Vent Pipes

Vent pipes. Before I was a homeowner, I really had no idea what those little pipes sticking out of rooftops even were. Now, in the midst of my aforementioned bathroom renovation, I’m learning the ins and outs of plumbing vent pipe.

In my particular case, the existing vent pipe vented into the attic, so it didn’t go through the roof. No big deal, but it really should go through the roof, so we’re making that change.

So what is a plumbing vent pipe? Why do you need one? Here’s what several years in the HVACR/plumbing business in combination with several years as a DIY home renovator have taught me:

• Your home’s plumbing system is designed to remove water and waste from your home. It’s drainage and vent functions work together to make this happen.

• Drainage pipes carry waste from your home

• Vent pipes supply fresh air to plumbing fixtures, which helps move the water through the pipes each time a toilet is flushed or a sink is drained. The vent pipes help regulate the air pressure in the plumbing system

• Vent pipes also prevent sewer gases from entering your home. The pipes allow wastewater gasses to escape from the rooftop pipe. Phew!

Now, as I’m sure most of us have experienced a clogged drainage pipe before (clogged sink, or worse, clogged toilet,) but did you know that vent pipes can clog too? Here are a few signs to be on the lookout for:

• Water won’t drain. If there’s no clog, and the water still won’t go down, you may have an issue with a vent pipe

• Toilets that don’t fill with water

• You hear gurgling. Gulp.

• Bad smells. That’s sewer gas. Yuck.

The joys of being a homeowner, right? If you ever run into a problem with either drainage or venting, give us a call. We offer a wide range of plumbing services to keep your home in tip top shape.