Residential Drainline Challenges and Future Design Objectives

Concerns of plumbing drainline issues are growing due to crumbling infrastructure, water conservation efforts, lower flows in drainline carry, outdated codes, pipe rigidity, and remodeling issues. The problem calls for a new drainline design, but first, the challenges of existing drainlines must be understood in order to develop new solutions. Plumbing codes have remained static for nearly 100 years despite dramatic changes in water usage in homes (Cole 2014). Documentation of drainline carry has not been collected outside of a laboratory environment (PERC 2016). This survey examines the challenges of drainline installation, remodeling, and service-repair issues in existing buildings from experienced plumbers.