Shower drainage pipe size?
A 2-inch pipe is the recommended size because showers have a low threshold for flooding, and a 2-inch pipe helps the water drain faster than does a 1 1/2-inch pipe. So, if you are converting from a tub and shower combination to a shower, you'll likely have to change the drain pipe size.
What is The Standard Size Pipe For Shower Drains? Most building codes will require a two-inch pipe for shower drains or pans. This should be enough to keep even shallow trays from overflowing.
That means there is no scouring velocity in the shower drain and every plumbing contractor knows you need a scouring velocity. Furthermore, you can snake a 1 1/2 in. drain. I thought back to that one job more than 40 years ago when my father sat me down and explained that a shower drain only needs to be 1 1/2 in.
Shower drains shall have an outlet size of not less than 11/2 inches [38 mm] in diameter. ❖ The minimum size of a shower drain outlet is 11/2 inches.
The 1½-inch size is used to capture water that might flow out of a kitchen sink, a bathroom vanity or a tub. The two-inch pipe is commonly used to drain a shower stall or washing machine, and it may be used as a vertical stack for a kitchen sink. A three-inch pipe is what's used in homes to pipe toilets.
A 2-inch pipe is the recommended size because showers have a low threshold for flooding, and a 2-inch pipe helps the water drain faster than does a 1 1/2-inch pipe. So, if you are converting from a tub and shower combination to a shower, you'll likely have to change the drain pipe size.
Drain Sizing
The average residential shower has a 2” waste line, which can usually handle water pouring into the shower area at a rate of 9 gallons per minute (GPM) without flooding.
Current plumbing codes (IPC as well as MA Plumbing Code 248 CMR 10 for instance) need 1.5 inches to drain for a tub with a shower. The tub can drain at leisure and the shower function when in utilize, with flow-limiting showerheads, fall within the flow rate that a 1.5” drain can handle.
In a stall shower, the plumbing code requires the floor to be sloped one quarter (1/4) of an inch per foot in order to carry the water effectively to the drain.
| Assume Average Pressure. (20-100PSI) About 12f/s flow velocity | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1.25" | 1.25-1.36" | 62 gpm |
| 1.5" | 1.50-1.60" | 81 gpm |
| 2" | 1.95-2.05" | 127 gpm |
| 2.5" | 2.35-2.45" | 190 gpm |
Do showers need P traps?
Whether you have a standing shower or bathtub, it will always have a p-trap. The p-trap for showers is located underneath. Like the other fixtures, the shower drain p-trap prevents sewer odors from escaping your pipes.
There are three common drain sizes for bathroom sinks, 1.25", 1.5" and 1 5/8 (1.625"). You need to select a drain that is the same size or SMALLER than the hole in your sink. For example, if you have a sink with a drain hole of 1.75", than any of the drains 1.25", 1.5", or 1.65" will work.
Polyvinyl chloride pipes (PVC) are commonly used as part of a sink, toilet, or shower drain line. Its plastic tubing is ideal for this kind of usage because it protects the water from rust and corrosion better than other types of pipes. This capability also makes PVC pipe incredibly durable.
Conclusion. In short, it is possible to connect the toilet drainage line and the shower drainage line, as long as they both have separate waste trap arms. However, do note that combining them may also lead to blockages, which can cause smells to come from certain drains.
Make sure your drain pipe is at the appropriate height (approximately 1/4 inch above your concrete or subfloor).
Venting is necessary for bathroom plumbing systems to prevent blockage. All pipes in your home, particularly for toilets, sinks, and showers, require proper venting. It protects the trap on the drain pipe. In addition, it helps you secure your wallet, fittings, time, and even the pipe itself.
Plastic pipe is the easy-to-use plumbing solution for running under floorboards and up behind stud walls. Always use pipe inserts at joints to stop plastic pipe deforming. Include a shut-off valve on both hot and cold supplies as close as possible to the shower.
Use threaded PEX water line fittings for shower valves. Tighten the fittings before crimping the PEX water line. A plastic bracket forms the sharpest 90-degree angle permitted for this brand of PEX.
The arm should not be tightened more than a total of six revolutions. Pro Tip: Sometimes you can tighten the shower arm without the use of a wrench if you can get the right amount of leverage. Otherwise, a professional grade strap wrench is the best type to use so you don't scratch the shower arm.
| DIAMETER OF PIPE (inches) | MAXIMUM NUMBER OF DRAINAGE FIXTURE UNITS (dfu) | |
|---|---|---|
| Total for horizontal branch | Total for stack greater thanthree branch intervals | |
| 11/2 | 3 | 8 |
| 2 | 6 | 24 |
| 21/2 | 12 | 42 |
Why use a linear drain in shower?
A wall-to-wall linear drain not only maximizes drainage but also offers a clean look that enhances the homeowner's shower experience. A linear drain with a single-direction slope has less chance of water pooling or running out of the shower. Shower floors without enough pitch usually puddle and hold water.
For a 1 ½-inc pipe the vent should be 42 inches away at the most while a 2-inch pipe must have a maximum distance of 5 feet. For pipes that have a diameter of 3 inches the distance is 6 feet and for a 4-inch pipe the most it should be away from the vent is 10 feet.
But do you know the proper slope? The ideal slope of any drain line is ¼ inch per foot of pipe. In other words, for every foot the pipe travels horizontally, it should be dropping ¼ inch vertically.
Trap Size. The usual size for a shower drain trap is 2 inches, which is the diameter of the trap. This size is the minimum size that is allowed, which means that you cannot install a trap with a smaller diameter, or the trap is not within code.
Double trapping will cause air to be trapped between two trap seals, and the "air-bound" drain will impede the flow. The primary purpose of the horizontal distance of 30 inches (762 mm) from a fixture outlet to the trap weir is to limit the amount of bacterial growth and resulting odor.
It's fine to have a larger-radius (sweep) 90-degree bend at the base of a vertical drainage stack where the wastewater starts to travel horizontally. It's also a good idea to have a sweep 90-degree fitting where a drain pipe pops out of a wall for a kitchen, vanity or laundry sink.
Discharge/drain hole from back wall: With the drain on the centerline, the opening for drain access can be 10-14 inches offset from the framing and 6-8 inches wide. Discharge/drain hole from back wall (vertical): Zero distance (drain located at floor height) Fixture (side to side buffer): 18 inches minimum required.
If you plan to install a tile floor in your shower, a shower pan is crucial because it provides a waterproof surface to lay the tile on. Even if you don't plan to use tile, a shower pan is important for protecting your floor and subfloor from any leaks that may get through.
Studies have shown that 1.8 gpm is the minimum flow rate to have a good enjoyable rinsing, so the common 1.75 gpm models, is somewhat good enough for a decent shower. To save water further and still have a full enjoyable rinsing experience.
Efficient shower heads use at least 1.5gpm. Taking the same amount of time in the shower uses only 15 gallons of water. The water savings amount up to 65 gallons of water!
What is the difference between 2.5 GPM and 1.8 GPM shower?
A standard 2.5 GPM shower head uses 2.5 gallons of water each minute. That's 25 gallons for a 10-minute shower. VS. A low-flow 1.8 GPM shower head uses 1.8 gallons of water each minute.
The most common configuration is to feed 2" PVC down from the ceiling within the wall behind the toilet. The vent pipe connects into the toilet drain pipe. The sink drain pipe and the tub/shower drain pipe are vented with 1.5" pipe that branches off from the 2" PVC mainline.
A shower waste (often also referred to as a "shower trap") connects to the underside of the shower tray beneath the floor of the shower and works to support the water flow.
As you figure out how to snake a shower drain, insert the snake into the drain until it hits the clog. Turn the handle clockwise to hook the clog and continue running the snake down the drain. When you start to feel resistance, that means the snake is picking up clogs.
In other than single dwelling units, no more than four water closets or bathroom groups shall be installed on a 3'' building drain or building sewer, or branches thereof. EXCEPTION: Where the water closets are rated 3.5 gallons or more per flush, no more than two water closets or bathroom groups shall be permitted.
A bath tub drain shall be a minimum of 2 (horizontal) or 1 ½ (vertical) drain pipe size, with a minimum 1 1/2 vent pipe size. A lavatory requires a 1 ¼ minimum drain and vent pipe size.
Bathrooms are usually supplied with 1/2-inch pipe. Run 3/4-inch pipe to the bathroom for maximum water pressure and use 1/2-inch for short runs only.
PEX cannot be taken anywhere outside the house where it is directly exposed to UV for a long period. The synthetic material of the pipes can slowly disintegrate due to the light of the sun. Even light bulbs have been known to affect the lifespan of PEX water lines.
As with PVC, PEX is rust-proof, infinitely durable and marked with identifiers along the exteriors of pipes. PEX's purpose, however, is the opposite of PVC — whereas the latter is restricted to drain lines, the former is only used for incoming water lines.
Water & Energy Use
Because copper is a conductor, water traveling in the pipes loses heat on its way to the spout or showerhead. But polyethylene is a non-conductor and has insulation properties, which means PEX plumbing systems require less energy than copper systems to achieve a desired water temperature.
What size is bathroom plumbing drain?
A bath tub drain shall be a minimum of 2 (horizontal) or 1 ½ (vertical) drain pipe size, with a minimum 1 1/2 vent pipe size. A lavatory requires a 1 ¼ minimum drain and vent pipe size.
There are three common drain sizes for bathroom sinks, 1.25", 1.5" and 1 5/8 (1.625"). You need to select a drain that is the same size or SMALLER than the hole in your sink. For example, if you have a sink with a drain hole of 1.75", than any of the drains 1.25", 1.5", or 1.65" will work.
The most common size pipe for modern drains is 1 1/2 inches in diameter, but there are also 2-inch and 3-inch pipes available. Some older sinks may have even smaller pipes like 1 1/4-inch in diameter but these are not as common. If you have a standard kitchen sink drain, then a 1 1/2-inch pipe is typically sufficient.
I recommend the drain (assuming no joists are in the way) be 12” (or so) from the shower head wall in front of you when showering (and centered side to side). This keeps you from standing in the drain and pools of water when it (inevitably) gets clogged.
The main difference in the plumbing of your shower vs your sink is that shower drain pipes have to be 2” in diameter, while sink drain pipes are typically only 1 ½” in diameter.
- Cut into the drywall underneath your shower. ...
- Disassemble the interior shower drain. ...
- Remove the drain locknut from beneath the shower. ...
- Prepare the waste pipe for a new drain. ...
- Install a new drain flange. ...
- Secure the drain to the underside of the shower pan. ...
- Check for leaks. ...
- Patch the drywall.
The minimum drain diameter for a shower drain is 2 inches, but the minimum for a toilet is 3 inches.
Most drain openings are 1 1/4 inches, although 1 1/2 inches and 1 5/8 inches are also common sizes.
When a number of houses are joined to the same drainage system, 160mm pipe is generally used for the pipe carrying the main flow. Above ground PVC drainage pipe (known as soil pipe) is also 110mm, enabling it to be connected to the underground drainage system without the need for special adaptors.
The most common sizes you'd use around your home would be 1.5-, 2-, 3- and 4-inch. The 1.5-inch size is used to capture water that might flow out of a kitchen sink, a bathroom vanity or a tub.
What is a standard drain pipe?
Standard size pipe such as the 110mm drainage pipe or 160mm drainage pipe in diameter, which is sufficient to carry waste in most sewer systems, however for heavy duty applications there are larger sizes of PVC pipe on the market if required.
| DIAMETER OF PIPE (inches) | MAXIMUM NUMBER OF DRAINAGE FIXTURE UNITS (dfu) | |
|---|---|---|
| 21/2 | 12 | 20 |
| 3 | 20 | 48 |
| 4 | 160 | 240 |
| 5 | 360 | 540 |
No more than four water closets or bathroom groups shall be installed on a 3" horizontal fixture branch. EXCEPTION: Where the water closets are rated 3.5 gallons or more per flush, no more than two water closets or bathroom groups shall be permitted.
