'Grunge' coming up through shower waste.

[bridcat]

Hi
My bathroom sink recently started blocking & I eventually unblocked with a plunger - then immediately 'grungy water' (not smelly, looked like bits of green paper,) came bubbling up through the 'stand alone' shower waste! The plumber poured a bottle of acid down (either shower or sink,) then left in system awhile. Thereafter, no grungy bits; however, after draining a full sink, (which now runs away very quickly!) residue water from sink bubbles up shower waste. Plumber's conclusion was - taking up 'lead covering' on flat roof outside bathroom (above kitchen) & re-piping in places; which frightens me a little...because of expense. I'm an older single woman living alone & have no idea of these things; so just wanted advice on whether this sounds right? I am awaiting the owner of the plumbing co. coming next week to give me a quotation for the job.
Any help before then would be much appreciated.
Many thanks.

 

[charliejamesuk]

The plumber could be right as it sounds like your shower & basin share the same waste pipe which is bad practice.

I'm sure others on this forum will be able to assist you further.

 

[wheeto]

Hello,

Yes that sounds entirely plausible.

It's certainly bad practice, but you have to decide, before committing to the work, whether it bothers you too much. If it only happens when you let a full sink out (rather than just running the taps for example) then you might decide it's not worth the expense to rectify.

 

[bridcat]

Many thanks.

Yes, Wheeto, it's only after a full sink full (rather than running taps.) I have lived here 11 years; and all this work was probably done many years prior to that.

If this is not a health risk, I guess I can live with it, (as once water comes up from shower waste, it runs away very quickly.)

However, if I decide to get work done, any idea of expense of this?

Many thanks.

 

[tackleburger]

I've done this on occasions (shared the wastes) but have always upgraded to 2" pipe as close to the shower as possible then tee'd in the basin. As for price it just depends no one can tell you without seeing it.

 

[Scottley]

I was told it was against bye law to tee a basin into the bath waste is that right? (Sorry for hijack )

 

[tackleburger]

It's not recommended but provided you increase the pipe size accordingly it's going to be fine. What you can't do is run a 40mm pipe and tee in basin bath and shower.

 

[Gray0689]

To join wastes together is very bad practice
You can put in an air admitance valve at wash hand basin it will help

 

[tackleburger]

Yes but needs must and I have seen loads like that. AAVs hardly help anyway non return traps or antivacs maybe.

 

[Gray0689]

Yes but needs must and I have seen loads like that. AAVs hardly help anyway non return traps or antivacs maybe.

Needs must nothing if you can put in a 2 inch waste pipe you can put in a 1.1/4 and a 1.1/2 to not is just lazy

 

[WHPES]

I did some work at a pub once and the upstairs bathroom had the shower, bath and basin all teeing into one pipe. Next it dropped downstairs and all the basins in the ladies ang gents WCs teed into it as well before going outside and into a drain. It was a cosntant problem blocking up and most of the pipe was just laid on the plasterboard of the ceiling below, unsupported. In desperation, the landlord had used a plunger which had popped apart a joint above the ladies toilets and all the water had come through the ceiling.

 

[tackleburger]

Don't be ridiculous. A 2" pipew is capable of handling at least 100 litres per minute at a velocity of 1 meter per second so tell me why using a 2" spine under a floor to a 4" internal stack where there is only room to run one pipe into the stack is unacceptable. I fact it isn't unacceptable even if you could run two.

Slightly different issue though isn't it. When a full basin upstairs is discharged nothing will drain downstairs until it has passed due the higher pressure or just pure speed. What size was it anyway.

 

[Blackcatgas]

Ive run a bath and basin into 1 1/2 pipe loads of times with no problems and so have most people on here.

Has this problem just apeard or has it been there for the last 11yrs? if the shower didnt "bubble up " when the sink was emptied before from full then Id suspect that there is still a partial blockage in the pipe.

 

[bridcat]

Many thanks for all the comments here & sorry if my question seemed to cause any division between you! However, I didn't understand what any of you were talking about!

Yes - to the last comment; this has only recently happened (after basin sink blocking up.) I believe all the re-plumbing work was carried out 15 yrs. ago - and in the 11 years I've lived here...I've never encountered it before.

Anyways, boss of company came this afternoon & within 5 mins. recommended taking off 'wood box' (to enclose pipes,) & fitting a 'thingy widget' near loo, which will separate the two (basin & shower?) Well - something like that. And so - I await the quote for that...which does not sound as drastic as renewal of pipes/ taking up parts of flat roofing, etc.

We shall see! But - many thanks!

 

[Gray0689]

I guess he going to fit a waste manifold