Hi there.
I found this site after researching house traps

I live in Allegheny County, Pittsburgh PA
We have a septic tank, and the water and sewage authority is requiring us to disconnect from our present (working) septic,
And connecting to their sewage line,
About 60 feet down a steep hill.

Initially I was told a registered Master Plumber has to do the work,
But recently was told by the inspection people that I can do the work myself,
After filing a plan,
Digging ditches and other fun stuff.
(Has something to do with the fact that I don't have to dig up a public street.)

Anyway,
My contact at water and sewage walked me through the process,
Told me about the types of pipes I can run, depth of the ditch,
And other stuff.
Something he had mentioned as a requirement is a house trap.
One needs to be installed,
I guess after the soil stack outside.

What is it, what does it do, how does it work, how/where does it get installed,
And are there any tips on putting it in correctly?

I have a greywater system on the other side of the house.
Is this to be tied in further down the lateral?
Will it require a trap as well?
Would it be better or easier to reroute the internal waste lines to the soil stack?
The greywater system was put in after I installed a washer, it carries the washer/utility sink and the kitchen sink)


What about the floor drain?
Are these connected to a separate system?


Sorry for the many questions,
But the City of Pittsburgh is only giving me so much time to do this,
Before they shut me down and evict my family from the place I've been living.

I'm fairly handy, used to do construction before I wound up with medical issues.
Semi-retired, so I have some time, but not a lot of $$$$ to devote to this.

I will be interested to see what my friends have to say on this issue. I know that fixtures need a trap and a vent but never seen a house trap. Then again I never connected a house to the city swer.

Installing new sewer line is all about labor and very little about materials. Yes, in my area, you can do it yourself, too, as long as it passes inspection. As far as I know, no exterior traps on main sewers are not required. Each of your plumbing fixtures in your house has its own trap, including floor drain. If you have secondary drain on the opposite side of your house (gray water outlet) and want to connect it with new sewer than you will have to connect that drain with new main.

If it is a commercial property then in my area you may be required to install a grease trap ( mostly applies to food processing places )

You will need a 4" clean out within 24" of the house and every 75' thereafter.

You cannot excavate behind your property line. City provides you with a 6" lateral that crosses into your property and few feet more. It is laying there, capped off. You just simply connect to it with your 4" new sewer. Otherwise, you are not allowed to dig on Public Property. Only City licensed, approved, and heavily bonded contractors are. So, in my area, you don't actually connect to the City Sewer in the middle of the street. City provides this connection for you when they install main sewer in the neighborhood.

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Originally Posted by Milo Dolezal

Installing new sewer line is all about labor and very little about materials. Yes, in my area, you can do it yourself, too, as long as it passes inspection. As far as I know, no exterior traps on main sewers are not required. Each of your plumbing fixtures in your house has its own trap, including floor drain. If you have secondary drain on the opposite side of your house (gray water outlet) and wanna connect it with new sewer than you will have to connect that drain with new main.

If it is a commercial property then in my area you may be required to install a grease trap ( mostly applies to food processing places )

You will need a 4" clean out within 24" of the house and every 75' thereafter.

You cannot excavate behind your property line. City provides you with a 6" lateral that crosses into your property and few feet more. It is laying there, capped off. You just simply connect to it with your 4" new sewer. Otherwise, you are not allowed to dig on Public Property. Only City licensed, approved, and heavily bonded contractors are. So, in my area, you don't actually connect to the City Sewer in the middle of the street. City provides this connection for you when they install main sewer in the neighborhood.

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W&SA said I can tap the greywater into my lateral,
And I have small traps and vents on everything.

Judging from what I've read, a house trap is used to prevent largescale buildup of gasses
From forcing their way past the 2ndary traps,
And to provide a cleanout or way to run an opener .

My guy did specify a house trap
Thanks for the 24" cleanout tip

The line they want me to tie into is about 60' from the soil stack, and steeply downhill.
Probably about 7 feet under the manhole.


Thankfully, I don't need a greasetrap,
And had to build a special trap for my wife's ceramic biz,
As a lot of that stuff isn't supposed to be sent into the sewage system.

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Something he had mentioned as a requirement is a house trap.
One needs to be installed,
I guess after the soil stack outside.

What is it, what does it do, how does it work, how/where does it get installed,
And are there any tips on putting it in correctly?

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This would be a "Running Trap", (see image) and they're not required in my area. They are installed just downstream from the house clean out that is installed 18" out from the foundation and brought to grade.

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I have a greywater system on the other side of the house.
Is this to be tied in further down the lateral?
Will it require a trap as well?

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Tie the graywater back to the sewer. A trap is not called for.

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What about the floor drain?
Are these connected to a separate system?

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The floor drains will tie back to the house main. They don't require a vent under the SPC Code.
Good luck, Tom

Many thanks Milo and Speedball
I'm not seeing any way to rate your comments:(
But your answers are quite helpful.

I have to bust up concrete and do some digging,
(glad I have a couple teenagers)
But needed to know what things are before making up a supply list,
And dusting off my commercial account.

Quote:

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but needed to know what things are before making up a supply list,

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And we need to know what material the sewer pipes are. Both coming out of the house and from there to the street. How deep is the sewer? Let me know, Tom

The sewer tap is at the bottom of a steep hill,
7 feet below the ground
(under a 'paper' road)
About a 60-70 foot run.
I'd estimate about a 15' drop

I was told the cheapest way was using SDR35,
Connections in sked40 4" either PVC or ABS

Soil stack is cast iron,
And I haven't excavated, but since the bldg foundation is made of ceramic block,
And there used to be a huge ceramic pipe manufacturing facility around here,
I'd guess the run to the septic is ceramic.
House is about 120 YO

PVC or ABS are good choices. They come in 20' lengths. Pipe, fittings and glue are readily available in local Home Depot / Lowe's. Also, you will need couple of Fernco connectors to connect old/new at your house and then into the main City sewer. Small Fernco (up to 4" clay ) can be purchased in Home Depot, however, for larger sizes you would have to go to more professional store, like Ferguson Enterprises.

Digging will be the majority of the work. Here is a good opportunity for your teenagers to spend their vast amount of energy - and be actually productive. :D If you dig 5' and deeper, you need to shore up your trench so the side walls won't collapse on you.

Good luck... and come back to give us updates on your project !

Milo

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Milo Dolezal

PVC or ABS are good choices. They come in 20' lengths. Pipe, fittings and glue are readily available in local Home Depot / Lowe's. Also, you will need couple of Fernco connectors to connect old/new at your house and then into the main City sewer. Small Fernco (up to 4" clay ) can be purchased in Home Depot, however, for larger sizes you would have to go to more professional store, like Ferguson Enterprises.

Digging will be the majority of the work. Here is a good opportunity for your teenagers to spend their vast amount of energy - and be actually productive. :D If you dig 5' and deeper, you need to shore up your trench so the side walls won't collapse on you.

Good luck.....and come back to give us updates on your project !

Milo

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Thanks Milo (I'm still not seeing how to leave feedback here)

I was told that ABS doesn't need to be primed.
Thanks for the fernco tip.
Can they be used below ground?

Looks like digging, and hauling down the gravel will be the real killers.
That and I have to get the septic emptied and filled w/ inert material.
I think the sewage tap is 6" dia
I was told I only have to dig down 3 feet.
(This by the guy who will be doing the inspection when completed)
My entire hillside is fill, which is a little looser than the regular,
But in the past, excavations have yielded some pretty strange stuff.
Found a broken tombstone about 10 years ago...


So a house trap is essentially a U, 2 street ells, and a cleanout?

We're throwing a Shovel & Sledge party;)

Just referred back to Tom's diagram in post 5.
(Thanks Tom)

You guys are great...

Milo suggests,

Quote:

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you will need couple of Fernco connectors to connect old/new at your house and then into the main City sewer. Small Fernco (up to 4" clay ) can be purchased in Home Depot, however, for larger sizes you would have to go to more professional store, like Ferguson Enterprises.

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Do not get the Fernco Neoprene Couplings. Use the Shielded Metal Ones. (see image) They will prevent the joint from bellying downn and becoming a trap. Good luck, Tom

Yes, Tom posted the correct P-Trap for you. As you notice, it is not only 4 - Street 90s glued together, but it is a specialty fitting designed to be clean on both ends. I have not seen these in Home Depot. You will probably have to go to more professional store to purchase it.

Thanks for the replies, Folks.
Much appreciated.

I got the area by the house dug out.
It's cast iron,
Which runs next to the house at a slope for about 15-20 feet,
And then unions with clay, about a 45 degree to the septic.
I suppose I should use one of those metallic ferncos as mentioned
And tie in to the end of the cast.

Boy they built that thing to last.
The pipes were surrounded by flagstone,
And I hit clay after about a foot and a half.

We're currently digging the rest of the way down the yard.
Should I make that a straight a shot as possible?
Is there a limit to the bends I can put in?
(It would be easier to put in an eighth bend at one spot)

If you can, dig straight. The less turns you have the better flow you'll get. Also, you pick up bit of extra slope in the process. Yes, use Fernco coupling to connect Clay with C.I.