In search of guidance, 2nd floor bathroom sewer not sloped!

[GettingFeisty]

Need plumbing input AGAIN--although first time posting, I have been reading a lot of existing posts! We gutted the bathroom including the old ceiling and the more we look at the plumbing for the upstairs plumbing the more we realize it is wrong but need options for fixing it.

The lowest point should be on the left hand side of the picture. The sewer line is almost level if not slightly highler on the left. The ceiling framing on the right is notched to fit. (The second 4 inch pipe coming off the sewer line is the vent pipe - which I worry might also be holding sewer water based on the level).

Option 1 which scares me as this is out only workable toilet at the moment, is pull the toilet, cut the PVC and redo it correctly. That means being without the toilet for the day.

Option 2 leave as is for now and when we go to redo the upstairs bathroom including the toilet, we pull the floor and pull the toilet up 1/2 and hopefully nothing comes lose - including the sink drain which connects to the sewer line.

Anybody have any other options? Desperate to finish what was supposed to be my easy winter project that has turned into a major and not fun headache (we also just realized the floor slopes by an inch). FREAKING OLD HOUSES!!! HELP HELP HELP

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR ANY GUIDANCE!!!

FYI, My plumbing experience for housing systems is basic. However, I have plumbed a 2400 GPH saltwater aquarium system (basement to first floor) and love working with PVC. My husband and I have a deal, he does electrical work and I do the plumbing.

 

[Terry]

How high is the ceiling there? Some rooms are okay with seven foot ceilings. It seems to me, that now is the time to fix that. You still have access to the wall that the pipe drops down in.
I look to the left, and I see two 90 els. That could have been a 90 pointed down at a 45 and into a second 45. That would elimate the short section of horizontal, and the double bends there.
Also, it looks like there there was plenty of space above those pipes to raise them to get grade, unless the pipe on the right can be raised.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[GettingFeisty]

How high is the ceiling there? Some rooms are okay with seven foot ceilings. It seems to me, that now is the time to fix that. You still have access to the wall that the pipe drops down in.
I look to the left, and I see two 90 els. That could have been a 90 pointed down at a 45 and into a second 45. That would elimate the short section of horizontal, and the double bends there.
Also, it looks like there there was plenty of space above those pipes to raise them to get grade, unless the pipe on the right can be raised.

H

 

[GettingFeisty]

Hi Terry, the pipe you can see in the left wall is actually the vent stack from the basement. We jogged it because the old cast iron pipe had been hit by my multiple nails from the pantry on the other side of the wall, plus we want to add a shower to that wall. My plan had been to replace that cast iron (seemed basic enough) and nothing else. Now I think I really need to redo the upstairs plumbing.

The original bathroom had a drop ceiling that hid the plumbing, we pulled it and the very old original ceiling that was above the plumbing. There is plenty of room to raise them. On the right, the second angled pipe is another vent pipe, not sure why it was added since we have the other that is at the top of the main stack, but I will leave it. I was just up on the ladder looking and it does look like I can adjust that pipe without too much problem.

The nice thing about redoing it is we can pull out the wood cross pieces that we were going to nail the drywall too and redo them (without cutouts) as well so that it looks like it was done correctly.

Guess this will be next Saturday's job.

Out of curiosity, the upstairs toilet always acts like it is going to overflow and then suddenly flushes without issue - could this bad slope be the problem?

and THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUIDANCE.

 

[hj]

quote; could this bad slope be the problem?

It is not enough to create a problem, but even a grade school student could figure out that if the left side is ON the joist, and the right side is notched INTO it, the slope is wrong, so it must not have been installed by anyone who actually went to grade school.

 

[hj]

quote; That means being without the toilet for the day.

Or at least a few hours.

 

[GettingFeisty]

Thanks to you both, I am pulling the toilet and redoing it. This way, I won't feel like I am hiding something when we go to sell the place.

 

[GettingFeisty]

Pulled all the plumbing and redid it. The vent pipe that was coming off the wye was almost level with the sewer. I changed that and sloped everything. Then I removed the existing copper supply and replaced it with pex. The toilet flushes better than it ever has. Thanks all for not letting me slide and leaving it as it. Only one bad incident and that was when I was cutting the very last drain (to the sink) and nicked the cold water copper line - OOPS! Just meant I ran pex upstairs sooner than later My husband thinks I did it on purpose.

Terry from PA

 

[Queen50]

Pulled all the plumbing and redid it. The vent pipe that was coming off the wye was almost level with the sewer. I changed that and sloped everything. Then I removed the existing copper supply and replaced it with pex. The toilet flushes better than it ever has. Thanks all for not letting me slide and leaving it as it. Only one bad incident and that was when I was cutting the very last drain (to the sink) and nicked the cold water copper line - OOPS! Just meant I ran pex upstairs sooner than later My husband thinks I did it on purpose.

Terry from PA

You are my hero!

 

[Terry]

What good news! So glad it's all working now, and better than before!