There was a time in the past when the waste pipework for our homes was made entirely from lead. These days however the pipes that are used are now nearly all made from plastic. It depends on the actual sort of plastic the pipes are made from as to how they are joined. These types of waste pipes need to slope away down and need to drop at least 20mm for every metre covered. This will make sure that the water runs away freely. They can be joined by using simple push-fit connectors that contain rubber ring seals, or compression-type connectors with rubber olives or even by solvent welding with special solvent cement that softens and dries to form a strong watertight joint. Putney Plumbers use compression joints. The waste pipes are usually bigger than standard domestic water supply pipes. Wash basins use a 32mm waste outlet pipe. The shower, washing machine, sinks and baths use a 40mm pipe. The WC is a lot bigger and uses a 110mm pipe which is the same size as a modern soil stack. A Putney Plumber works with all sizes of pipework.

Cut and Fix Plastic Pipework:
Cut plastic waste pipes using a hacksaw and then remove the burrs inside and out with a half round file. Solvent weld fittings are neat but not permanent, so they are ideal on visible pipework, it is better to use compression fittings under and behind sinks. This is so that you can take them apart for cleaning and also unblock them. If running pipes along an interior or exterior wall, secure them in place using waste pipe clips, which are available in different colours and sizes. Use rawl plugs and screws to fix the clips to a masonry wall, or hollow wall fixings if on plasterboard. A