Do-it-yourself chasing a cast-iron sewer pipe. Chasing cast iron pipes with your own hands Chasing cast iron water pipes

Cast iron pipes tend to be strongly associated with sewerage. Few people know that for more than two centuries they have been massively used for laying water supply lines. In this material, we will study the features of cast-iron water pipes, the GOST requirements for them, the methods of installation and repair used.

Cast iron or steel

Those who were in the cellars of Peterhof must have paid attention to the massive pipes that supply water to its famous fountains. This is one of the oldest cast-iron water pipes functioning to our time. It was built to last; at the same time, the builders of the royal residence, frankly, did not particularly consider the costs.

In the second half of the last century, economic expediency came to the fore. Indeed, why build a water supply system with a century and a half resource, if in 40 years the city area will be expanded and rebuilt with the laying of new highways?

It was then that steel main water pipes became widespread - relatively cheap and, most importantly, much more technologically advanced in terms of installation.

Tip: electric welding and external waterproofing with bitumen are performed much faster than manual chasing with pouring a socket.

The consequences of savings are quite predictable and are still being felt:

The resource of a pipe laid in the ground, despite waterproofing measures, rarely exceeds 30-40 years. After this time, numerous fistulas in it make the amount of drinking water loss unacceptable.

It is curious: according to local authorities, in Sevastopol, the city where the author of the article lives, 40% of water is lost due to the deterioration of the water supply network.

Not only that: the steel pipe is actively overgrown with lime deposits and rust from the inside. For a couple of decades, the clearance can decrease by 3-4 times with a corresponding drop in pressure and permeability.

And how does cast iron look against this dull background?

With the proper quality of external waterproofing, the actual service life of a pipe laid in the ground is at least a century.
The pipeline practically does not overgrow from the inside.

The only problem with a cast-iron water pipe is its high sensitivity to ground movements: where the steel pipe is slightly deformed, the cast-iron pipe will burst.

Standard

The current iron standard was introduced in 1977; the last changes were made to the text quite recently, in 2011. So, what should be the cast-iron pipes for water supply in accordance with GOST 9583-95?

Dimensions

The standard provides for cast-iron water pipes of three classes according to wall thickness - LA, A and B.

Conditional passage, mm	Wall thickness, mm
Conditional passage, mm	LA	BUT	B
65	6,7	7,4	8,0
80	7,2	7,9	8,6
100	7,5	8,3	9,0
125	7,9	8,7	9,5
150	8,3	9,2	10,0
200	9,2	10,1	11,0
250	10,0	11,0	12,0
300	10,8	11,9	13,0
350	11,7	12,8	14,0
400	12,5	13,8	15,0
500	14,2	15,6	17,0
600	15,8	17,4	19,0
700	17,5	19,3	21,0
800	19,2	21,1	23,0
900	20,6	22,3	25,0
1000	22,5	24,8	27,0

The mass of a linear meter of the pipe varies from 11.3 kg (65 mm, class LA) to 627 kg (1000 mm, class B). The standard provides for the production of socket pipes of measured length (2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9 and 10 meters) and random lengths from 2 to 10.5 m.

Requirements

The transition of the cylinder into the socket can be made with a slope or in the form of a ledge.

The dimensions of cast iron pipes for water supply may differ from the nominal within the following limits:

Measuring tube length – +-20 .
Wall thickness - -1 + 0.5.
Outer diameter (up to 300 mm) - + - (4.5 + 0.0015D).
Outer diameter (over 300 mm) - + (4.0 + 0.0015D) - (5.0 + -0.0015D).
Inner diameter in the socket - + (2.5 + 0.002 D) - (1.5 + 0.002D).

Please note: D is taken as the nominal diameter when calculating tolerances.

The ovality cannot lead the pipe beyond the normalized deviations from the nominal size. The deviation of the actual mass of the pipe from the calculated one cannot exceed five percent. Pipes undergo hydraulic pressure tests, which are determined by their class and nominal size.

Note: the working pressure in the water supply lines usually does not exceed 3-4 atmospheres.
Up to 8-10 kgf / cm2, it can rise only after pumping, within the engineering system of a house or a small microdistrict.

The end of the pipe, opposite the socket, must be cut perpendicular to its axis with a deviation of not more than 0.5 degrees.

Inside and outside of the product are covered with a protective non-toxic material. In this case, the coating should not interfere with the sealing of the butt joint, peel off and soften at temperatures up to +60 C.

Important: at the request of the customer, pipeline elements can be supplied uncoated.

Installation and repair

How to caulk a cast-iron water pipe during installation? Can cracks and chipped sockets be repaired?

The main stage is its compaction with a cable, oiled organic fiber. The bundle fits into the centered socket connection as tightly as possible, after which it is additionally compacted manually using a chasing and a hammer.

It is not enough to seal the joint: the cable must be protected from biological decomposition, mechanical damage and other adversities.

How it's done?

Ordinary cement brand 400. The water-cement mixture, prepared in a ratio of 1: 9, is hammered into the socket as tightly as possible and compacted by chasing until it starts to bounce off the cement plug. Then the socket is wrapped with wet rags for up to a day.

Asbestos-cement mixture, prepared in a ratio of 1: 2, followed by the addition of 10 - 12 volume percent of water. It compacts like cement; asbestos fibers prevent cracking.

Important: with the same success, you can use fiber - chopped fiberglass.

Expanding cement. Unlike conventional, it does not require sealing.
Sulfur melt with the addition of 10 - 15% ground kaolin. For obvious reasons, only a vertical or inclined socket can be poured; as a rule, gray assemblies are factory sealed.
Lead melt.
Finally, lead can be used for embossing on top of the caboose.. A thin bar of soft metal tightly fills the groove, reliably protecting the organic fiber.

Important: Lead and its compounds are toxic.
Asbestos fiber and fiber are also not so good for the respiratory system.
Hence the obvious instruction: when doing the corresponding work with your own hands, do not forget about personal protective equipment.

Repair of cast-iron water pipes is possible only with minor transverse or longitudinal cracks at a distance from the socket: in this case, a prefabricated cast-iron or steel clamp with a rubber gasket is applied to the pipeline section. In other cases (chipped sockets, longitudinal cracks of considerable length), the pipeline section is replaced.

Alternatives

VChSHG

First meeting

Under this abbreviation lies the so-called ductile cast iron with nodular graphite.

To explain the meaning of the term, you need to briefly delve into the jungle of physics.

All the main differences between cast iron and steel - brittleness, low ductility and high resistance to corrosion - are determined by the presence in it of one of the forms of carbon - graphite.
Ordinary graphite has the appearance of miniature flat flakes. However, during recrystallization, which occurs when certain additives (in particular, magnesium and its compounds) are introduced into the gray cast iron melt, it changes its shape to spherical.
At the same time, the physical properties of the metal change significantly: it acquires toughness, ductility and resistance to shock loads, while maintaining corrosion resistance.

What is especially pleasant is that the price of a ton of material changes slightly during transformation. The total proportion of additives that cause carbon recrystallization does not exceed 0.08% by weight of cast iron.

Socketed water pipes made of ductile iron today are the main alternative to gray cast iron.

They surpass cast iron pipes in compressive and bending strength, not to mention all types of polymer pipes. Accordingly, water supply lines can be laid with ductile iron pipes under busy highways and on unstable soils. They have all the qualities of steel, except for their Achilles' heel - low resistance to corrosion.
The problem of time-consuming and low-tech chasing of bells has been completely solved. Instead of embossing, bells with annular rubber seals are used. Of course, with significant pipe sizes, the assembly of sockets involves the use of heavy equipment; however, the mass of these pipes will in any case prevent manual installation of the pipeline.

Note!
The use of rubber seals makes it possible to slightly deform the socket connection (change in the relative position of the pipes) without impairing the tightness.

Normative documents

The production of elements of pressure pipelines from ductile iron is regulated by a separate standard - GOST R ISO 2531-2008.

Let's highlight its key points.

According to the document, pipes and fittings can have nominal sizes from 40 to 2600 millimeters, which makes it possible to use ductile iron to create highways that feed entire cities.
The composition of the metal, according to GOST, should not have a harmful effect on the composition of water.
The length of the pipes is regulated by the standard depending on their nominal diameter:

The maximum allowable curvature is no more than 0.125% of the pipe length.

As an external coating of the pipeline, depending on the operating conditions, the following can be used:

Metal zinc.
Zinc paint (zinc powder in a polymer binder).
Polyethylene.
Polyurethane.
Fiber cement.
Adhesive polymer tape.
Epoxy resin.
Bituminous mastic or paint.

For internal protection of pipes and fittings, the use of:

Cement mortars (Portland cement, Portland slag cement and aluminous cement).
Polyethylene.
polyurethane.
Epoxy resin.
Bituminous paint (mastics).

The marking of pipeline elements should indicate:

Manufacturer (name or trademark).
Year of manufacture.
Indication of the material (VChShG).
nominal size.
The standard to which the product is manufactured.

Polyethylene

Polyethylene pressure pipes are the main alternative to cast iron plumbing today.

A detailed acquaintance with them is clearly beyond the scope of our material, so we will pay attention only to their key properties.

The service life of polyethylene is estimated by manufacturers to be a vague “50+” years. In practice, this material can be considered almost eternal.
Deposits on the walls, which reduce the lumen of the pipe, cannot be in principle. The smooth surface of the polymer with extremely low adhesive qualities simply does not allow blockages to form.
All connections are made by butt welding. The strength of the joint is at least 80% of the strength of the whole pipe.

The only claim to polyethylene, which allows cast-iron pipes to remain on the market to this day, is high ductility and, as a result, very moderate ring stiffness. A polyethylene main pipeline can be laid in deformable soil only with protection by a reinforced concrete gutter.

Conclusion

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 bell should wobble freely and it 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.

Cast iron is a heavy-duty, corrosion-resistant, durable material that can withstand heavy loads. Its main purpose is the device of sewer and water communication. But you should not completely pin your hopes on the cast-iron sewer, since it also has disadvantages, they need special care and repair. In this article, we will look at how to caulk cast-iron pipes with your own hands.

In order to exclude depressurization of individual sections of communications, it is necessary to repair the internal pipes in a timely manner and take preventive measures, removing lime deposits, rust and other organic growths from their surface.

Chasing

The essence of the preparatory work is to inspect and determine the welded places. There are two methods for gluing cast iron pipe parts: gluing the elements with a welding seam and pouring with a mortar. Bonding of parts with a special solution is used if it is necessary to combine pipes of various configurations and diameters. And with a welding seam, fan pipes of the same diameter are mainly glued together. After a visual inspection of the sewer and determining the complexity of the work, you can proceed to the next stage - dismantling.

Most often, over the years, pipes grow together so strongly that it is very difficult to disassemble the sewer. In this case, you need a gas cutter, with which you can disconnect the spliced sections in a short period of time and without effort.

Before proceeding with the caulking of pipes, it is necessary to turn off the water supply. If possible, it is necessary to shut off the water supply system.

The designated section of the pipe, which is to be replaced, is sawn off by a grinder. When sawing damaged areas, strong blows should not be made in order to prevent the formation of cracks in subsequent sections.
After the removal of damaged sections of the pipe is completed, they proceed to install a new pipe with a certain margin for its expansion.

The edges of the pipe, which are inserted into the pipe, are fixed together with a resin strand using a caulk.

Pipe branch

This process is very complex and differs markedly from the previous method. This is argued by the fact that this area is risky and if the caulking is carried out incorrectly, then the riser can be split along the drop line.

Before you start disassembling the pipe, you need to take a hammer and tap on the entire surface of the socket. When tapping, you can determine the method of embossing.

If the bell easily gives in and staggers, then it was minted with a rope and a camboca. In this case, you will need an ordinary screwdriver and pliers. When loosening, a rope should appear, which must be hooked with a screwdriver and taken out to the surface. To make it easier to pull out the rope, it must be grabbed with pliers at the same time, without ceasing to loosen the socket.

Caulking a cast-iron pipe with sulfur eliminates deformation and loosening, therefore, not a hammer or other percussion instrument will help with this. In this case, you will need a blowtorch or a gas burner to burn the sulfur seam. From a high temperature, sulfur will begin to dry out and fall off. After the sulfur has crumbled, take a hammer and follow the same procedure as described in the previous method of caulking a pipe with a rope.

Perform tapping until the bell starts to move, so that it is convenient to loosen the bell, take an adjustable wrench and begin to carry out oscillatory movements from side to side, pulling it towards you. The loosened socket is taken out with a chisel and cleaned.

The saddle should be flat without distortions so that the sealing gum lies tightly to the surface.

The surface of the gum is coated with silicone and inserted into the tee of the bell. At this stage, the caulking and caulking of the cast-iron pipe is completed.

Video

We bring to your attention a video dedicated to chasing pipes.

Cast iron is a high strength material with a lot of weight. From it, objects are usually made that are required to withstand heavy loads, as well as elements for arranging the sewerage and water supply systems. Caulking pipes is not an easy job, and therefore, in order to avoid costly and complex repairs, it is recommended that facilities be regularly inspected for deformations.

In what cases is chasing performed?

This work is justified when it is necessary to replace a damaged cast-iron element of the system. It is also carried out in the case when the deformation cannot be corrected at the accident site. Damage to cast iron pipes is a fairly common problem, despite their increased strength. This material is very sensitive to water, chemical processes, temperature changes. As a result, the elements of the system cease to withstand the previous loads, and a decision has to be made on repair work.

If a crack has formed in the pipe, measures must be taken without delay, otherwise a small problem can lead to an emergency. Patching cracks with special solutions is only a temporary measure, so it is better to immediately pay attention to more reliable methods.

Training

Correct chasing

First of all, it is required to inspect the place of work, the pipes themselves. In this case, you need to see how they are connected to each other. The fact is that it is not always possible to do chasing with your own hands without disconnecting the pipes.

The problem arises if the cast-iron elements are located in the ground and during installation were filled with a composition that promotes gluing. The difficulty lies in the fact that often the structural elements grow together with each other so firmly that they can be separated only with the help of additional tools. Usually, a gas cleaver is used in this capacity, which contributes to the effective removal of the bonding solution.

It may be necessary to turn off the water in the entire house during repairs. If repairs are made on an important site, this may entail turning off the water in the entire area. Preparation for caulking is carried out using the following tools:

Bulgarian. Required for cutting the deformed area;
New piping element. Installed to replace the damaged one;
Construction bandage and cement mortar. Needed to close the seam.

How is chasing done?

Repair work on repairing cast-iron pipes should be done very carefully. It is better to entrust this important matter to professionals, but if you still decide to do the chasing with your own hands, the following instructions will help you:

Now you know how to do-it-yourself cast-iron pipes. If something remains unclear to you, on our website you can always see a photo that shows the described repair work. A video has also been published, from which you will learn how professional caulking of cast-iron pipes is performed.

In most buildings built during the Soviet era, the sewer system is made of cast iron pipes. This is due to the fact that such products have not only a long period of operation, but also are not amenable to various influences. However, cast iron pipes require proper installation and proper use.

Compared to other types of communications, residential plumbing needs to be replaced very often (every few years). In addition, the installation of plumbing fixtures and repairs in the house may require changes in the design of the system. To perform caulking of cast-iron pipes in an apartment with your own hands, it is not necessary to undergo special training. This can be done with only the skills to work with a standard tool. How to properly dismantle the old pipe and install a new one, you can find out in this article.

Work algorithm

Chasing a cast iron pipe

Depressurization of cast iron elements is one of the most difficult tasks for self-repairing sewers. To do the work as quickly and efficiently as possible, it is recommended to prepare all the necessary tools in advance.

For work you need:

grinder (with its help you can cut off part of the pipe);
grinding discs;
goggles, gloves and mask;
soldering iron (useful for heating joints);
a hammer;
screwdrivers of different sizes and configurations;
pipe wrench;
chisel.

Note! To prevent the spread of unpleasant odors throughout the room and the ingress of various debris into the pipeline, close the drain hole with a piece of cloth.

The sequence of work performed:

The first step before caulking a cast iron sewer pipe is to tap the joint with a hammer. However, this should be done carefully. Otherwise, you can damage the structure, which will lead to a complete replacement of the riser. It is also possible to carry out such manipulations, often using a tool made of wood.
As soon as you finish tapping, you should pay attention to the condition of the fasteners. If the pipe runs from side to side, and it is possible to disconnect it, the following must be done. It is necessary to swing the product by prying it with a screwdriver. The rope should be hooked with pliers and carefully pulled out.

Advice! During the procedure, you should pump the pipe more and more.

If even after frequent and prolonged knocks with a hammer, the pipe did not change its position, we can conclude that the fastening was carried out using sulfuric solution. To remove fasteners, you must first burn the dried mixture. This can be achieved in several stages. The first step is to heat up the joint with a soldering iron. You need to do this in a circle. Next, you need to continue to knock with a hammer, trying not to violate the integrity of the product. If the structure of the elements began to stagger, you can try to dismantle the element with a key.

Heating up the joint with a soldering iron

Having successfully dismantled the product, you should thoroughly clean the joints with a chisel. The emphasis should be on cleaning the edges, as a rubber seal will be installed in this place.
Before installation, the sealing material must be lubricated with a special agent.
The last step is the installation of a new product in the prepared area.

Cleaning up the junction

When burning sulfur, it is imperative to wear a protective mask and goggles. They will not allow harmful vapors to enter the body.

Avoiding problems

With a strong impact on the pipe, cast iron can deform

It must be remembered that the technical characteristics of cast iron are not ideal. Products made from such material are quite fragile. Low-quality cast iron is subject to deformation when exposed to liquid, as well as the processes that take place in it. Changing temperature regimes can also negatively affect the resistance of such pipes, which reduces their ability to carry strong pressures.

The process of chasing cast iron sewer pipes, as can be seen from the article, is quite simple. As for the installation, here you will need to work a little.

When installing elements, you need to use heated resin

The element to be installed must be qualitatively strengthened at the junction by applying a layer of resin. A tighter fixation can be achieved with the help of special tools. They are sold in hardware stores.

Advice! Before caulking a cast iron sewer pipe, the first thing to do is to calculate the space for installing a new pipe and, if necessary, household appliances.

If your plumbing system needs partial replacement, then this process should not be postponed. This is due to the fact that even the smallest crack can grow in a fairly short time, which will entail high costs.

Sewer pipe connection

During the installation of pipes in the sewer pipeline, empty spaces may appear at the joints. Often this affects the correct operation of the system. For a high-quality connection with the removal of all holes and voids, it is necessary to use special materials. The most popular options are the use of cement and asbestos cement.

The use of cement mortars

Cement mortar for sealing joints

The sealing material must be installed first. To do this, you need to use a rope that is pre-impregnated with resin. Then the prepared seal must be wrapped around the edge of the pipe from the outside. This will prevent the rope from getting into the depth of the pipe.

Important! The use of special tools will increase the speed of work by a third.

Prepare the solution as follows. The ratio of water and cement should be 9:1. In cold weather, a well-heated liquid should be used. After allowing the mixture to cool, apply it to the attachment areas. You can tamp the solution inside the seams with a hammer. To ensure better adhesion of cement to the surface and other materials, it is necessary to cover the finished area with a wet cloth.

Compound with cement and asbestos

A mixture of cement and asbestos for sealing pipes

The method of using an asbestos-based solution is similar to the previous method. It is perfect for mounting pipes made of cast iron and other materials.

Action algorithm:

Mix dry asbestos with cement in a bowl in a ratio of 1:2;
Next, add a small amount of water and let the mixture stand for a while. Then mix the composition until smooth.

It is impossible to say which is the best way to fix pipes. With the correct application of any of the fastening methods, good results can be achieved.

In order to qualitatively carry out work on the dismantling and strengthening of the elements, you should know all the subtleties and rules of the procedure. Only then can you be sure that your system will last for many years and will not make itself felt. The process consists of many complex steps. Therefore, in order to qualitatively fix the connections of cast-iron sewer pipes with your own hands, you must follow the tips and recommendations.

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