Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 May 15, 2011 6:28 pm Hi all, I hope this is the right forum, as the problem arose during a landscaping project. We started digging to level an area in the backyard, it exposed an open ended terracotta pipe. It's unclear where the other end is connected to, but when it rains there's water coming out from it (which explains a mystery wet spot before we knew it was there). Anyway, I briefly spoke to the council about it but there's little they can do because the pipe is in a private property. Being terracotta it would have been there for a long time and the lady (from the council) said that there's no drawing for it. She suggested to continue digging to trace it, it sounds pointless because chances are it will lead to the adjacent property who wouldn't want to be part of this. What would you do in situations like this? Is there any point to investigate further? Or just deal with it? If we cement it then it may lead to other problems, so it's probably safer to connect it to the drain, which brings up the next problem: how to connect terracotta pipe to PVC pipe? We found a rubber connector from Bunnings that may be made for this purpose, however, it's way too small. The larger end has 15cm inner diameter (to fit a 15cm outer diameter pipe), we need something to go over a 20.5cm terracotta pipe. Is this a common size? Cheers! Re: What to do with old terracotta pipe? 2May 15, 2011 6:48 pm Sounds like your terracotta pipe is 9 inch (225mm). You should be able to get an adaptor from one of the bigger plumbers merchants. I would agree that in your situation the easiest thing is just to deal with it. The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: What to do with old terracotta pipe? 3May 15, 2011 11:38 pm Yeah, its similar to the one for adapting new dunnies to old ones. Re: What to do with old terracotta pipe? 4May 16, 2011 3:35 pm I wouldn't be able to live without knowing where it goes. It could go to Marioland. Follow it! Homestead Homes SA: The Lamont Bayswood Estate; Aldinga Beach Preliminary Signing: April 2010 Floorplans: 13 June 2010 Building Contract: 19 June 2010 Selections: 28 Sept 2010 Scraped; Trenching: 21 Jan 2011 Slab Poured: 28 Jan 2011 Framing: 17 Feb 2011 | Completed 24 Feb 2011 Roof & Gutters: 02 Mar 2011 Bricks: 03 Mar 2011 Wire-up: 12 Mar 2011 Re: What to do with old terracotta pipe? 5May 16, 2011 6:33 pm I've been in trouble from the forum mums for being too blunt, so I'll be as direct as I can without getting in strife. I'll walk you thru it. Not being condescending, just explaining. 1. You have a stormwater pipe from an adjacent property, HIGHER than you (this is important) 2. The water is running downhill to you. 3. The water cannot run back uphill. The hydraulic pressure is always to the lowest point - gravity. 4. Thus, you do no need to seal the join between the old pipe and the new pipe. Imagine a bucket at the end to catch the water. The bucket doesnt need a rubber seal to catch the water because the bucket mouth is bigger than pipe that feeds it.. So the solution: 5. Dig out around the old pipe so that it is sticking out horizontally into mid-air. Say 300mm (1 foot). 6. Get some 250mm PVC pipe and slide it over the old pipe. It can be as long as you need, say 1-2mtrs, and join it in your existing stormwater, probably a 100mm main. Just buy the PVC pipe joiners to go from 250mm to 100mm.Cover with roadbase (gravel), backfill. Grab a tube. 7. NO NEED for expensive rubber boots that will degrade over time. Now I'll get in trouble: I'm right, Paul Re: What to do with old terracotta pipe? 6May 16, 2011 8:55 pm Thanks guys! Sounds like we are on the right track. We already have the pipe sticking out in mid air before we went out to look for a connector. Would still prefer to connect it properly, but when push comes to shove may just slot a PVC pipe over. Re: What to do with old terracotta pipe? 7May 17, 2011 12:13 am Paul, you didn't have to be like that about it. Re: What to do with old terracotta pipe? 8May 17, 2011 7:46 am peter1, do you have a plan where to channel that new pipe extension into? Do you have an existing stormwater system in that direction? You may have explained some weird pipes on our own property! My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: What to do with old terracotta pipe? 10May 17, 2011 3:35 pm Damn, those ******* Bros Pty ltd get around a bit, don't they?! Homestead Homes SA: The Lamont Bayswood Estate; Aldinga Beach Preliminary Signing: April 2010 Floorplans: 13 June 2010 Building Contract: 19 June 2010 Selections: 28 Sept 2010 Scraped; Trenching: 21 Jan 2011 Slab Poured: 28 Jan 2011 Framing: 17 Feb 2011 | Completed 24 Feb 2011 Roof & Gutters: 02 Mar 2011 Bricks: 03 Mar 2011 Wire-up: 12 Mar 2011 Re: What to do with old terracotta pipe? 11May 18, 2011 9:06 pm I found out the rubber connector is called "plumb quick". This thing is not cheap, I got quotes from $50 to $90. Very expensive for a piece of rubber with 2 hose clamps. Anyway, I have problem describing the required size. Apparently knowing the outside diameter is not enough, they are asking nominal bore and wall thickness, they can't bring the up the stock without all the information. So I went outside to measure it. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The pipe has an outside diameter of 20cm with 2cm wall thickness, so the inside diameter is 16cm. Referencing this Wiki page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nominal_Pipe_Size, the closest match is NPS 8 with SCH 140, does that sound right? So tomorrow I can say I need a plumb quick for NPS 8 pipe? Re: What to do with old terracotta pipe? 12May 19, 2011 5:15 pm I dont know why you want to persist and buy the rubber boot. You dont need it. You are going to have to dig it up in a few years because it will crack and leak. They are not designed to do what you want to do. Just do what I said and you'll be fine. It is what the pro's would do. You are just throwing money away. Re: What to do with old terracotta pipe? 13May 20, 2011 12:17 am Thanks for trying to save me money. So you reckon sleeving a slightly larger PVC pipe over the terracotta could be a long term solution? Do I need to stuff cement around it or just pack enough dirt around it to seal it up? Re: What to do with old terracotta pipe? 14May 20, 2011 1:43 am Just use some silicone to be really sure. Re: What to do with old terracotta pipe? 15May 21, 2011 3:50 pm Hopefully this information will help someone in the future... Turns out the plumb quick connector is not as expensive, may be over the phone they thought I was looking for a much larger one. Anyway, it costs $20, the larger end has 185mm to 200mm inside diameter (to go over the old terracotta pipe), the smaller end has 152mm to 162mm inside diameter (to go over the new 6 inch PVC pipe). Even though the connector looks like rubber, it is made of PVC and will last as long as the pipe does. Also it is a lot cheaper than 9 inch PVC pipe (smallest size required to sleeve over the old pipe). Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ http://www.fernco.com.au/products/fernco-plumbqwik-couplings/plumbqwiks Hi everyone I have a terracotta tiles roof When I climb inside the roof cavity I can feel that there is a draft inside the roof as the wind goes through the roof which is… 0 4469 We're looking at replacing the roof of a heritage listed home so it needs to be terracotta tiles, wondering if anyone has any recommendations, hints or… 0 1475 yep sounds good make the footing bigger to to allow for the pipe in the middle 3 7423 |