Making the decision to undertake a major plumbing renovation in a commercial building or its sanitary facilities can be challenging, especially when it involves the sewerage pipes, as it's often perceived as quite costly. However, by following a well-structured plan, the entire process becomes far less daunting. Breaking the work down into stages reveals the following steps:
•Clear the area for the works.
Sewer Pipe Replacement – What You Need to Know
•Dismantle sanitary ware connected to the drainage system.
•Dismantle the sewerage riser and its connecting pipes.
•Assemble new polyethylene pipes.
•Install new sanitary ware in its place.
The first step when beginning renovation works is to shut off the water by closing both hot and cold taps.
Next, ensure that the sewerage system above the riser is not in use to prevent any potential leaks during dismantling. To create free space in the bathroom or toilet for the works, all cabinets and tables should be removed. Take down mirrors, towels, floor mats, and other accessories.
More space becomes available after dismantling the sanitary ware. The bathtub should be disconnected from the sewerage pipe and removed from the room. The same applies to the washbasin and toilet bowl. Once all fixtures are dismantled, the remaining openings must be properly covered with rags or plastic bags. This is essential to prevent unpleasant odours from spreading into the room.
The next stage is to dismantle the old sewerage pipe. If it's polyethylene, disassembly is relatively straightforward. A single cut with a hacksaw severs the end sleeve near the riser, and the pipes are then detached from their connections. However, if dealing with a cast iron pipe, a bit more effort is required.
The issue is that cast iron pipe joints are traditionally caulked, and sometimes even sealed with sulphur, making disassembly challenging but not impossible. A good option for disassembling a riser pipe is an angle grinder to cut the pipe, followed by carefully tapping the pipe's end sleeve with a hammer, working from top to bottom to release it from the joint.
Another option is to use a small crowbar to twist out the tee pipe that connected to the toilet, wiggling it back and forth. Then, disassemble the pipe sections one by one from bottom to top. The most aggressive method is to smash the pipe. Fortunately, cast iron is a relatively soft material and often breaks with the first impact. If the cast iron is completely removed, the new connection point between cast iron and polyethylene will need to be processed with the same angle grinder/sander.
Assembly is carried out according to the original layout. The pipe is secured every 1.1 metres. When installing polyethylene pipes, the sealing rubbers should be generously lubricated with engine oil and fully inserted.
In summary, the most labour-intensive stage in the entire sewerage pipe replacement process is the dismantling of old pipes. With proper task allocation, this can be done quite easily.