Hello:

I have replaced one cast iron stack a few years back. It is a memory I don't not look fondly on. However I actually had to cut that stack as it went deep in the ground to the septic and I didn't want to replace the whole septic line.

In the house I am in now, it would seem I have an easier job, I wanted to thow my situation out here and see if anyone has some good advice to give, maybe so "dont do's" for my upcoming project this weekend.

I want to replace the stack in my house, it seems simple enough, the bulk if it starts below the toilet, it makes a very small 90 degree turn, and then goes right down into the basement floor. The toilet is almost right over the stack, I have no large (3-4") horizontal lines under my house)

My house in on a hill, so the sewer line isn't buried deep once it exits the basement, in fact its right below the grass. I have already chiseled and broke a hole in the basement floor, and dug out around the stack, I have uncovered the elbow where it exits the basement, and have dug out the other side. So my entire drain stack and line is complete exposed now. Once the sanitary line leaves the house, it travels a whopping two feet where there is a rubber coupling and it convereted over the standard sch 40 PVC to the town sewer system.

My plan is to replace the line all the way to this rubber coupling with PVC.

My reason for this post is this question: Since Im not tapping into cast iron, but simply ripping it ALL out, I have always been told that if you hit cast iron hard enough with a sledge hammer or something, it would shatter. My plan is to support the stack so it doesn't fall over and commence to hamering, bust it all to pieces if need be.

Remove the broken shards and pieces, and replace with brand new, clean, odor free PVC pipe.

Is this the right approach to this? Or should I have more care in removal of the old pipe. Will it shatter like Im hoping it will?

My goal is for this whole project not to exceed two hours. Let see if I make the mark.

Remember, I don't have to worry about damaging my sewer connection, it is already plastic, and connected with a rubber coupling.

Thoughts, suggestions, idea's, and horror stories welcome.

Thank you,

Andrew Cocke

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by andrewcocke

Hello:

I have replaced one cast iron stack a few years back. It is a memory I dont not look fondly on. However I actually had to cut that stack as it went deep in the ground to the septic and I didnt want to replace the whole septic line.

In the house I am in now, it would seem I have an easier job, I wanted to thow my situation out here and see if anyone has some good advice to give, maybe so "dont do's" for my upcoming project this weekend.

I want to replace the stack in my house, it seems simple enough, the bulk if it starts below the toilet, it makes a very small 90 degree turn, and then goes right down into the basement floor. The toilet is almost right over the stack, I have no large (3-4") horizontal lines under my house)

My house in on a hill, so the sewer line isnt buried deep once it exits the basement, infact its right below the grass. I have already chiseled and broke a hole in the basement floor, and dug out around the stack, I have uncovered the elbow where it exits the basement, and have dug out the other side. So my entire drain stack and line is complete exposed now. Once the sanitary line leaves the house, it travels a whopping two feet where there is a rubber coupling and it convereted over the standard sch 40 PVC to the town sewer system.

My plan is to replace the line all the way to this rubber coupling with PVC.

My reason for this post is this question: Since Im not tapping into cast iron, but simply ripping it ALL out, I have always been told that if you hit cast iron hard enough with a sledge hammer or something, it would shatter. My plan is to support the stack so it doesnt fall over and commence to hamering, bust it all to peices if need be.

Remove the broken shards and peices, and replace with brand new, clean, odor free PVC pipe.

Is this the right approach to this? Or should I have more care in removal of the old pipe. Will it shatter like Im hoping it will?

My goal is for this whole project not to exceed two hours. Let see if I make the mark.

Remember, I dont have to worry about damaging my sewer connection, it is already plastic, and connected with a rubber coupling.

Thoughts, suggestions, idea's, and horror stories welcome.

Thank you,

Andrew Cocke

---

That's exactly right, it will shatter, I deal with old cast iron pipes all the time.

Going to pvc good idea. Keep in mind, grass roots will not attach to pvc like they would to cast iron. With the natural slope across the yard as you described and the pipe being just below the grass line, it's very possible these factors will cause an erosion effect and leave sections of beautiful new pvc pipe for your family and neighbors to enjoy. :)

Good luck

Thanks for the tip.

However, most of the sewer line across the yard is several feet in the ground, its only near the surface right at the exterior baseent wall. Like I said, comes out about 2-3 feet, then connects to a PVC sewer line that runs across the yard. I built a fence behind my barn once, and I aciddently dug a post hole down to this PVC line, which was about 50 feet from my house, it was a good three feet down.

We'll see how it goes! Be glad to get this over with it needs to be done though. The old cast iron stack is cracked right below the toilet, and it stinks up the basement when the wind blows just right.

Just an update:

The procedure was successful, I only had to make three trips to the hardware store. Im currently waiting for the concrete to dry where I filled in my hole in the basement.

The new stack is almost exactly like the old one, with the exeption of I placed a cleanout at the bottom of the stack, and reused the old vent stack.

The reason Im updating this is tell let you know that I found two places where I was getting my sewer smell in my basement. The first was where the top of the toilet flange had rotted away right below the floor under the toilet.
The second was a hole had actually rusted through a small 1-1/2" galvanized drain line that ran along the floor right next to the stack.

I had always wondered why it always seemed damp there.

At any rate, now the basement smells like sweet PVC cement, and must... like all basements should.

PS: The cast iron stattered as I expected it would, even the bell housings broke without a lot of fuss.