Every house has at least one sewer line. Pipes are usually hidden under the slab or the house’s foundation, then come down to the main sewer underneath the ground. For some townhomes or multifamily dwellings, there is more than one sewer line, but they all tie in together when they leave the property.
Full Answer
What is a sewer main line and drain line?
Behind the walls and under the floors of your home is a system of pipes that carries all your home’s wastewater away and out into the city sewer system. It’s important to understand the difference between your sewer main line and drain line. The main sewer line is outside the home, while drain lines are inside your house.
What is a common or shared sewer line?
What Is A Common Or Shared Sewer Line? Balkan Sewer And Water Main Explains Balkan Sewer And Water Main was recently awarded a contract to build a common sewer line for three new houses. A common sewer in this case meant that one house sewer will act as a shared sewer for three homes.
What size sewer line do I need for my home?
Most home sewers are 4″ inside your home itself, and as they run under your property as well. It is typical in many areas, such as NYC, that the size of the pipe itself increase to 6” as it exits your property line.
Why do you need a combined house sewer line?
This information will allow you to make better hiring decisions, and potentially avoid costly mistakes if you’re working on your home sewer line. A combined house sewer line collects and combines the flow from both waste water and storm water into one combined line.
How do I find the main sewer line in my house?
It can typically be found in the basement, crawl space or garage. You will want to search for a pipe that is approximately four inches in diameter with a screw cap on the top that has a notch or square knob at the top. Note that some homes have an indoor sewer cleanout point, while others may be located outdoors.
What is the difference between a sewer line and a drain line?
The main sewer line is outside the home, while drain lines are inside your house. When these systems need maintenance or repairs, the type of plumber you should call will depend on whether the problem is in a drain line inside your home or the main sewer line outside your home.
How many Cleanouts does a house have?
Two cleanouts are typically installed at each house or building. One is located just outside of the building (plumbing cleanout), and one is located at the property line (property line cleanout).
What is the main sewer line called?
Your home's drain lines carry wastewater away from your home and are designed like a tree—the “trunk” is the main sewer line while the “branches” are smaller, secondary drain lines that connect to each water fixture (all secondary lines feed into your main sewer line).
Does kitchen sink drain to sewer line?
A kitchen sink drains to the sewer line just like your toilet, washing machine and shower/tub. Although each of these fixtures has a separate drainpipe, the drainpipes are all connected to the main drain stack which is connected to the sewer line.
Do sewage pipes run under houses?
They are usually behind the houses by a few metres. Sometimes people build extensions over them (this is not actually allowed). In terraces they usually run behind all the houses, parallel with the road, then come forwards to join the sewer under the road at the end of the terrace.
Where are most sewer cleanouts located?
It's most likely going to be popping up from the ground outside your home between the foundation and the street. The cleanout might also be on the side of the home, closest to the bathroom. Cleanout access ports might also be located in the basement or covered by drywall, but these aren't typical for most homes.
How often should a sewer line be cleaned?
every 18 to 22 monthsA good general rule is to have your home's sewer lines cleaned out every 18 to 22 months. That may be difficult to remember, but think of it as a year and a half to slightly less than two years.
Where should plumbing Cleanouts be placed?
A cleanout shall be installed above the fixture connection fitting, serving each urinal, regardless of the location of the urinal in the building. Exceptions: (1) Cleanouts shall be permitted to be omitted on a horizontal drain line less than 5 feet (1524 mm) in length unless such line is serving sinks or urinals.
Can a washer and toilet share the same drain?
Your drains are connected – One of the main reasons your toilet gurgles when your washer machine drains is because your washer machine is connected to the toilet drain. This isn't uncommon. Your washing machine might have been placed in between your toilet and sewer stack.
Can a toilet and sink share the same drain?
This question, however, has several different considerations that must be thought about before making a decision. The general answer is that the showers and toilets can use the same drain, but they should not be sharing the same waste trap arm.
Why is sewer line replacement so expensive?
The cost of a sewer line is expensive because it requires a lot of labor and materials. That said, the process of repairing a sewer line involves removing the old pipe and installing new pipe underground of a house, then backfilling the space with sand or gravel to keep water out of your basement.
Is drainage and sewer the same?
Though, both sewage and drainage carry water, they have some differences between them. Generally, drainage system is used to run off the excess water to sea or reservoirs or any other suitable place, while sewage system is used to carry out the waste water and solids to dispose them in a proper way.
What is a drain line?
What is a Drain Line? Drain lines are lines located inside of your home that are connected to your plumbing fixtures such as your toilets, sinks, and showers. They don't lead directly to your sewer system or septic tank, but they dump into the main line.
What are sewer lines?
Sewer pipes act as a mode to dispose of waste materials. Sewer pipes are made of different materials and are available in various sizes. The primary function of sewer pipes is to carry the sewage or wastewater from homes or commercial buildings to the drainage system to be treated or removed.
What is drainage pipe called?
PVC Drainage Lines PVC drainage lines are the most common type of drain pipe that's found in homes, and they're also available at low prices. ABS piping is similar but less commonly used.
What is a common sewer line?
A common sewer line is a lateral house drain connection that is shared by more than one house. Unless very large buildings, or a great many houses, are connected the size of the shared sewer line is still 6″ in diameter. The material is typically extra heavy cast iron pipe. Extra heavy cast iron pipe is also typical for almost all house connections in NYC. When more than two houses share a common sewer line a clean-out manhole is required at the property line. Clean-outs installed every 100′ are typical. The clean-out type and size are shown on the approved plan detail, known as an attachment F.
Why is a common sewer line needed in New York City?
A common sewer in this case meant that one house sewer will act as a shared sewer for three homes. As undeveloped land becomes ever more rare in New York City, common sewer lines become more frequently required. This is because of various factors that prohibit each new house from having it’s own individual house drain line when odd tracts of land are developed. This particular project is a case in point. As a matter of fact this project also required a new private internal water main. The internal water main was needed in order to supply water service lines to each of the houses.
What is a clean-out manhole?
A clean-out manhole, as it implies, allows for maintenance of a drain line. The best example of a clean-out manhole are those found on every NYC street. In NYC manholes also serve the purpose of allowing for the venting of waste water gases. When it comes to a common sewer line or most house drain lines a simple clean-out may be required. A typical clean-out is just an extension up to grade of a branch off of the sewer line to allow for cleaning.
What is a sanitary drain system?
Like the above referenced project a sanitary drain system is a system dedicated to sanitary only waste water. Rain or storm water flow is not allowed to be connected to such a system. In the case of this particular project a system of dry wells was designed and installed to accommodate all of the rainwater runoff from each house and any paved areas. Dry wells must be carefully designed using calculations that ensure the dry wells can handle all of the flow of water. Dry wells are also referred to as a retention system because they retain the rain water flow, as opposed to a detention system which only holds the water for a period of time. With a detention system the rainwater eventually is released into the public sewer system.
What is the trough of a manhole?
The trough of a manhole is an important component of the installation. Perhaps one of the most important aspects of a manhole is the bottom, known as the trough. The soil pipe must be laid completely through the bottom of the manhole, with the bottom most ring fitting around the pipe.
How wide is a manhole?
The manhole consists of 4′ wide rings of an appropriate height, with steps built in. They can be place don top of one another to form a water-tight bond. On top of the highest ring is then placed a top slab which has an opening to allow for the manhole ring and cover.
Why was an internal water main needed?
The internal water main was needed in order to supply water service lines to each of the houses. Shared sewers or “common sewers” require clean-outs at every turn or “bend “.
Where is the sewer line in a house?
Typically there is a house sewer line under the basement floor with picks up all the sanitary waste (bathrooms). The laundry and kitchen are connected to a catch basin in the rear yard. This basin is also connected to down spouts and any area drains.
Where is the kitchen and laundry located in a house?
The laundry and kitchen are connected to a catch basin in the rear yard. This basin is also connected to down spouts and any area drains. This all then flows back along the house (exterior) to meet up with the sanitary sewer before joining the city sewer.
Can you dump storm water into a sewer?
If there are 2 sewers (storm and sanitary), then you can have 2 lines to the street. If there is only one sewer, you're usually not allowed to dump any storm water into it. You must discharge your sump and downspouts somewhere on the property.
Can storm water go into combined sewer?
We have many clients with their storm water going into the combined sewer, quite legally. The original set up often had two laterals on the property which joined at the street before entering the public sewer.
Do older towns have storm sewers?
That is how it is here now, however, many of the older towns and neighborhoods were orginally built with the storm and sanitary in a combined sewer and houses that were or are in them can stay that way. Lots of neighborhoods here also do not have room on the lots for drainage onto the property without risk of flooding a neighbor (city lots have 3' between houses)
What is a common sewer line?from balkanplumbing.com
A common sewer line is a lateral house drain connection that is shared by more than one house. Unless very large buildings, or a great many houses, are connected the size of the shared sewer line is still 6″ in diameter. The material is typically extra heavy cast iron pipe. Extra heavy cast iron pipe is also typical for almost all house connections in NYC. When more than two houses share a common sewer line a clean-out manhole is required at the property line. Clean-outs installed every 100′ are typical. The clean-out type and size are shown on the approved plan detail, known as an attachment F.
Why is a common sewer line needed in New York City?from balkanplumbing.com
A common sewer in this case meant that one house sewer will act as a shared sewer for three homes. As undeveloped land becomes ever more rare in New York City, common sewer lines become more frequently required. This is because of various factors that prohibit each new house from having it’s own individual house drain line when odd tracts of land are developed. This particular project is a case in point. As a matter of fact this project also required a new private internal water main. The internal water main was needed in order to supply water service lines to each of the houses.
What is a clean-out manhole?from balkanplumbing.com
A clean-out manhole, as it implies, allows for maintenance of a drain line. The best example of a clean-out manhole are those found on every NYC street. In NYC manholes also serve the purpose of allowing for the venting of waste water gases. When it comes to a common sewer line or most house drain lines a simple clean-out may be required. A typical clean-out is just an extension up to grade of a branch off of the sewer line to allow for cleaning.
What is a sanitary drain system?from balkanplumbing.com
Like the above referenced project a sanitary drain system is a system dedicated to sanitary only waste water. Rain or storm water flow is not allowed to be connected to such a system. In the case of this particular project a system of dry wells was designed and installed to accommodate all of the rainwater runoff from each house and any paved areas. Dry wells must be carefully designed using calculations that ensure the dry wells can handle all of the flow of water. Dry wells are also referred to as a retention system because they retain the rain water flow, as opposed to a detention system which only holds the water for a period of time. With a detention system the rainwater eventually is released into the public sewer system.
What is the trough of a manhole?from balkanplumbing.com
The trough of a manhole is an important component of the installation. Perhaps one of the most important aspects of a manhole is the bottom, known as the trough. The soil pipe must be laid completely through the bottom of the manhole, with the bottom most ring fitting around the pipe.
How wide is a manhole?from balkanplumbing.com
The manhole consists of 4′ wide rings of an appropriate height, with steps built in. They can be place don top of one another to form a water-tight bond. On top of the highest ring is then placed a top slab which has an opening to allow for the manhole ring and cover.
Why was an internal water main needed?from balkanplumbing.com
The internal water main was needed in order to supply water service lines to each of the houses. Shared sewers or “common sewers” require clean-outs at every turn or “bend “.
How to size vents correctly?
To correctly size vents you need to take into account the fixtures that are being vented together. Easiest thing to do is to buy the "Code Check -- Plumbing" guide and use their tables, which have UPC and IRC reqs. You could also buy the IRC and use the tables in there. I would not be surprised if you can get the entire house on one 4" vent thru the roof. What size is the sewer line leaving the house?
Does the roofer pay for the jacks?
Yeah, and the roofer has to pay for the jacks.
Can you combine vents?
If the job was bid, his assumption is it's going to be built according to customs and common practices of the profession, in addition to meeting basic building codes. Combining vents isn't normally done unless it's the cheapest/fastest route.
Is 2" ok for a water closet?
2" for a single water closet may be ok, but like you said, not normal. I think countint the fixture units for drains and vent sizes is spelled out pretty clearly in Code Check Plumbing.
Can a 2" vent be used for a shower?
As far as I've ever known, and done, a 2" vent will serve a toilet/vanity/shower just fine.
What is the difference between a sewer line and a drain line?
It’s important to understand the difference between your sewer main line and drain line. The main sewer line is outside the home, while drain lines are inside your house. When these systems need maintenance or repairs, the type of plumber you should call will depend on whether the problem is in a drain line inside your home or ...
What happens if sewer lines sag?
Sewer main lines can sag, leak, or rupture, causing a mess in your front yard or even pools of sewage on sidewalks and streets.
Where does water go when it exits the house?
Everywhere water runs in your home, it exits down a drain. Your sinks, tubs, and showers, as well as your dish and clothes washers, have drains that connect with pipes that carry wastewater horizontally to connect to a vertical drainpipe, sometimes called the soil stack. From there, the pipe carrying wastewater connects with a slightly sloped, horizontal drainpipe under your basement floor, which transports it out of your home into your sewer main line.
Can a sink drain clog?
Drains can clog, and you can usually tell that there’s a problem with an indoor drainpipe if a sink is clogged or a tub backs up. Sometimes, the clog occurs further down the drain line. These kinds of clogs, however, usually affect only one fixture or room in your house.
Does sewer line carry toilet flush?
A common misconception is that your sewer main line carries only what you flush down the toilet. In most homes, however, the wastewater from your dishwasher, clothes washer, and all your sinks and showers combines in the soil stack and is carried out of the home to the sewer main line.
Does a guesthouse have a sump pump?
It may also be worth noting that there's a guesthouse, which I believe utilizes a sump pump to deal with its sewage. The guesthouse has its own stack pipe.
Can you vent plumbing in kitchen island?
Note that for some situations, you can also have an air admittance valve to provide a one way vent (fresh air can get sucked in, but sewer gases cannot escape), which allows you to vent plumbing in a kitchen island or other location that cannot go up and out the roof.
Can Two Houses Be on the Same Water Line
My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Texas So this is about the water company not my "landlord" I just didn't see another applicable place to put it. So my uncle owns his own land. My dad moved his RV on my uncles property & he paid him $20 a month to share my uncles water.
Re: Can Two Houses Be on Same Water Line
My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Texas So this is about the water company not my "landlord" I just didn't see another applicable place to put it. So my uncle owns his own land. My dad moved his RV on my uncles property & he paid him $20 a month to share my uncles water.
Re: Can Two Houses Be on Same Water Line
Whether or not they require a separate water meter for each building, residential unit, or for an RV parked on the property would depend on the tariffs. Tariffs are required for all public utilities. They are the rules that say who, what, where, and how much service costs. Depending on the size of the utility, you may be able to access them online.
Re: Can Two Houses Be on the Same Water Line
I’m having a hard time justifying their demands. You are in a mobile/temporary unit and their is a valid water service to the land. I don’t see the basis or even ability to set a water service for the RV. I would dig deep into the rules in play before spending a penny.
Re: Can Two Houses Be on the Same Water Line
This doesn't make sense. Why would "the water people" be anywhere near the location that you describe? The utilities property ends at the meter and your uncle's property is all of the rest, including the water that he purchases from the utility.
What Is A Main Sewer Line Cleanout?
Before approaching the best method for drain cleaning or repair you first have to locate the cleanout. So, let’s talk about how you can do that.
What are sewer lines made of?
However, earlier sewer lines were also made from clay, cast iron, and fiber. These older types of material commonly led to a damaged a sewer line needing replacement, and were susceptible to tree root intrusion. The material the pipe is made from is typically identified upon a sewer scope inspection.
What Causes A Clogged Sewer Pipe?
Due to its large diameter, the main sewer line doesn’t get clogged frequently. Blockages in a smaller-diameter branch drain are more common than a clog in the main sewer line. However, there’s the likelihood of clogs occurring if large quantities of debris are flushed down the drain.
What to do when there is a blockage in the main drain?
When there’s a blockage in the main drain, you’ll need to reach the clogged sewer pipe to auger it clear of the obstructions. Stubborn clogs or foreign objects such as tree roots will require hydro jetting in order to resolve the problem.
Why does my sewer pipe smell?
A sewer drain pipe has a pungent odor because of decomposing waste materials that release strong sewer gas. This is why, when there’s a sewer clog somewhere down the line, you need to act fast. (It’s also why there is a safety concern when sewage backup occurs.)
What is the main line of a drain?
The “main line” is the large-diameter pipe that carries waste from every smaller drain in order to eventually exit your home. Waste from every shower, sink, garbage disposal, and toilet makes its way here. Think if it as the major “sewer highway” in which all smaller “drain roads” connect. This drain line leaves your home and runs through your yard.
What is the bigger version of a drain snake?
The solution to this problem is an auger, which is a bigger version of the drain snake. Many homeowners are familiar with these as they are usually used to clear smaller drain blockages.