Cottage bathroom drains--winterproof?

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Guy48065

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I've owned my cottage for one year & so far no plumbing problems...but I don't know the history of the place other than it's about 70 years old and most likely didn't have indoor plumbing when built. The tiny bathroom has 3 drains from the sink, toilet and shower drop straight down through the unheated crawlspace and into the ground. There is a vent which also drops straight into the ground, but is outside the house. NO horizontals above ground. My assumption is this is to prevent freezing if used in the dead of winter (northern MI). If the shower has a trap it must be underground. I don't know exactly how the vent is tied into the 3 drains & I would have to dig down 3-4 feet in the crawlspace to find out.
Everything seems to work in harmony with no slow drains & no gurgling.

I intend to gut this bathroom & build a larger one with the sink & toilet in the same positions but the shower pushed back 12 inches. Should I leave the working drains alone & just angle the shower drain over to its new location? Or dig it all up & replace? If replace--should I keep all horizontals & connections below the frost line like I believe it is now so I don't have to heat the crawlspace?
 

Gary Swart

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Sounds like you need someone to evaluate your drains. Every fixture should have a P trap and connect to a vent. As far as winterizing, when you have a P trap, you simply pour some RV antifreeze into it. (Not automotive) But, with what you have described, it's hard to say if you even have P traps. A toilet has its own trap built in, so drain the tank and pour a quart or so of antifreeze into the bowl and that will take care of them.
 

Gary Swart

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Yeah, this is a DIY forum, but not all problems have a good DIY solution. From your description, it would appear that you have a very "unusual" drain system. My suggestion was, and remains, get a professional plumber on-site that can evaluate your situation.
 
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