Damaged soil stack.

Boohoo

My dad has a problem with the branch on his outside soil stack.
early this week i went to paint it as it was looking tatty.When i got to where the branch part of the stack is i noticed that it was crumbling away.On further inspection it appears that the collar/branch is cracked and/or broken.
My 70 year old dad has Homeserve emergency cover but i dont know if this will be covered and i have seen on this site that if you use Homeserve they will claim the cost from your insurance company.
The soil stack is cast iron but the branch looks like clay but i have been tols by a neighbour that it may be asbestos or cement fibre.
The toilet room smells if the window is open but he put that down to smell from the top of the stack.
I have some pics to look at but dont know how to put them on here.
My poor old dad is scared to use the toilet incase the waste spills out into the drive or next dorr.
Thanks for looking.
Vince

ormus

it needs replacing with plastic pipe. a simple enough job. the pipe is very cheap.
get a plumber or handyman in if required.

dunno about homeserve or the insurance, but my gut feeling is that it wont be covered.
or even if it is, youll pay for it next year when the renewal comes up.

Boohoo

I am trying to see if Homeserve will do this and not charge my dad.
My dad is very worried about the soil stack falling down that got somebody from the yellow pages and quoted him £600. It's a 3 bed semi with just 1 wc into it and nothing else which i thought was steep.
All i have to do is make sure my dad dosnt get them back to do the work because he is like that and some people will take advantage of him.
I am able to do it myself but not for 3-4 weeks dur to commitments.
Has anyone got ideas where i should buy the pipes/connectors/clips from please.
Vince

bryanb

Plumbase.....

jemw

call them and ask if it 's covered. i have a few homesserve policies (as do friends and family and we've all used them several times, hence why we have them. they have never ever tried to claim off our house insurance.

good luck

ormus

wickes/screwfix/toolstation.. for the pipe and the fittings etc...

andyhop

Buy branded items from PTS , Plumbcentre or even B&Q(cheaper than my merchants for Marley waste). Do not mix brands as the likes of hunter plastics and marley have slightly different external O/D

If the exisitng stack is cast then it may need to be replaced with cast if its in a listed or conservation area, £600 sounds about right for this(9m 4" cast, 1 branch,clamps and brackets will be around £250-300)

Branch will be fireclay

Boohoo

Thank you for the replies.
The £600 price was for plastic pipe and not cast as not in a conservation area.
My dad was ready to pay the bloke to do to the next day but i told him to wait till we found out if he is covered by his emergency Homeserve policy but on this forum site i have read some horror stories about them.
I still cant see if you pay for plumbing and drainage cover that if you need to use them why should/can they claim the cost back from your building insurance company.
My dad has British gas heating and kitchen cover and has used them a lot over the years and has never had to repay anything or have they claimed on his insurance.
Vince

Boohoo

Well a workman from Homeserve came out to have a look this morning.
He said that the collars on the branch's had cracked, maybe due to the cold winter he said.
All he done was put some quick setting cement around the collars where the cracks are as he said it looked if the pipes into them are ok and if the whole lot has to be replaced my dad will have to pay which he said would be a few hundred pounds. This is a temp/permanant job.
My dad has been paying for this cover for 5 years and the 1st time he goes to use them is told he has to pay if he wants it done.
Looks like he will have to get me to do it or get somebody in but not the £600 bloke.
Can you get a branch that is 45 or 112 degrees that looks like a Y as if not it could be a problem.

ormus

110 mm x 92.1/2°
110 mm x 104°
110 mm x 112.1/2°
110 mm x 135°

typical branch pipe sizes. with bosses.
some with rodding access.