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Whether you’re dealing with a failed sewer lateral, adding a bathroom, or replacing corroded drain lines, drain pipe installation is a significant plumbing project. Here’s what our Greenville plumbing team wants you to understand before the work begins.
Drain Pipe Materials We Use
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
The standard for modern residential drain installations. PVC is lightweight, corrosion-resistant, smooth internally (which resists buildup), and cost-effective. Schedule 40 PVC is used for most residential drain applications.
ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene)
Black plastic pipe similar to PVC. Some Greenville homes built in the 1980s-1990s have ABS drain lines. It’s functional but less common in new installations. Connecting ABS to PVC requires a specific transition cement or mechanical coupling — they can’t be solvent-welded together.
Cast Iron
Found in Greenville homes built before the 1970s. Cast iron is durable and quiet (less water noise than plastic) but eventually corrodes. We encounter cast iron drain lines that are still functional after 50+ years, and others that have developed cracks, scale buildup, or belly points from soil settling.
When replacing cast iron with PVC, we use approved fernco or no-hub couplings at the transition point.
Greenville-Specific Considerations
Soil Conditions
Greenville County’s red clay soil creates unique challenges for underground drain work. Clay soil shifts with moisture content — expanding when wet, contracting when dry. This movement can stress pipe joints, create belly points (low spots where water pools), and cause lateral displacement over time.
Proper bedding material (gravel or sand) under and around the pipe is essential in clay soil to provide stable support and drainage.
Tree Root Intrusion
Greenville’s lush tree canopy is beautiful, but tree roots are the number one enemy of underground drain pipes. Roots seek moisture and can penetrate pipe joints — especially on older clay or cast iron lines with deteriorating joint seals.
For new installations near trees, we use continuous (jointless) PVC runs where possible and recommend root barriers for high-risk areas.
Local Code Requirements
Greenville County requires plumbing permits for drain line installation and modification. All work must comply with the South Carolina state plumbing code. We pull permits, schedule inspections, and ensure compliance — homeowners don’t need to manage the permitting process.
The Installation Process
For Sewer Lateral Replacement
1. Camera inspection to confirm the location and extent of the problem
2. Locate utilities (call 811) to identify underground utilities before digging
3. Excavation to expose the damaged section
4. Remove old pipe and prepare the trench with proper grade (1/4″ per foot slope minimum)
5. Install new PVC pipe with proper fittings and connections
6. Backfill with bedding material and compacted soil
7. Inspection by the local building department
8. Restore the surface (landscaping, concrete, etc.)
Trenchless Options
For certain situations, we offer trenchless methods that minimize excavation:
- Pipe bursting: A new pipe is pulled through the old one, breaking the old pipe outward. Works well for straight runs.
- Pipe lining (CIPP): An epoxy-saturated liner is inserted into the existing pipe and cured in place, creating a new pipe within the old one. Good for pipes with cracks or joint issues but intact structure.
Trenchless methods cost more but preserve landscaping, driveways, and hardscaping.
When to Call
- Recurring drain backups despite repeated cleaning
- Sewage odor in the yard
- Wet spots or sinkholes near the drain line path
- Camera inspection revealing cracks, offsets, or collapse
- Slow drains throughout the house (main line issue)
YOUTUBE EMBED: One Drain – Waldrop Plumbing Air Electric TV Commercial — @YallCallWally
Call Waldrop Plumbing Air Electric at (864) 536-0887 for drain inspection and installation in Greenville.
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