# Too much fall problem



## plumbob2008 (Jul 29, 2015)

This is what happens when fall causes stress on fitting


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Excellent. Another crap job creating work for real plumbers.


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## bct p&h (Jan 19, 2013)

Is it ¼" per foot or a foot per ¼"? I always get that one mixed up. Looks like they probably also had clogging issues. Too much pitch and the liquids out run the solids and the solids end up sitting there picking up more solids with each flush.


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## plumbob2008 (Jul 29, 2015)

My father told me about liquid out running solids inspector told me he didn't believe it


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## bct p&h (Jan 19, 2013)

plumbob2008 said:


> My father told me about liquid out running solids inspector told me he didn't believe it


I've seen it happen on a job my company did, but it wasn't from too much pitch. It was a remodel where they added a toilet and a sink to the furthest point away from the stack. Had to be close to 100 feet of 3" no hub with about 4 changes of direction. Kept getting calls of the toilet clogging up. Finally sent a camera down it and flushed the toilet with a bunch of paper. You could watch the water flow at a good pace, the paper slowed down about 40' into a straight run. Flushed again with paper and the first ball would move a little but would stop the second load. It would keep building up like that until the line clogged completely.
Pulled the ceiling tiles and put a level on every piece of pipe and it had a ¼" everywhere. Ended up swapping the toilet for an older, pre 1.6gpf, toilet and haven't had a call back since. Not exactly legal but we ran out of options.


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## plumbob2008 (Jul 29, 2015)

I could see that in 100 foot run but not a short run


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

plumbob2008 said:


> My father told me about liquid out running solids inspector told me he didn't believe it


I believe this is a myth. I've inspected sewers well past 1/4" per foot. More like 12" per foot if not steeper. Easiest inspection going down.....pull back sucks, especially when you're 220' out. In any case, sewer was clean the whole way through.


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## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

gear junkie said:


> I believe this is a myth. I've inspected sewers well past 1/4" per foot. More like 12" per foot if not steeper. Easiest inspection going down.....pull back sucks, especially when you're 220' out. In any case, sewer was clean the whole way through.


 they will it is more prevalent in turns. tissue will stack and pack in turns in gang bathrooms you can have a hell of a mess.


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## rwh (Dec 17, 2014)

12" per foot or steeper is vertical. (45°). At that grade solids fall. Horizontal piping, however, can leave solids behind if excessively graded


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

rwh said:


> 12" per foot or steeper is vertical. (45°). At that grade solids fall. Horizontal piping, however, can leave solids behind if excessively graded


I get what you're saying.....I've just NEVER seen a lateral have waste buildup because of excess slope. Now I have seen the bottom in cast iron flatten out and the water can't float the solids out.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

I took care of a main line that was shared by two houses, one was owned by a sweet old lady, the other was a college rental. The old ladies house was slightly deeper and when it would back up the kids wouldn't know it. The line was at 60 degrees down to the street, 4" PVC. The LL would never split the bill. We had to jet it out every 5-6 months, so we charged her half price. Unless she was using tampons and condoms, it was all from the rental.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

gear junkie said:


> I get what you're saying.....I've just NEVER seen a lateral have waste buildup because of excess slope. Now I have seen the bottom in cast iron flatten out and the water can't float the solids out.


Tell that to the inspector when he's looking at your new 200' sewer line running down a hill. It's in the code book for a reason.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

dhal22 said:


> Tell that to the inspector when he's looking at your new 200' sewer line running down a hill. It's in the code book for a reason.


Unless I'm mistaken, I believe there's no maximum slope in the upc or ipc......only minimum slope.


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## saysflushable (Jun 15, 2009)

gear junkie said:


> Unless I'm mistaken, I believe there's no maximum slope in the upc or ipc......only minimum slope.


 I don't think you are mistaken. I believe DFU load goes higher the more slope you had on a pipe up to half in per foot. At least that's what I remember from years ago taking my test. 

More to the point I can not recall ever clearing a drain with to much fall.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

saysflushable said:


> I don't think you are mistaken. I believe DFU load goes higher the more slope you had on a pipe up to half in per foot. At least that's what I remember from years ago taking my test.
> 
> More to the point I can not recall ever clearing a drain with to much fall.


I have.....and they were all caused by the worst root blockages ever!


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## BOBBYTUCSON (Feb 8, 2013)

I have absolutely seen a build up from an agressive grade . Married couple both in thier 70's , on medication that makes them constipated , thier fecal matter was very tar like and sticky. Now , the grade was not dramatically downsloped , however , much greater than 1/4" ~ft' , and had camera in line as i saw all the fecies clung to the i.d. of pipe , and as my partner cleared the toilet with auger , you could see the water and poop island traveling together but the water was flowing way faster around the poop that eventually clung to the pipe. 3" c.i. soil pipe. It was like river water flowing around a planted river rock. Trout jumping and everything. Had this been abs or pvc , maybe it wouldnt of built up idk


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Now thats a great point....we don't have cast iron in our laterals over here. Clay, orangeburg or plastic only.


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## BOBBYTUCSON (Feb 8, 2013)

gear junkie said:


> Now thats a great point....we don't have cast iron in our laterals over here. Clay, orangeburg or plastic only.



Lots of clay here too , roots get into it more than others


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