

My home is two stories, but the addition would be only one story. There is only one location on the back of my house where I can put the addition. There are two windows on the second floor that would be directly above the addition. Based on my reading, the vent opening for the addition should be higher than the windows. Otherwise, fumes escaping the vent would likely enter the windows (and my teenage sons would not be very happy; the windows are for their bedrooms).

I believe local code in Jacksonville requires PVC pipe for drain lines.

Thanks for your reply!
 
If need be , I see no reason a plumbing contractor could not core through the foundation . Although it is my guess they would go under the foundation .

Poo - Poo does not go up hill , unless you pump it .

Friday is pay day .

The boss is a SOB .

And do not chew your finger nails .

Wyr
God bless
 
Do you have a chase that would allow you to run the new vent , for the new addition , back inside the existing house & up to the 2nd floor attic . From there , I think you could join it to an existing vent ( through the roof ) . Or continue the new vent through a new roof penetration , to above the roof .

Wyr
God bless
 
Do you have a chase that would allow you to run the new vent , for the new addition , back inside the existing house & up to the 2nd floor attic . From there , I think you could join it to an existing vent ( through the roof ) . Or continue the new vent through a new roof penetration , to above the roof .

Wyr
God bless
There is a bathroom on the second floor not far from where the addition would be built, so it might be possible to tie into the vent for that bathroom. I imagine the vent Fortunately I have all the original blueprints for the house, so I’m hoping those will help the contractors with their proposals. Thanks again for your insight.
 
Remember , in a 2 story building , the vent pipe and drain pipe are separate until you get to the attic of the top floor . At that point , they can come together and one pipe penetrate the roof to the outside .

Wyr
God bless
 

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