How to mint a cast-iron sewer with your own hands. It’s not the gods who burn the pots, or everything about chasing pipes with their own hands A visual aid on how to mint a cast-iron sewer

Since chasing cast iron pipes is a very laborious job, as any specialist will tell you, it is wiser to carry out preventive inspections than to wait until a large-scale sewer is required. Since cast iron is still mainly used for external sewer networks as the main material for pipes, which cannot be completely replaced by modern plastic counterparts, prevention should be treated with all due attention. In our article, we will talk about two types of pre-repair and post-repair work - caulking and caulking of cast iron pipes.

Chasing cast iron pipes

Preparation for repair

Sometimes it becomes necessary to repair some part of the sewerage system. However, such repairs can not always be made without disconnecting the pipes. When it is required to replace a pipeline section, you should first inspect the place of future work in order to determine how they were among themselves at one time.

Often the main difficulty is that pipes, especially those located in the ground, are filled with a special compound that prevents them from separating. In this case, the question arises of how to emboss a cast-iron pipe without much effort and time.

It is possible to quickly disconnect the pipes by using a gas cutter to remove the composition, which fastens the elements of the system.

Pipe chasing technology

Do-it-yourself caulking of cast-iron pipes, carried out when replacing a riser or changing a toilet bowl, can create no less of a problem. In this case, it becomes necessary to caulk the branch pipe of the cast-iron pipe as accurately as possible. The embossing process looks like this:

The first action to be taken is to tap the socket of the pipe with a hammer, being careful not to split it, in order to avoid a complete replacement of the riser.
After making sure that the bell moves quite freely and can be released without any problems, since it was caulked with a heel, you can start dismantling:
- slightly loosen the bell from side to side;
- pry with a screwdriver and pull the rope a little;
- firmly grab the rope with pliers;
- gently, slowly, pull out the rope, while continuing to loosen the tube.

In the case when the bell does not budge after tapping, that is, the caulking of cast-iron pipes was carried out by pouring sulfur, you will have to use the method of burning it out:
- carefully heat the pipe in a circle with a blowtorch or burner;
- trying not to damage the pipe, continue gently tapping the pipe with a hammer;
- when the bell starts to move, slightly loosen it from side to side with an adjustable wrench.

When performing an operation to burn sulfur, it is imperative to wear a respirator so as not to be poisoned by harmful fumes.

After the bell is safely released, it must be cleaned using a chisel or chisel. Particular care should be taken to clean the socket seat, where the sealing rubber will be placed.
Coat the rubber seal with special grease and insert into the socket.
Install a new part in the seal.

Video of the caulking process

How cast-iron pipes are caulked - the video below will show even more clearly.

Chasing pipes

When carrying out, consisting of cast-iron pipes, it is necessary to foresee a method for closing the gaps that invariably remain between the outer side of the inserted part of the pipe and the inner surface of the socket. That is, you should think about how to mint cast-iron pipes. There are two ways to solve the problem, let's consider them in more detail.

Sealing of sockets with cement mixture

The chasing technology looks like this:

Resin seal installation.

caulk the resin tourniquet into the socket up to 2/3 of its depth;
when forming the first rope ring, wrap the end of the bundle over the ring so that it does not fall into the pipe.

The use of cement mortar.

mix cement marking 300-400 with water (by weight) in a ratio of 9:1;
the place remaining after compaction of the bundle in the socket should be filled with cement mortar;
firmly strike the cement with a chasing and a hammer until the chasing rebounds from the cement;
for a better setting of the solution after caulking, cover it with a wet rag.

To increase work productivity, it is worth using broadened caulking and embossing, which will speed up the process by about 30%.

If work is carried out in winter, cement should be mixed with hot water, and the joints must be insulated after sealing.

Sealing of sockets with asbestos cement

Another way to caulk a cast-iron pipe is to use an asbestos-cement mixture. The process has two differences:

A dry mixture of asbestos fiber and cement is prepared by mixing them in a ratio of 1:2.
Before direct use, the dry mixture is moistened with water: from 10 to 12% of the initial mass of the mixture.

The chasing technology itself looks similar to the first method.

On this, a rather laborious work - chasing and / or chasing cast-iron pipes - is completed. To achieve the best result, however, such work should be entrusted to qualified specialists. Only in this case, you can be sure that everything will be done correctly, and you will not have to deal with more complex repairs, eliminating the flaws of poor-quality installation or dismantling.

Before the advent of new materials, such as metal-plastic or plastic pipes, most houses had steel or cast-iron sewers. Before installing a new pipeline, it is necessary to dismantle the old one, which is not an easy task, because earlier cast-iron structures were connected with cement mortar, aluminum or sulfur. Such a pipeline is difficult to dismantle, so it is worth preparing for a laborious and protracted process.

When a cast-iron sewer is being dismantled, a wide variety of tools can be used, because it all depends on the method and material of chasing. However, the most important devices can be distinguished - these are:

grinder, with which you can cut out a pipeline element;
grinding or cutting discs;
blowtorch;
a set of different screwdrivers, a hammer;
chisel;
special pipe wrench;
goggles, a mask, and when disassembling structures that were connected with gray, also a headdress;
perforator;
nail puller or crowbar;
pipe cutter;
chisel or steel wedge;
iron bucket with water.

Before starting work, it is worth determining the connection method in order to sketch out a rough plan for how to disassemble the cast-iron sewer.

Moments of dismantling cast iron

With a complete replacement of the structure with a plastic one, you can not do extra work and just smash everything with a hammer. This is quite easy to do, because cast iron is considered a brittle material. However, if only part of the pipeline needs to be dismantled, the work must be done more carefully.

Before dismantling the cast-iron sewer, it is necessary to inspect the entire system to determine the area that will be repaired. Then be sure to turn off the water supply so that the drains do not enter the sewer. Further disassembly is carried out in stages:

The part of the pipe located below the connection is cut off.
The pipe is separated from the socket. The embossing methods will be discussed in more detail.
If you remove the connection just does not come out, use a blowtorch or make surrounding cuts 20 mm long.

When carrying out procedures, it is imperative to use all protective equipment due to the injury risk of this work.

Caulking of the pipeline with sulfur compound

Regardless of how the cast-iron sewer was connected, it is imperative to carry out some standard preparatory work before replacing:

turn off the water;
disconnect the hose leading to the toilet;
remove the toilet itself by unscrewing the bolts;
clean the bathroom of appliances and furniture.

To determine whether sulfur was really used when connecting pipes, you need to bring a blowtorch to the seam. Under the influence of high temperatures, sulfur melts, accompanying this process with an unpleasant odor.

When disassembling cast-iron sewer pipes, work begins from the farthest corner. The element must be broken with a hammer. It is better to use a tool with a plastic or polymer base, because the sewer can become clogged due to metal nozzles. Having found the cross leading to the riser, it is necessary to loosen it as much as possible.

Then you need to prepare a blowtorch or gas burner. At least two people should be involved in heating up the connections. While one warms up and melts sulfur, the other must loosen the structure. When doing this, be sure to use gloves and other protective equipment.

When the connecting substance is completely melted, the crosspiece can be removed from the riser. At the same time, you should be very careful, you need to remember to remove the remaining sulfur, and then let the riser cool thoroughly. If the cast iron structure is too strong, you can always make a few cuts near the pipe that needs to be removed. This will make the extraction process easier.

Cement bonded pipeline caulking

Dismantling cast iron pipes that have been connected with cement is practically the same as the above-mentioned sulfur option, but it is much safer. This is because when sulfur melts, a lot of carbon monoxide is released.

To start dismantling, you need to cut off part of the pipe. In this case, it is worth retreating at least 30 cm from the junction. The hardened cement is removed with a hammer, which must be beaten with a screwdriver or a chisel inserted into the hole. All procedures should be performed as carefully as possible so as not to damage the socket.

When the joints are freed from cement, you need to try to loosen the main pipe. In order not to process the sewer with a blowtorch or a burner, it is necessary to remove the cable, but if this cannot be dispensed with, it is necessary to heat it up strongly or use a specialized key. For example, for a 50 mm pipe, tool Nos. 3 and 4 are used.

The crosspiece is located below on the main riser. To remove it, you can simply use a hammer with a screwdriver. At the same time, for some time, you need to lightly tap on the tee itself in order to form a small gap between it and the pipe. Then you need to penetrate this opening, pry off the tee and remove it. It will take a lot of time to carry out these manipulations, in addition, this method is ineffective.

The next option is to use a blowtorch or burner. Dismantling is much faster, but the price for this is an unpleasant smell that takes a long time to disappear. First of all, you need to cut the socket of the cross. Then a heating device is placed in the pipe. A metal shield is applied to the upper part of the pipe in order to be able to regulate the draft inside the riser. When heated, you need to start swinging the pipe and, as soon as possible, remove the dismantled tee.

You can also use a grinder. To do this, you must first cut off parts of the tee, leaving a small piece in the pipe. Then put a medium-sized disk that could freely get inside, and cut through the remaining parts of the structure with a grinder, knocking them out with a hammer.

What to do in case of failure?

The dismantling of the pipeline is carried out to the permissible limit, because it is better to cut the pipe before it passes into the socket. At the same time, joining a cast-iron pipeline with a plastic one will take much less effort and time. It is better to cut the structure with a grinder, but if it is not there, you can use a hacksaw to work with metal. The use of this tool can greatly increase the duration of the dismantling process.

If the dismantling failed, do not be upset, because you can simply purchase a specialized transitional coupling, with which cast-iron and polymer pipes are connected.

If you have difficulty cutting the pipe, you can cut it in half. Then you need to apply slight pressure or rotate so that the element bursts. If it cannot be removed from the socket, you just need to make several cuts in a circle with an interval of 20 mm, after which it can be removed from the riser.

Before starting the connection of the cast-iron and polymer pipeline, it is necessary to clean the first option of sulfur by heating. After removing the substance, it is necessary to leave the pipes for several hours and allow them to cool.

In the case of replacing plumbing equipment such as a toilet bowl or a sewer riser, it is necessary to very carefully perform the procedure for caulking cast-iron pipes in the first place. With strict observance of all the rules for caulking or caulking connected sewer pipes, it is possible to do such work with your own hands.

The embossing is done in the following order

First, it is necessary to very carefully, without undue effort, tap the socket part of the sewer pipe with a hammer in order to avoid complete replacement of the riser section in case of cracking.
By slightly loosening the dismantled pipe, it is necessary to make sure that the bell can move and rotate freely on the sides and can be gradually released from the chasing with a cable. Now you can dismantle it in the following order:
in all directions it is necessary to loosen the socket;
gradually pull out the rope and pick it with a thin straight object with a screwdriver or some kind of rod;
the rope must be firmly grasped with pliers;
continue to slowly loosen it and gently pull the rope.

The ineffectual tapping and immobility of the bell indicate that the chasing was performed using a special sulfur filling. In this case, it is necessary to perform the direct burnout procedure according to the following scheme:

It is necessary to carefully heat the socket section of the cast-iron pipe in a circle with a blowtorch or gas burner, while you must not forget to continue loosening, unscrewing and tapping the socket part of the pipe;

After it has moved from the place of the old embedment, it is necessary to continue to loosen it with the help of some tool, an adjustable wrench, etc.
After dismantling, it is necessary to carefully clean with any cutting tool a knife, chisel or chisel. When cleaning, special attention should be paid to the socket seat, on which sealing rubber will subsequently be installed.
Place greased into the cleaned socket. Install the required assembly in the seal.

Coin options

In order to firmly and hermetically construct a sewer system from cast-iron pipelines and parts for it, it is imperative to provide for the correct option for sealing the resulting gap filling the void between the pipes, which is always shown when the inner socket part of the pipe is butt-joined with its outer surface part.
It should be noted that the choice of the necessary consumables, the appropriate special tools for sealing work and the amount of time spent depend on the method of sealing the connection of cast-iron pipes. It is proposed to consider the currently existing two options for caulking cast iron joints.
1. The first option is the use of cement mortar

The procedure for sealing pipe joints with cement mortar consists of the following steps:
In the resulting gap between the pipes, it is necessary to lay a special tarred sealant. To make such a gasket, a conventional tourniquet pre-tarred in a special solution is used, which is driven into the gap formed between the pipe and the socket to a depth equal to 2/3 of the gap space. After creating the first sealing ring, it is necessary to put the end of the rope (tow) on top of this ring so that it does not end up inside the pipe being installed.
Next, it is necessary to seal the remaining part of the depth of the gap (1/3 of the remaining space) between the pipes with the prepared mortar from cement, which is already compacted with a tarred tourniquet in front of this. In order to increase the density and reliability of the caulking of the joints, it is required to use a special coinage together with a hammer, with which it is necessary to carefully tamp the cement mortar. The moment of the end of caulking is considered to be the beginning of rebounds of the caulking from the clogged cement seal. In order to obtain a high-quality setting of the cement mortar, it is necessary to cover the compacted area with a wet cloth, for example, gauze.
In order to prepare a cement mortar, you will need to purchase cement grade 300400. It must be mixed with water in a ratio of 9/1.
You can increase the speed of work when caulking with the help of special tools such as broadened caulking and caulking. At the same time, the entire process is accelerated by 30%.
If the work is carried out in winter at low ambient temperatures, then the cement mortar in this case must be kneaded in heated water, and it is also necessary to perform temporary insulation of the pipe joint sealed with cement.

2. The second option is the use of asbestos cement

This process is slightly different from the previous one and has its own procedure:
It is necessary to knead the asbestos fiber in a dry state with cement in a ratio of 1/2, respectively;
The collected dry mix must be kneaded in water before being used as a seal between pipes. The volume of water in the solution should be about 1012% of the total volume of the prepared mixture.
The process of caulking the gap between the pipes is carried out in a similar way in accordance with the established procedure for the first option for sealing the joints.

Such a procedure as chasing or chasing connections between has its own difficulties and difficulties with its own nuances and tricks. Therefore, in order to achieve a positive result with such laborious work, it is recommended to seek help from knowledgeable and experienced professionals. In this case, there is a guarantee that you can get rid of unnecessary hassle and costs during an unplanned replacement of risers as a result of, for example, unsuccessful tapping of the socket part of the sewer pipe with a hammer.

Almost all Soviet buildings are equipped with cast-iron sewer communications, since such pipes are durable and resistant to wear. But the cast iron pipeline requires the right approach to use and dismantling.

Unlike drain pipes, which can last for decades, connections inside a home may need to be replaced sooner. Also, interventions in the sewer system may be forced during the installation of washing equipment or redevelopment of the bathroom. To do it according to the rules, it is not necessary to call and wait for the master, all the work can be mastered by the owner himself, if he knows how to handle elementary tools. Dismantling the sewer should not take much time, but dismantling old products is more difficult. Let's figure out how to properly dismantle cast iron pipes.

Step-by-step caulking of cast-iron pipes

In the process of repairing sewer communications with your own hands, the most difficult moment may be caulking a cast-iron pipe. Such manipulation may be required when repairing or reinstalling the riser. In this case, it is necessary to very carefully emboss the pipes of the cast-iron pipes. Step by step, this work can be done like this:

First, use a hammer to lightly tap the socket, while being careful not to break it, since carelessness can lead to irreversible consequences, for example, replacing the entire riser. It is better to use a wooden mallet.
If the previous blockage was made with the help of a cable, then after tapping the socket should wobble freely and can be removed without additional effort. In such a case, do the following:
- swing the bell from side to side;
- pry with a screwdriver and pull the rope a little;
- hook it with pliers;
- slowly and carefully pull out the rope, swinging the pipe in the process.
If, after tapping, the pipe did not start moving, it means that the previous caulking of the sockets of sewer pipes was carried out by pouring sulfur. In this option, you will need to get rid of it by burning it. To do this, proceed as follows:
- gently heat the pipe at the joint along the entire diameter with a blowtorch or burner;
- lightly, trying not to break the walls of the pipe, then tap it with a hammer;
- if the bell starts to wobble, try moving it using an adjustable wrench.
Please note that when working with a burner and sulfur, it is imperative to protect the respiratory tract with a mask so as not to get poisoned by toxic fumes.
After successful dismantling, the walls of the socket must be well cleaned with a chisel and chisel. Pay special attention to the bell seat, as this is where you will place the sealing rubber.
Having previously coated the rubber seal with a special lubricant, place it in the socket.
Place a new structural element in the rubber ring.

Precautions in repairing cast iron pipes

When working with such pipes, be sure to remember that cast iron is a relatively brittle material with its endurance. If you hit the metal hammer hard or too hard, the wall will vibrate, which may cause cracks. If this happens, the replacement of damaged sections will be long and expensive. Therefore, when preparing for dismantling, stock up on the necessary tools in advance.

Don't work alone, it is unsafe and difficult. Better call someone for help.

It's important to know that sulfur fumes can be harmful to health, so use a gas mask, in extreme cases, a respirator and goggles. Also take care of good air circulation in the room where the repair work is taking place.

After removing the pipe from the socket, take the time and attention to clean the seat of this part. So you will ensure the installation of the sealing material without defects and distortions.

Immediately pack all dismantled material and garbage into construction bags, tie and throw away. An unpleasant smell will come from the old pipeline.

If you are caulking cast iron pipes for the first time and after reading this article, you still do not understand how to do it, be sure to contact a professional. For an experienced craftsman, the process of dismantling cast iron pipes will take 25-30 minutes, while a beginner can spend more than 3 hours and with an unknown result.

Something, but there was a lot of cast iron in the Soviet Union! All technologies were developed taking into account the use of this particular material. So in the laying of sewers, cast iron is still very much in demand. Of course, cast iron has many very significant advantages - it can withstand heavy loads, which allows you to assemble risers on many floors, it is durable, can perform its function for decades in damp or cold rooms, paint fits well on a cast-iron pipe, that is, it can be beautifully entered into design. In a word, a cast iron sewer pipe is a solid, durable thing. But in this thoroughness lies its main drawback. It is very difficult to disassemble, if necessary, a part of such a pipeline. And sometimes this is an urgent need. For example, you need an additional outlet or an existing outlet has become unusable. How to proceed?

hammered pipe before starting work

The best thing is when the work is done by a professional, a master of his craft. In this case, you can be sure of the quality and efficiency of the work performed. But this option is not always possible. Often, plumbing has to wait for weeks, and their prices, to put it mildly, are overpriced. It happens that this "master" has no experience in such works. Not all those who wear plumbing overalls are such.

Therefore, if you have at least some manual skills, then you can disconnect or, as they say, emboss the cast-iron sewer pipes yourself. Let's try to decide on the algorithm of actions.

Preparation for caulking pipes

First of all, you need to stock up in advance with all the necessary tools so that it is at hand. It is necessary to prepare an angle grinder (grinder), preferably adapted to work with 230 mm discs. For those places that cannot be approached by a grinder, you need to stock up on a hacksaw (it's good to have a few spare blades). You will also need: a simple hammer and a hammer with a rubber or wooden sole, an adjustable wrench, a chisel, pliers, several screwdrivers of different widths, a blowtorch and a respirator. And, of course, glasses, gloves and rags.

warming up the pipe before caulking

Depending on the way the pipes were minted, the condition of the minting and your skill, the operation could take several hours. This must be kept in mind. Of all plumbing repairs, caulking cast-iron pipes is perhaps the most time-consuming job. But don't let that scare you. Thousands of people have done this job successfully, and so can you.

First stage

So, we begin dismantling the cast-iron sewer with our own hands. First of all, we close all the valves, thereby eliminating the possibility of water flow through the disassembled pipe. It is desirable (but not necessary) to agree with the neighbors from above to temporarily limit the use of water supply, and hence sewerage. We free ourselves as much space as possible, disconnect all drain pipes. Special mention must be made of the toilet. This plumbing product, as a rule, is located as close as possible to the riser. Modern toilets are connected to the sewer system using corrugations, while the Soviet ones were connected directly to the pipe socket. And since they were also attached to the floor by cement pouring, it is impossible to disconnect such a toilet bowl from the pipe and the floor at the same time. If such a rarity is installed in your bathroom, but you need to chisel the sewer, then you will have to say goodbye to such a toilet. It can only be broken and dismantled in parts.

the beginning of caulking a cast-iron pipe with a chisel and a hammer

After removing the toilet, disconnecting the pipes, we get directly to the connection that needs to be minted. If you need to replace the final pipe, this makes the task much easier. If the problematic part of the pipe is located in the middle of the common pipeline or has additional branches, cutting is indispensable. Such a pipe cannot be moved, and without this it will not be possible to remove one pipe from the other. Therefore, the pipe is cut a few (2-4) centimeters from the socket of the previous pipe. By no means flush!

The incision is made by a grinder (in compliance with all safety regulations). If the location of the pipe does not allow it to be completely cut, then we finish the rest with a hacksaw. Do not try to break the undercut with a hammer or pry bar. It is very important to remember that cast iron is a brittle material. This fragility is unpredictable, you can hit it several times in vain in one place, and suddenly crack in another. The pipes that you are changing are already worn out, they may have shells and microcracks inside, through which the pipe can burst. And the danger lies precisely in the fact that a part of the bell can break off, which must be left intact. Otherwise, the next pipe will also have to be changed, and it can be part of a common riser or pass through an interfloor ceiling. Agree that this is a completely different level of problems.

Correctly executed partial caulking of the pipe

Therefore, we carefully cut the pipe. You can make several longitudinal incisions on the rest of the pipe to the socket. To prevent foreign objects from entering the pipeline, plug the hole with a rag.

By the way, it is better to tie it to something just in case, to be sure that the rags will not fly into the riser.

Chasing pipes minted in different ways

Gently make a few blows with a hammer on the socket and try to loosen it. If there is slight movement, then the method of caulking is simpler, consisting of a rammed rope (kabolka). In this case, you should try to dig its top layer with a screwdriver of a suitable width and find the end. Then, having hooked the edge of the cable with pliers, we try to pull it out all the way, while shaking our rest of the pipe. Having pulled out the entire rope, we continue to shake the pipe in different directions, while pulling it towards ourselves.

The most undesirable, but, unfortunately, the most common method of minting in Soviet times was pouring sulfur compounds into the cavity. How to disconnect cast iron sewer pipes connected in this way? To do this, you will have to use the only effective method - heating. Be sure to remember a simple thing: sulfur, and especially its vapors, are poison! Use a respirator without fail, and if possible, a gas mask! The process of heating sulfur with a blowtorch will take a long time, so if you do not have personal respiratory protection equipment, even if you have a good ventilation system, it is better not to start it at all. Health is more expensive!

connection of a embossed pipe with a plastic pipe

So, we heat the sulfur. Periodically tap on the pipe until it begins to noticeably move. This suggests that the consistency of sulfur has changed and it has become viscous. The pipe also got very hot, so we clamp it with an adjustable wrench and, just as in the previous case, we pull it towards ourselves, loosening it. Everything, the bell is free!

After the pipe is removed from the bell, it is necessary to clean it from the remnants of sulfur or kabolka. This is done with a chisel, screwdrivers and a chisel with a rubber mallet. Then everything inside is thoroughly wiped with a rag, especially the saddle of the bell, as the main working surface. The embossing process has been completed.

If the description of the process did not clarify everything, and you need to visually see how the caulking takes place, then try to find a video on the Internet on how to caulk a cast-iron sewer.