What is the safest way to repair a drain pipe leak under the slab option 1: brake the concrete at the toilet area and replace the pvc manifold connection and reroute pipe to side of house . Opt 2 : dig comfortable area under slab to replace maniflod pvc pipes and reroute pipe to side of house with out breaking the concrete slab at the toilet seat area

Breaking the slab is the best way to get to a leak, digging under the foundation of the house always leaves a weak spot where you dug because you can not pack the dirt bach the way it was therefore leaving a soft spot where the foundation could break.

House04, how do you know that you have a broken drain pipe below the slab? Did you have a cam. Run through the lines, give us a little more info. Thanks---Zeke--

You should not undermine slab to get to the pipes because you will never be able to refill. Utilize option #1: Cut the slab, do your repairs and refill afterwards.

However: can you be more specific? How do you know you have a broken sewer pipe under the slab ?

Read the thread longitudinal cracking in cast iron pipe to see what I did when I had a break in my sewer main under the slab. I got by without tearing up the slab of disturbing anything inside my home. Good luck, Tom

Let me explain a bit more about my problem. 54 year old house. The builder used sub standard cast iron in the drainage. The 4" house mnain was completely ate up on the bottom of the pipe , blocked with roots and welling up in my living room floor. I was sure that the main had broke in two and I would have to jack hammer up the floor and tunnel under the foundation to transition to PVC, pick up the back bath and move the main outside the house but I had to kinow what was going on under the slab so a friend suggested running a camera down there. There was no distinct break in the main, however,it was completely ate up. That's when Rooter Man of Sarasota and Gulf Coast Florida suggested relining the main, (see image). It took a dayto clear the roots and pressure jet clean the main. Next day they came back and relined the main with epoxy. I now have a sewer main that will out last me and the best poart is that I didn't have to, tear up my house and the cost was under half of what I figured to take the main outside around the house. Another bonus was that it was done without tearing up or disturbing my house.
I was amazed at the equipment RooterMan had outside my place. Hi tech stuff that took a technician to run it. Lottsa difference from the old days when I went out on a sewer call with a Ridged K-60 Sewer Machine and a ladder to get to the roof vent. I just wanted to point out that there's another option besides replacing drainage that the years have ruined. If your pipes are a candidate for a reline job I strongly suggest you look into it before you decide to reeplace the drainage pipes. I did and saved a bundle in addition to keeping my home intact. Just thought I would share that with you all. Regards, Tom

Could someone tell me what a manifold connection is, relative to a drain line under a slab?

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Originally Posted by hkstroud

Could someone tell me what a manifold connection is, relative to a drain line under a slab?

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House's assuming that drainage lines has manifolds like water lines do. This is simply not so. All the branches discharge into a main sewer line and not into a manifold that stores the discharge and then discharges it into the sewer main. This would be more like a ejector pit under the slab. Regards, Tom