Hello,
I'm in the process of renovating my apartment from 1938. Right now, I want to move a cast iron drain pipe that runs from the sink into a closet where it connects to the stack. The pipe needs to be moved about 20-25 cm so that it runs along a wall, creating space for a sink.
See Image 0 for an illustration of what I want to do.
Image 1 shows how the pipe is currently routed.
I have a few questions regarding this:
1. Is the wall that separates the closet and the kitchen load-bearing? There is already a hole in the wall, but is there any risk involved in making the hole larger?
Do I perhaps need to place something in the hole to ensure the wall doesn't collapse or to prevent cracks from forming in the wall? A steel frame, perhaps? Or wooden pieces?
See Image 2 of the wall.
The wall is constructed like this:
1. Lime plaster
2. Reed
3. Horizontal wooden boards. About 1-2 cm thick.
4. Some black plastic film
5. Vertical wooden boards. About 4-5 cm thick.
6. More reed
7. More plaster
3. In the middle of the wall in the closet is an asbestos shaft. On both sides of the shaft, bricks have been stacked on top of each other (with some form of mortar in between, of course). Then it has all been covered with what I believe is lime plaster.
I've chipped away the plaster and managed to remove the two lowest bricks in the right corner, see Image 3-5. Do I need to place anything in the hole to support the load from the bricks above?
Currently, the wall seems stable without the two lowest bricks. I think the plaster holds everything together pretty well. But is there any risk that all the bricks might collapse in the future? The only thing I can think of that would support the load from the bricks and leave enough space for the drain pipe is a piece of a U-beam. Is it needed?
4. Do I need to do anything with the asbestos shaft? I'm not entirely sure what it's used for. Below me, there is a commercial space. There is no fireplace in the space. However, there is a PAX fan which I'm almost certain is connected to the insulated ventilation duct in the middle of the closet. Besides the hole for the PAX fan, there is no hole in the ceiling in that area. So I don't think the asbestos shaft is being used. See Image 6 of the PAX fan in the space below me.
Thanks in advance!
I'm in the process of renovating my apartment from 1938. Right now, I want to move a cast iron drain pipe that runs from the sink into a closet where it connects to the stack. The pipe needs to be moved about 20-25 cm so that it runs along a wall, creating space for a sink.
See Image 0 for an illustration of what I want to do.
Image 1 shows how the pipe is currently routed.
I have a few questions regarding this:
1. Is the wall that separates the closet and the kitchen load-bearing? There is already a hole in the wall, but is there any risk involved in making the hole larger?
Do I perhaps need to place something in the hole to ensure the wall doesn't collapse or to prevent cracks from forming in the wall? A steel frame, perhaps? Or wooden pieces?
See Image 2 of the wall.
The wall is constructed like this:
1. Lime plaster
2. Reed
3. Horizontal wooden boards. About 1-2 cm thick.
4. Some black plastic film
5. Vertical wooden boards. About 4-5 cm thick.
6. More reed
7. More plaster
3. In the middle of the wall in the closet is an asbestos shaft. On both sides of the shaft, bricks have been stacked on top of each other (with some form of mortar in between, of course). Then it has all been covered with what I believe is lime plaster.
I've chipped away the plaster and managed to remove the two lowest bricks in the right corner, see Image 3-5. Do I need to place anything in the hole to support the load from the bricks above?
Currently, the wall seems stable without the two lowest bricks. I think the plaster holds everything together pretty well. But is there any risk that all the bricks might collapse in the future? The only thing I can think of that would support the load from the bricks and leave enough space for the drain pipe is a piece of a U-beam. Is it needed?
4. Do I need to do anything with the asbestos shaft? I'm not entirely sure what it's used for. Below me, there is a commercial space. There is no fireplace in the space. However, there is a PAX fan which I'm almost certain is connected to the insulated ventilation duct in the middle of the closet. Besides the hole for the PAX fan, there is no hole in the ceiling in that area. So I don't think the asbestos shaft is being used. See Image 6 of the PAX fan in the space below me.
Thanks in advance!
