septic drain field inspection

[Scot Merrick]

I need to have an official inspection of my gravity drainfield. I live in King County, WA (Vashon Island) and have the ends of the drains (2) exposed. I am told that the inspector will observe how long it takes for the drain effluent at the pipe end to "go down." Is there a specific number for this?

[RANDY NICHOLAS]

"specific number"??

Yes, watered down #2.

[James Duffin]

Do you have the tail ends of your drain field lines uncovered?

[Jerry Peck]

I am told that the inspector will observe how long it takes for the drain effluent at the pipe end to "go down." Is there a specific number for this?


I believe you are probably talking about checking the percolation ability of the soil, i.e., a "perc test' - I've never heard of checking it that way.

There are several ways to inspect a septic system, and the people you should be checking with are septic tank contractors (we have one or two here, or they used to be septic tank contractors).

[Jeff Zehnder]

A new thread...
Frequently new buildings have only one vent through the roof and the connections to it are sometimes very far. Recently I looked at a townhome that had over 18 feet of travel through the waste line before it connected to the main stack and the vent. The line was a 2 inch line for a shower and tub and I wrote it up as too far. The old rule of thumb was the diameter of the pipe at 1/4 inch per foot of travel or in this case 8 feet max. I realize this is just a rule of thumb but can anyone provide the code requirement for venting?

[Rick Cantrell]

Jeff if would have been better to have started a new thread

I think this is what you are looking for.

from the 2006 IRC


P3104.2 Grade. Vent and branch vent pipes shall be graded,
connected and supported to allow moisture and condensate to
drain back to the soil or waste pipe by gravity.

[Jeff Zehnder]

Rick,

I appreciate your reply but I must have not worded my question correctly. What I am attempting to do is find the requirement for venting with respect to a drain line that is 2 inches by 18 long before it connects with the main stack that is vented?

[H.G. Watson, Sr.]

Rick,

I appreciate your reply but I must have not worded my question correctly. What I am attempting to do is find the requirement for venting with respect to a drain line that is 2 inches by 18 long before it connects with the main stack that is vented?

Jeff Zehnder,

Please begin a new thread, don't hijack another with a completely different topic question!

You're not going to see a new thread/new post/POST button on the "today's posts" or "new posts" or similar searches, you NEED to navigate to a forum topic list to see the NEW POST/topic links, and be signed/logged in already (refresh screen if viewed before logging in and your browser not set to do so).

To do so, first navigate to the forum/topic area you wish to create your post in, such as Technical areas, PLUMBING, This will bring you to a LIST of present topics, scroll to the bottom of the first page of the list of posts and at the left you will see a "NEW POST" or "POST" clickable link button. Use it to create your new topic thread, don't forget to title it.

Since your instant is a plumbing question, go here (clickable link): http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_inspection/plumbing-system-home-inspection-commercial-inspection/

Scroll down nearly to the bottom of the page, above the display options "box" and below the last listed post on the first page of the display towards the left, see the "New Thread" link (may change to large character "Post" as you view it) link "button"??????? Use IT (click on it).

I don't wish to reward your having ignored that request by another, but get your terms straight, explore fixture branch plumbing, auxiliary venting, circuit venting, and trap arms, venting. Six inches above highest flood rim a vent circuit can join main vent stack. See Chapter 9 IPC (unammended IRC plumbing chapters are IPC based) for methods to vent fixtures (presuming that is the code for your area) or consult a plumber.

You might also see the following article to get you started on some of the basics.

http://media.iccsafe.org/news/eNews/2010v7n7/PMG022610PT1.pdf

Note NC ammendments, esp. Ch. 9, several of which are specific and applicable to your townhome scenerio http://www.ncdoi.com/OSFM/Engineering/BCC/Documents/2009_NCBuildingCode_amendments/proposed/2009NCPlumbingCode_amendments.pdf

[Jerry Peck]

Recently I looked at a townhome that had over 18 feet of travel through the waste line before it connected to the main stack and the vent. The line was a 2 inch line for a shower and tub and I wrote it up as too far. The old rule of thumb was the diameter of the pipe at 1/4 inch per foot of travel or in this case 8 feet max. I realize this is just a rule of thumb but can anyone provide the code requirement for venting?


Jeff if would have been better to have started a new thread

Jeff,

This is what you are looking for, Tables do not copy and past, so here is the data:

TABLE P3105.1
MAXIMUM DISTANCE OF FIXTURE TRAP FROM VENT
SIZE OF TRAP (inches) / SLOPE (inches per foot) / DISTANCE FROM TRAP (feet)
1-1/4 inches / 1/4 per foot / 5 feet
1-1/2 inches / 1/4 per foot / 6 feet
2 inches / 1/4 per foot / 8 feet
3 inches / 1/8 per foot / 12 feet
4 inches / 1/8 per foot / 16 feet

A 2" pipe running 18 feet to a vent is (as you suspected) TOO FAR.

What the above is based on is this: Take a piece of pipe and hold it horizontally, have a friend look down through the pipe and out the open end; now slowly raise the far of the pipe from where your friend is looking into the pipe, when he can no longer see through the pipe ... the pipe is too long between the trap and the vent.