
A sanitary tee is legal for drainage in the horizontal to vertical position, however it is legal to use a sanitary tee in the hotizontal position when used for venting. Share Improve this answer
Can you use a sanitary tee on a horizontal vent?
From my reading of the plumbing code, a sanitary tee can only be used in the vertical position as it is pictured above. If you are venting a horizontal run, in the middle of the horizontal part, you should use a sweep-tee or a wye-and-an-eighth combination.
What is the difference between sanitary tees and WYES?
Sanitary tees are used to connect horizontal lines to vertical lines. But wyes are used to connect vertical lines to horizontal lines. You can also use wyes to combine or split horizontal lines. Wyes can be used as a replacement for vent tees as well. But a sanitary tee should only be used in one specific case.
When should you use a sanitary tee fitting?
Know when you should use a sanitary tee fitting and not the other to keep the drainage system working. If you are connecting a horizontal line to a vertical line, you must use a sanitary tee. But never do the opposite. Using a sanitary tee to connect a vertical line to a horizontal line can block the drain quickly.
What is the difference between a sanitary tee and a P-trap?
This is because a sanitary tee is there to direct the flow of waste while keeping vents on. A P-trap (or S-trap) is there to trap sewer gasses inside your drain setup and prevent them from being released into your home. A sanitary tee being used instead would let the sewer gas flow into your bathroom, spread to other rooms, and more.

Can you use a sanitary tee as a vent tee?
Use a sanitary tee to connect a horizontal trap arm to a vertical drain and vent. The sweep on the santee must face down so that it sweeps toward the drain. Glue the tee inlet to the trap arm with plastic pipe cement, and glue the drain and vent to the two vertical barrels.
What is sanitary tee?
Sanitary tee is a fitting designed to connect a branch line into a vertical drain (or vent) line. All connections are Slip (Hub/Socket).
When would you use a sanitary tee?
A sanitary tee should be used when connecting a horizontal run, such as a waste arm to a vent stack or vertical riser.
How do you use a vent tee?
0:332:35Plumbing a Vent Using a Tee Fitting - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou'll take your t fitting dry fit it on there make sure it's the right size make sure it's the wayMoreYou'll take your t fitting dry fit it on there make sure it's the right size make sure it's the way that you want. It. Then you'll pop it. Off. Take your cleaner.
Can I use sanitary tee horizontal?
Sanitary tees may only be used on drainage piping when transitioning from horizontal (1/4” per foot) to vertical. All others must sweep in direction of flow with proper drainage fittings.
How do you read a sanitary tee?
If the inlet, outlet, and branch sizes are of the same diameter, you need only read the one size. Example, a ¾” elbow has a ¾” socket on both ends. A 2” tee would have 2” sockets at all three openings.
Can you stack 2 sanitary tees?
You cannot use either one. You either stack two tees, which makes one drain lower than the other, or use the approved double fixture tee which is something about halfway between a cross and a double Y or double combination Y-1/8 bend, which is also illegal.
Can sink and toilet shared vent?
A general rule is that you can only vent 2 fixtures on a toilet wet vent. The sink drain has a toilet vent through it. The toilet drain should be 3′′, the sink drain is 1.5′′, the shared sink drain/toilet vent area should be 2′′, and the vent going up should be 1.5′′.
Do plumbing vents have to go through the roof?
It does not have to go through the roof. From the plumbing code (I have the 2003 edition), P3103: It must not be less than 4 feet directly beneath a door, openable window or other air intake of the building or adjacent building.
Which way does a vent tee go?
If you are using a sanitary tee to go from a horizontal vent pipe into a vertical vent the correct orientation is "upside down" from its normal usage. The curve of the tee should go from the horizontal direction curving up toward the roof.
Does a toilet have to be vented?
“Does a toilet need a vent?” And the answer is yes, your toilet has to have a vent. For more information on the great importance of plumbing vents, read our plumbing vent article here. And the size of this vent pipe depends on your local plumbing code.
How close does a vent need to be to a drain?
For a 1 ½-inc pipe the vent should be 42 inches away at the most while a 2-inch pipe must have a maximum distance of 5 feet. For pipes that have a diameter of 3 inches the distance is 6 feet and for a 4-inch pipe the most it should be away from the vent is 10 feet.
Why is there a tee in a septic tank?
The inlet tee directs the flow of wastewater into your septic tank, and prevents the scum layer in the tank from being disturbed. It also can help prevent solids from backing up toward the house if you should experience a septic system backup.
What is a double sanitary tee used for?
PVC DWV Double Sanitary Tee (Double TY/Cross) All Hub. DWV is used for non pressurized sanitary system Drain, Waste, and Vent.
What is a test tee?
This versatile tee allows you to test the plumbing system for leaks and provides a cleanout port in case of blockages — all from the same port.
What is a sanitary elbow?
A sanitary elbow is a kind of sanitary fitting installed between two lengths of pipe or tubing to allow a change of direction. While these corner fittings are usually a 90° or 45° angle, 22.5° elbows are also available. The ends may be machined for butt welding, threaded, or socketed.
What is a sanitary tee?
PVC pipes are commonly used by plumbers. A sanitary tee is a plumbing fixture that allows liquids to drain while also allowing the plumbing system to vent. The fitting resembles a normal tee fitting; the sanitary tee, however, when viewed from the side will have a definite downward sweep to the center inlet. This down-swept feature molded ...
What does a plugged vent do?
A plugged vent gives the effect of pouring milk from a jug. Without proper air flow and ventilation, the milk chugs in starts and stops while leaving the jug. Sanitary tees should not be used in place of drain traps. The trap is an important fixture in the plumbing system.
Can you put a sanitary tee on a drain?
By adding the sanitary tee into the drain line, the vent can be plumbed directly off of the top of the tee, making the entire procedure hassle proof. When plumbing a vent line off of a sanitary tee, it is imperative that the vent does not attach below any other drain. This could make it possible to drain sewage or liquids through ...
Do you need a sanitary tee to install a drain?
In many cases where a drain is being installed where previously there was not a drain, it is necessary not only to install the drain, but also to install a venting system for the drain. The sanitary tee makes adding a venting method very easy. By adding the sanitary tee into the drain line, the vent can be plumbed directly off of the top ...
Can you drain sewage through a tee?
This could make it possible to drain sewage or liquids through the tee and even send it back into another fixture, such as a sink. All PVC pipes running up from vent systems must merge above all drains in the structure and then be vented into the atmosphere through the roof.
Why do people use sanitary tees?
A sanitary tee is built to help usher liquids flowing through a horizontal drain into a vertical drain. Since the T shape is great for pushing water downwards while giving the area room for ventilation, most people use it to make drainage easier. Sanitary tees are great for plumbing because they make it easy for a person to remove clogs by plumbing ...
What happens if you have a loose sanitary tee?
A loose sanitary tee will quickly fall out of place, spraying water everywhere and making a mess. If you have poorly-secured wyes or tees, you will most likely start to see mold, leaks, and significant water damage. If you notice signs of a poorly installed wye or sanitary tee, call a plumber ASAP.
What is a Y-shaped drain fitting?
In other words, it connects your horizontal piping to a vertical vent or pipe. If you use a wye, this Y-shaped drain fitting is meant to be used horizontally. In other words, they attach a vertical pipe to a horizontal pipe.
What is a P trap?
A P-trap (or S-trap) is there to trap sewer gasses inside your drain setup and prevent them from being released into your home. A sanitary tee being used instead would let the sewer gas flow into your bathroom, spread to other rooms, and more.
How much slope should a drain line have?
The most your drain line should slope is a scant 1/4 inch per foot. This means that you should only have an inch of drop for every four feet of length that you have.
How much does a plumber charge to fix a tee?
If you have to pay a plumber to fix an improperly attached tee, you will pay an average of $50 to $75 per hour. How much you’ll spend depends on the extent of the damage. At the very least, you should expect to pay around $100 to $200 for labor alone.
Can you tear up when you see sewage flooding your sink?
It’s not unusual to hear of homeowners who try to do their own plumbing burst into tears when they see sewage flooding their sinks and tubs, or to hear of people having to call specialists from mold that resulted due to water that kept escaping the fittings behind the scenes.
What is the difference between a sanitary tee and a Wye?
Connections to horizontal drain lines should be made with wye (Y) fittings. The fitting called a “ Sanitary Tee ” looks like it could do the job, but it doesn’t. A sanitary tee cannot be laid on its back, horizontally: It is shaped differently than the wye and should only be aligned vertically, or it may block up.
When can you use a sanitary tee?
A sanitary tee should be used when connecting a horizontal run, such as a waste arm to a vent stack or vertical riser. “ If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.”
What is a wye used for?
A standard wye is a Y-shaped fitting which allows one pipe to be joined to another at a 45° angle. A wye may also be used to split a branch line equally in two directions, such as the splitting of a main line into two smaller branches.
Can you use a sanitary tee for toilet?
You can ‘t use a tee, and you must have a vent between the connection and the toilet. Otherwise when another toilet is flushed, and you are sitting on the toilet, the “whoosh” may go the other way and give you a wet surprise.
Can you put a 90 in a sewer line?
You should design your wastewater pipes in a similar manner, for the most part. It’s a bad plumbing practice to have a hard 90 -degree bend in a horizontal drain line that’s buried in a slab or otherwise hidden. All drain lines should have a minimum fall of an eighth of an inch per foot of horizontal run.
Can a sanitary tee be used horizontally for venting?
Sanitary tees may only be used on drainage piping when transitioning from horizontal (1/4” per foot) to vertical. All others must sweep in direction of flow with proper drainage fittings.
Does a vent stack have to go straight up?
Vent pipes must be installed so they stay dry. This means that they should emerge from the top of the drainpipe, either straight vertically or at no less than a 45-degree angle from horizontal, so that water cannot back up into them.
What is the difference between a sanitary tee and a tee?
There’s a difference between a tee and a sanitary tee. The small variation is what means you cannot lay a sanitary tee on its side. A slight curvature helps direct water to prevent backup. If you look at the tee carefully, you can see how it works.
What is a sanitary tee?
Sanitary tees are used to drain and vent water at the same time. On the first inspection, they look a lot like a regular tee. However, you can see the difference when looking at the side.
What is a tee in water?
Tees are used to divide or combine the flow of water and wastewater. For example, you could use a tee at an intersection under your home to split water from the main line. Moving some water toward a kitchen, bathroom, and water heater doesn’t mean you need multiple sources.
Can you start a vent with a wye?
You can start a vent with a wye. Just like the sanitary tee, a sanitary wye is considered vertical when pointing upward. It makes an excellent connection to the vent pipe and cleanout, provided your designs don’t violate any other aspects of the International Plumbing Code.
Can you use a sanitary tee in vertical orientation?
This is a sanitary tee and can only be used as shown in the vertical orientation. They are only used to go from the horizontal to vertical plane. If used flat (horizontal) they are prone to clogging. You must use a long sweep or wye+⅛ for horizontal DWV. Share.
Is a sanitary tee legal for venting?
1. A sanitary tee is legal for drainage in the horizontal to vertical position, however it is legal to use a sanitary tee in the hotizontal position when used for venting.
