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Author:
mrsfriend (CA)
Does a shower drain need to continuously slope or is it okay to slope a good bit and then level off for 3 or 4 feet?
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Author:
KCRoto (MO)
Not properly sloping the drain is a problem. Flat lines create stagnant water that allow solids to settle out and build up. This will eventually cause a blockage, and possibly other venting concerns as the line's flow gets obstructed. That is why drains are required to be sloped with the proper pitch, so that waste and water flows together and one doesn't outrun the other.
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Author:
packy (MA)
as is sometimes the problem here, please define "level off"..
if as KC says "level off" means a negative pitch, you are in trouble.
but if "level off" means the pipes go from a big pitch to 1/4 inch per foot pitch, you are fine..
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Author:
mrsfriend (CA)
The drain probably has 1/2 pitch for 5 feet and then it has a slight negative pitch. I was trying to give the plumber the benefit of the doubt. He said I don't understand because I'm not a plumber. I'll be calling someone else out in the morning.
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Author:
hj (AZ)
quote; He said I don't understand because I'm not a plumber.
Neither is he, if that is actually how he installed it. I once saw a sewer installation crew putting in a long sewer using 5' sections of red clay pipe. THey were installing two sections with proper slope, and then one with negative slope. When I questioned them about it, they said, "The water will speed up going down the two pieses and then momentum will carry it up the backwards one, sort of like a roller coaster":. They were NOT plumbers either.
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Author:
KCRoto (MO)
Get an inspection on the drain and they will make sure it is correct before it gets done. 1/4 inch per foot is typical. your 5' run should have 1.25" of fall, and NEVER run uphill.
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Author:
mrsfriend (CA)
So we called out a few plumbers today. They pointed out everything that was wrong and basically said we had to start from scratch. So yeah, I'm glad I did my homework. Thanks for everyone on here!
Edited 1 times.
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