Ok, googled but could not make a good ID on this pipe:
It’s 4", gravity drain, cracked and super crazy thin wall, solid. It’s not cellular core for sure. I can’t see any markings. It’s unclear where the other end is, and if it’s hooked into the sewer mainline or not (this area does not permit such connections).
What could the pipe material be?
ABS.
Located in the garage?
Note the thickness, or lack thereof.
Refer for further review by a licensed plumbing contractor.
More on after.
Outdoor, blocked. Likely too thin to be cleared, looks brittle. But I asked in case it’s a known material. Big ticket item, as the there’s erosion on a hillside associated with this.
Basement Egress landing drain?
Not a big ticked plumbing drain line item. Likely old thin wall plastic used to to form the drainage passageway when they poured concrete.
A licensed plumbing contractor can scour away any plastic in the pipe walls with a roto tool.
Don’t scare your clients or make realtors angry. Good solid referrals will gain your proficiency amoung clients and relators.
The catch water basin needs a perforated lid or metal grate to prevent large objects from blocking the drain line.
Easy write up.
Screw that crap!! It is your job to make as big a deal about is as the scenario dictates! Seeing as it’s an ‘unknown’, how dare you make light of something that could be potentially harmful simply based upon an unknown material that was used to construct it?!
The break on the edge of the pipe looks like cast iron. Thin wall cast iron is called SV.
I carry a small magnet in my tool bag. It is not always clear what is steel, plastic or copper.
@mwilles do you think SV pipe underground is ok? or does it depend on the above loads/traffic and original designers?
Brian SV was a very common cast iron weight especially during times of metal shortage. I’ve seen SV cast-iron installed underground. That jagged broken edge on the pipe looks a lot like cast-iron and not PVC or ABS.
Not only is it broken, it appears to terminate here
SV eh? Good to know that’s an option, thank you @mwilles . Not considering cast iron at all I touched the pipe, and the one upstream. It felt plasticy… I did not consider cast iron at the time, and did not bring out a magnet.
This is the exit pipe from a 10" square grate. Another pipe dumps in from upstream with the exact same pipe style, which has a clean cut edge before dropping into the box. Thus, I was able to see and touch both ends, after digging out several inches of muck.
Full resolution photo:
I overexposed the detail photo deliberately to try and bring out the detail of the broken section… it looks pretty crummy.
I had to dig mud out to expose the lower pipe.
I doubt it’s concrete encased the entire way down the hill. And since it’s blocked, chances are the pipe is split and roots have come in.
I’m still calling it as a big ticket item, because there’s no easy way to trenchless repair this, and anything else requires breaking and restoring mortared brick.
I needs a scope IMO.
@bcawhern1 the drain I am speaking of is blocked solid on both ends within reach of stick I found nearby. So it needs a hydro-rooter before a scope :-). I suspect it’s such cheap pipe that it’s a lost cause (which is why I posted, to try and narrow down what the pipe may be).
The sewer needs a scope: as cast iron on a hillside lot, the chance of a hidden break is high. Around here that’s done with two balloons and a pressure test. It’s done at time of sale or by posting a $4500 bond can be deferred six months to the new owners. I’m told almost all sellers defer to the buyers — here I’d call that a risk.
Is this site drainage or sanitary sewer?
But Robert says…
You guys are really funny. Honestly!
Is all of this over a broken piece of pipe. Lol
Last I checked this forum is for answering questions about home inspections. It beats bellyaching about the award committee.
This is site drainage.
A 4" comes from the rear to the 10" box, then a 4" goes to the street level retaining wall. This is a hillside lot. The overflow is not in a good spot, and appears to be undermining the porch. I visited on a rainy day and it was a mess.
So it’s “just a broken pipe”, but material in terms of difficulty to repair, and impact on the home.
But if we can just figure out what type of pipe it is, I know where to take it from there…
Yep, site drainage is important. Discharge locations, back-up etc. can have really bad impacts on a home. I know you take things a bit further than I would as far as causation and recommendations, you may need to revisit. I do not thinks the photos are conclusive.
Is this what you would do in your report?
Just asking!
