It is common for homeowners to experience plumbing issues every now and then. Identifying and fixing the problem can sometimes warrant the expertise of a professional Big Bear plumber, especially when sensitive parts such as plumbing vents are involved.
Stoppages and other issues emerging from a clogged or damaged plumbing vent are not common, but they aren’t unheard of either.
Daily activities such as draining the tub and flushing the commode can lead to the wastewater pushing the existing air in the pipes. If extra air assuages the vacuum effect, it can cause a water lock situation. This is where plumbing vents come into the picture.
What Is a Plumbing Vent?
The plumbing vent, or a vent stack, helps control the air pressure in your plumbing system. The plumbing vent pipe, also known as the plumbing air vent, removes gas and foul smells from your home’s plumbing, and allows fresh air to circulate within it. This, in turn, enables the water to flow smoothly through the drain pipes.
The plumbing vent pipe is a vertical pipe that is connected to the drain line. It leads to the main roof vent. Water does not pass through this pipe. Its primary function is to direct the exhaust gases to the vent and maintain adequate atmospheric pressure in the waste system.
Understanding Plumbing Vents
In the olden days, installing plumbing vents meant having a separate vent pipe for every fixture. This, however, led to numerous vent pipes running through the roof of a house. Modern-day Big Bear plumbers know how to combine vents. Even if your home has more than four bathrooms, you will have only one main vent-and-soil stack exiting through the roof, which will curve to form a horizontal sewer drain at the bottom.
An efficient drain-waste-vent layout incorporates the configuration of the bathroom, laundry room, and kitchen, and then determines where the main vent-and-soil stack will be located. It will also determine how each drain and vent will connect.
The drainpipes move downwards and link with the stack, while the vent pipes move upwards and connect with the stack on the roof or in the attic. The bottom line is to ensure that the vent does not meet the stack lower on the stack than a drain connection.
What Do Plumbing Vents Do?
The main purpose of the plumbing system in any home is to remove water and waste as efficiently as possible. For this, its drainage and vent functions need to work in tandem.
Your home’s drainage pipes carry waste from your house to either the city sewer or a septic tank. Vent pipes bring fresh air to every plumbing fixture in your home. This allows your plumbing system to move water smoothly through the drainage pipes each time you flush the toilet or drain a sink.
Plumbing air vents also allow wastewater gas and stenches to discharge in the outdoors. They ensure that sewer gases do not enter your home. The main reason why plumbing vents are placed on the roof of homes is so that the odors can disperse easily, away from your windows and air conditioning units.
Common Issues with Big Bear Plumbing Vents
The performance of your home’s drainage system is directly linked with the condition of your plumbing vents. If the vents don’t work properly, the drainage will suffer too.
Gurgling sounds from drains or standing water in your sink/bathtub or even a slow drain may indicate a blocked vent. This is because when a plumbing vent gets blocked, negative pressure builds up in the drainage pipes, which interrupts the flow of the water. Even if you clear the clogged drain yourself, stoppages will continue if the vent remains blocked.
Continuous or prolonged stoppages and slow drains may give rise to the problem of sediment formation inside the drain pipes. This can harm your plumbing system, and you may have to incur hefty pipe repair or replacement costs later on.
If the blockage is stubborn, a vacuum will form, and you will not hear the gurgling sound. Further, you may be able to smell sewer gases in your home. If you have such issues, it is best to hire a proficient Big Bear plumbing services provider as soon as possible.
Installing Plumbing Vents in a Big Bear Home
When installing plumbing vents in your home, ensure that you place your fixture at a certain distance from the vent pipe. This area is referred to as critical distance. You should consult a reputed Big Bear plumber to accurately measure the critical distance based on the size of your pipes, and the type as well as the number of fixtures to install and vent, while satisfying the local plumbing code.
It is important to make sure that your vent pipes remain dry, which is why they are usually vertical, preventing water from backing up into the system.
It is also a good idea to plan your drain lines to reduce the risk of clogging. Kitchen and bathroom drain lines are smaller than the rest of the drain system. They merge with a larger drain pipe, which leads into a bigger stack. As the main stack is installed vertically, the pipe does not clog (although there may be a rare clog).
The other pipes connecting the stack are usually horizontal and large in size. They allow water to flow through them freely. However, if you still encounter clogging issues frequently, you may want to get your underground main drain line checked out by a professional Big Bear plumber.
Conclusion
As you can see, dealing with plumbing vents requires thorough knowledge of the plumbing system and prior experience in dealing with serious issues. It is best to steer clear of DIY fixes, especially if the problem is severe. Instead, you should entrust the job to a skilled Big Bear plumber, who will employ the most suitable solution and have your plumbing system up and running in no time.
Contact Efficient and Effective Big Bear Plumbers Today!
Only a seasoned Bear Valley plumbing expert will be able to tell you how to vent your pipes properly, and which system best satisfies the local code. Call Bear Valley Plumbing and Heating today on (909) 675-0983 to talk to our experts. You can also contact us online to schedule an appointment and discuss your plumbing issues. We’re open 24 hours a day, seven days a week!
If you are looking for a Big Bear plumbing, heating & air conditioning contractor, please call (909) 584-4376 or complete our online request form.
Category: HVAC Maintenance & Repair
