The method usually adopted for leveling tile pipe is to place an ordinary spirit level on each length of pipe as it is laid, and raise or lower the free end of the pipe until the level shows it to be at the required grade. The objection to this method is that unless the end of each length of pipe is properly centered in the preceding hub each length might have a good fall while the entire drain might be level. A better way is to level from the hubs of the pipe. When these are properly graded and the spigot ends of each length of pipe blocked to the required height, the entire drain will have a true and uniform fall.

A straight edge long enough to reach at least four of the hubs should be used for leveling drains. A good straight edge for this purpose can be made by cutting a straight dry piece of white pine six feet long, and jointing the edges perfectly straight and square with the sides. It should be made as much wider at one end as there will be fall in six feet of the sewer; then, by placing the straight edge on the top of the hubs with the wide end toward the outlet, the top of the straight edge will be level when the sewer has the required fall.

Most tile pipes are warped a little in burning so that the lengths are not perfectly straight. Care should be taken, therefore, when laying a tile sewer to see that the bend in crooked lengths is placed at the side and not at the top or bottom where they would form shallow pools for the retention of sewage.

When the tile sewers are laid on planks that are properly graded, all that is necessary is to block up the spigot ends in the hubs. The pipes will need no further leveling.