Arrrgghh! cracked clay pipe

[Bitstreams]

Today has not finished well.

I have had a plumber in today fitting a new loo upstairs. He's installed a new soil stack which goes in to a previous unused (but traced and tested) 4" clay pipe. He used an OSMA plastic to clay connector and this seemed to seal pretty well. The clay pipe enters the ground at about 45deg, curving up to the vertical - it's open end being about 6" above the ground.

It's been a problem we've been struggling with for a while - as there is no manhole on that side of the house - the drain runs around the corner of the building.

Then disaster. In manhandling the stack he's managed to crack the clay pipe and when you flush the new loo it clearly leaks. The crack is about 1 1/2" off the ground and appears to go around most of the clay pipe. The pipe itself disappears in to a cement/concrete base.

He says that all that is needed is to clean the area up and create a cement boot around the pipe, higher than the crack and bonding to the existing base. I'm not sure what option I have. Try this or start digging a big hole and try to find the other end of the clay pipe and replace with??

Simon

[PeterK]

Not certain as to the exact problem - I interpret the "enters the ground at about 45deg, curving up to the vertical - it's open end being about 6" above the ground." as indicating that the drain is very close to the surface - in effect a bend is cracked and the bend can be easily replaced (the link below is also applicable if going from clay to plastic underground)

Before creating a cement boot that may only hide the leak have a look at these connectors/sleeves that use "Jubilee" clips to make the seal. one of these may fit over the cracked section and then cover it with concrete.

K

[Bitstreams]

concrete.http://www.polypipe.com/polypipe/controller?action=BP-Products&catego...> Peter K- Hide quoted text -

I do already have a 'jubilee' clip connector attached to the top of the clay pipe - the break is about 2 inches below this. I think the answer may be to undo this and try and lower this connect by 2 inches

- over the break. I'll have to dig out a little around the pipe as the break is very close to the ground. Hopefully there will be enough movement in the soil stack to not have to add in a new bit of plastic.

I have heard of (but not seen) clay to pipe connectors that fit inside a 4" clay pipe (a bit like a waste connector on the back of a loo) - apparently Hunter do one - anyone else seen this?

Simon

[Bitstreams]

concrete.http://www.polypipe.com/polypipe/controller?action=BP-Products&catego...> Peter K- Hide quoted text -

Ah! just read your post again.. you mean just 'mend' the crack with a straight rubber connector with Jubilee clips and then tighten.. hmm - that would be a whole lot easier...

S

[The Medway Handyman]

If you can remove the broken bit, epoxy resin (like Araladite) will bond it back permanantly. Did this 20+ years ago in a similar situation.

[meow2222]

But get it properly clean first, so no loo use until then

NT

[Stephen Howard]

If you're going to go down this route I'd recommend JB Weld....I fixed a cracked Land Rover block with this stuff, and the flue of my Rayburn. The Landy's long since gone...but the Rayburn flue is holding up a treat. If the resin can handle that kind of treatment I'm pretty sure it'll handle a few turds!

Regards,

[A.Lee]

Yes, I was going to suggest this when you first posted, but left it to more learned people to comment. If it was me, I'd get rid of the clay pipe now, and fit the plastic in. I've done it a couple of times now, once, where we got a plastic soil pipe with rubber seal on the end (just like a pan connector, only longer), slid that into the clay pipe at ground level. The second time we put a straight piece of plastic pipe butting up to the clay pipe, around 4 inch below ground level. It would not slide into the clay pipe, so we wedged it in place with bits of stone, and cemented around it. It has been 10 years+ since that was done and no problems yet. A new section of plastic pipe from ground to upstairs loo is only going to be £50ish with all connectors, and well worth it - at least you wont have the worry of a cracked joint leaking. Alan.

[Cicero]

concrete.http://www.polypipe.com/polypipe/controller?action=BP-Products&catego...>> Peter K- Hide quoted text -

================================== Wickes do one - I think this is what you want: