Tying Into an Existing Drain Line

Before adding an outlet for a new faucet or other plumbing fixture, there’s a 90% chance you’ll have to tap into an existing water line. For a home with PVC plumbing, this is a simple task requiring only a few tools and some plumbing supplies. Once you locate a convenient pipe to tap into, adding a fitting for a new line takes only a few minutes.

There are a couple of simple steps to follow to be sure you successfully complete the job. In this blog, we cover those simple steps, and we also go over the basic items that you’ll need for this job.

Items Needed

•       PVC Cutters or Hacksaw
•       Utility knife
•       Bucket
•       Marker
•       Rag
•       T Joint
•       PVC solvent
•       PVC Glue

Step by Step Process

1. Turn off the water supply.
2. Once the water supply is turned off, open the faucets in the house to drain as much water as possible from the plumbing system. Let the lines run until they are dry, then turn the faucets off.
3. Place a small bucket under the section of pipe that you’re planning to cut to catch any remaining water.
4. Measure, mark, and cut a section out of the line you’re tying into using PVC cutters or a hacksaw. PVC cutters are designed to make a clean, 90-degree cut and may be worth purchasing to save you time and hassle. If you use a hacksaw, you’ll need to clean the burrs off the inside and outside of both ends of the cut with a utility knife before proceeding.
5. Clean the outside of both ends of the cut pipe and the inside surfaces of the T Joint with PVC solvent. Use the brush attached to the cap of the solvent container to apply the coat of solvent.
6. Once the solvent is dry, test-fit the T Joint in the open section that you cut out of the drain line.
7. Once you confirm it fits, apply a thin coat of PVC glue to the outside of both pipes and the inside joining surfaces of the T Joint.
8. Fit the T Joint over the existing pipes. Press the ends of the pipe into position in the fitting and hold them together firmly for at least 30 seconds.
9. Wipe excess glue off the outside of the new joint with a rag.
10. Attach the new water line to the remaining opening in the T Joint fitting. Fit and glue the remaining portion of the new line and allow it to dry for a couple of hours. During the drying time don’t turn the water supply on, instead wait until the glue is 100% dry.

Call Terry’s Plumbing Today!

In this article, we showed you how to tie into existing plumbing in 10 easy steps. Plumbing does not have to be intimidating if you break it down into simple steps – anyone can master simple repairs and additions in no time flat! However, if repairs or additions like these seem daunting call Super Terry for help today.