Soil and Waste Pipes and Fittings

There are many different pipes used to carry waste in and out of your home, but how can you distinguish the difference between a soil pipe and a waste pipe? Let Total Pipeline Systems help.

Here we explain what soil and waste pipes are and their importance:

What is a Soil Pipe?

A Soil Pipe or ‘vent pipe’ carries waste away from your property. It’s connected to a pan connector which is then attached to a toilet, bath or sink and runs down the outside of your property – connecting it to the sewage system.

What do Soil Pipes do?

Soil Pipes transport waste and sewage from bathrooms and kitchens into the underground drainage system. They are vented through the roof and release smells and odours into the atmosphere, assisting with aerobic sewage digestion.

Which Soil Pipe do I need?

At Total Pipes, we supply Soil Pipes in a wide range of widths and lengths. The pipe size required, depends on the inlets and outlets that you will connect it to and the volume of wastewater.

Using the 110mm Soil Pipes as an example, these will be fitted to a standard pan connector, then a standard 110mm underground drainage system.

We supply Soil Pipe Fittings to complement our range of soil pipes – making it easy for you to find the appropriate products for your system.

How are Soil Pipes joined?

There are two ways that our pipes can be joined – either push-fit or solvent weld.

The push-fit Soil Pipe Fittings push the pipes together and a rubber seal prevents leakage. For solvent weld fittings, a solvent glue is used to hold pipes together and creates a permanent seal.

Here at Total Pipes, we provide both push-fit and solvent weld Soil Pipe Fittings to match the 110mm and 160mm pipes that we supply – guaranteeing a secure join.

What is a Waste Pipe?

A waste pipe allows wastewater to flow from your appliances, into the main soil stack and trapped gully, before reaching the underground drainage system. It doesn’t need to be vented above ground level because wastewater doesn’t produce harmful gas.

How do Waste Pipes work?

Appliances that use water, such as showers, washing machines and sinks, require Waste Pipes and traps to ensure wastewater is removed efficiently. They connect appliances from the trap to the soil stack and transport water to the sewage system where it will be drained.

Which Waste Pipe do I need?

Total Pipes provide an extensive collection of Waste Pipes, including push-fit and solvent pipes, overflow waste pipes and universal waste pipe fittings.

All waste pipes are manufactured to the highest quality and come in various sizes, including diameters of 32mm, 40mm and 50mm.

The Solvent Waste Pipes and Fittings are commonly supplied in black, but we also provide them in more decorative colours such as white or olive green.

Our universal Waste Pipe Fittings are designed to be ‘plug and play’, which simply means that they are simple to install and can be easily adjusted. We supply a number of different fittings which allow you to reliably connect pipes.

How are Waste Pipes joined?

Waste pipes and soil pipes are joined in similar ways.

We provide solvent Waste Pipe Fittings which are great for systems that require a strong connection. Although the process of installing a solvent pipe is slightly more complicated than that of a push-fit pipe (which simply pushes together), it provides a longer-lasting seal with solvent cement.

Our push-fit Waste Pipe Fittings prevent spills and leaks – making sure that wastewater is carried safely to the sewer. Arguably the easiest to install, the push-fit fittings simply click into place and are available in straight and bent variations.

Why is it important to know the difference between Soil and Waste Pipes?

Knowing your soil pipes from your waste pipes will allow you to maintain an efficient drainage system and prevent you from flushing the wrong products down the wrong drain.

Each pipe is vented differently and you need to make sure that you have the right ones installed to your premises to avoid foul smells and leaks.

When it comes to finding waste pipes and Waste Pipe Fittings, or soil pipes and fittings, the Total Pipes experts are on hand 24/7 and can guide your decision. Call us today on 01254 382 000.