We have a leak pro here, cause of you I’d love to work for them. You’ve taught me a lot in the last 3 years of me being a plumber. My first comment on your vids was about how hard it is to find a job to become a plumber. I went from 15hr to 19 hr to now 21 an hr. I’m just three years. Thank you for you inspirations and your info. Keep the dream alive.
I work for a commercial service company and quite a few of our calls are vent related in that we usually have to extend them above parapet walls of business because the sewer gasses were escaping back into A/C units of the businesses. Vents are integral and definitely unsung heroes of the install!
Had some issues with frogs going down into the plumbing vent stack on the roof a few years ago. Don't think the frog liked the shop vac sucking him out of the line but decided to put metal hardware cloth on the top of the pipes with a pipe clamp to hold it into place. Works well and keeps critters from trying to get down in the pipe.
I had a clogged vent pipe for years and didn't know it. It wasn't until I started noticing that the sinks, shower/tub and toilet were not only draining slower, but water was coming up through some of the pipes followed by, well, you guessed it - the smell. I ran water down mine and had someone keeping an eye inside just incase the piping had a possibility of leaking. Basically, a lot of pine needles were the issue (again, don't know how many years, but it had obviously gone neglected. Everything instantly started draining far more efficient than it ever had. I'm the tenant of the home, and unfortunately, the property management can't always put in a speedy work-order in, so if I can't manage a few maintenance issues myself, I'll go ahead and do it. Probably one of many reasons my property manager keeps me around, lol. I'll be getting back onto the roof today because the issue is coming back, but, thankfully for me, the part of the roof the vent pipe is located, is on an 8ft flat roof rather than a much taller and steeper one. I'll be placing a cap over the vent this time to allow the plumbing to do what it needs to do and prevent outside interference from coming back in.
I am noticing faint sewer gas smell but the drains are working well, p traps are OK, no gurgling sounds. I have lots of pine needles collecting in my gutters just a few feet away from my vent. Never thought of that. Thank you, gives me something to investigate.
@thomast9736 - If you have a sump pump and it's not ran for a while, I'd investigate that as well. If the smell is coming from there, run some fresh water through and let the pump take the stagnant water out. Pine needles and other debris can quickly cause an issue, though, so hopefully, either possible issue is an easy fix for ya.
Man, your a dream tenant. When you do these simple jobs (simply but only for a DIY pro) you should text a photo and short description of the solved problem to your property manager to keep for their own records. You might mention that if they have another tenant next door to you or down the block, you'd be happy to walk over and see if it's something easy to solve. I guarantee the property manager will jump on your offer and you'll end up with some extra cash to take out your gf or wife. I also suspect they will try to keep your rent a bit below market rate going forward.
Wow. Your one comment about running water in a tub that I haven’t used in several months eliminated the extra loud water rushing noise I have heard in the past couple of days when the adjacent toilet flushes and washer empties. Family was telling me I’m nuts, so I was watching videos about the vents. Thank you so much. I will suborn your channel!
Amazing! I'm a homeowner and a sharp plumber asked "Do you guys use the shower down here in the basement?" Me: "No we never use the shower". Plumber"well that is the issue everything is dried up". He ran the water and just like that my sulfer smells were gone! So happy it was not a serious issue.
I'm suffering from sewer gas in my apartment for over 3 years now. I only smell it whenever it rains fairly heavy, and 98 percent of the time, it's in the evening or at night. It's making me sick, so I'm trying to figure out what I can point maintenance to. I do have a second bathroom with a cube shower that I never use because no matter what I do, the shower curtain sucks into the shower and constantly touches me. I've never once considered the shower being the problem causing the sewer gas, because the smell ONLY comes from my washing machine. I have never once smelled it anywhere else. I have been using it for storage for things like huge packages of toilet paper, that absolutely won't fit in the single cabinet or under the sink. Tomorrow I'll pull everything out of that shower and, and make sure I run it for a minute about every 2 weeks... I have no idea how often I should do it, actually. Maybe I'll just run it for a minute every day until I figure out if it solves the nightmare or not. If the smell comes back anyway, I'll ask maintenance to climb up on the roof.
Our modular home (new in 2013 ) only has 1 1/2" vents. In north central Montana they freeze every winter. I pour hot water down them to get them opened up. I'm going to try the copper pipe tee trick. Might even heat tape the copper pipe. The house has 4 vents. The biggest culprit is the washing machine drain pipe.
Happy to find a second vent pipe and plumbing video on your channel today!! You are definitely helping me understand my household plumbing. My next quest is to understand the cast iron vent pipe on the outside of my 1929 two story house. I'm not sure it even functions, how could I test it? Ty
This information is so valuable. I called a roofer for an inspection and they told me the plumbing vents had cracks around them and that caused wet spots my ceiling. Should I have called a plumber instead? I really thank you for making this video.
I’m a handyman own a couple rental houses was in basement saw leak coming out of cast iron toilet piping. Ending up opening wall up to discover 3” cast venting was all corroded and crumbled onto itself. Needed to replace with 60-ft pvc from basement to roof. Toilet finally flushed like it should.
This is timely, I'm actually having an issue with that exact thing and I was wondering if it was the vent stack, again. About this time last year we had a plumber come out and pull stuff out of the vent stack, and it opened all the drains up. We live in a forested area with a lot of little critters, and well, you know. I can probably save the plumbers a trip, if I can unblock the vent myself.
No snow in Alberta Canada 2023/24 I thought I had a 95% frozen problem from my shop to a open lagoon... I could fill the system with hot water twice a day and it would drain slow... Day 1 I had burping in my floor pit I thought trap was dry because I had not washed a car in months so I filled pit with water and it took 2 days to drain... Filling all the pipes with water twice a day created a vacuum on all the traps and vent pipe... I didn't think of the Vent pipe till 2 weeks in and the next day All the sewer system was clear and working... I think it was the vent from day 1 because of the Burping :)
I have a house that was my grandparents place and was built back in the 60's. Far back as I can remember the toilet would always barely flush and wiggling the handle was the only way to get it to flush. My grandfather had a plumber convince him to split off the septic system so gray goes to the tank in the back of the house and brown/black water the tank in the front. After having it done it still didn't fix the issue. After I took over ownership I was determined to get it fixed. After having multiple plumbing experts out finally one of them figured it out. Since the tank in the front yard was part of the old system from the 60's and was connected to the toilet. The vent pipe was also from the 60's in the wall which they liked to use metal pipes. Over the years rust had accumulated at the bottom of the vent pipe blocking most of the air. The plumber was able to snake it out and flushed it out with water. So to prevent it from happening again I was instructed to flush it with a garden hose ever so often.
they loved to use cast iron offset bends back then, to offset from an exterior wall in past the foundation or header beams. they were often too sharp radius, large rather flat horizontal between them, used on both the waste and vents. Sadly it made perfect shelves for debris falling down the vent/stack to clog, I've found things like rodents, birds, cats(usually dead) balls, toys, rocks, boulders, roofing materials, cans bottles and more stuck in them, often times they'd use them at the top of wall to get further back from the roof edge. 🤬
My house has a sewage smell that comes and goes. I've had so many plumbers come out to assess the problem, and I tried a few different options, but the smell is still there. I believe it's the vent pipe. Either there's a hairline hole in the pipe or a smoke test that may need to be performed. My problem is not trusting who's providing an accurate diagnosis. I don't have water leaking, but every time I wash or after the dishwasher is done, the odor is reaking. Then there's times when nothing is running and the smell is just overwhelming. I have to open the windows, especially in my bathroom. I run the water in the basement bathroom sink and flush the toilet about 2-3 times a week, and when I do wash, I pour a gallon of water in all the drains in the basement I sometimes add bleach, baking soda and vinegar to try and eliminate the odor. I live in the state of Illinois. Do you have any recommendations/ referrals for a great plumber in my homestate? Thank you so much .
Thanks for this informational video. I have question. I have one drain that I want to use for a kitchen sink and a clothes washer. I know it isn't recommended to have both on same drain, but how can I make this work. I have 2 inch pipe that runs approximately 2 or 3 feet then branches off to a 3 inch abs pipe.
Hello - Just watched your Plumbing Vent video. Very helpful, thanks! When your plumber is not sure how your plumbing vents lead to the plumbing vent stacks, is there a way to trace the vent stacks, maybe with an inspection camera or other tool? Thank you.
I just acquired a shop with a small 1/2 bath in the back. No vent. The sink drains slowly and the trap often gets sucked dry. Will be adding venting in the next few months.
Bathroom sink and Shower drain gurgle when toilet flushes - septic smell started a couple of days ago. I'm getting a snake/auger from a big-box store today and going on the roof to see if I can clear the drain out. Another plumber said it could be that, but wanted to clear the cleanout first. If thats the only area I'm having a problem (not in the kitchen or other bathrooms) the vent stack would be the most likely culprit, right?
Well this gives me a decently good idea on how to go about making the new drainage system for my grandparents house, as that thing is nearly 70 years old and it's been long overdue for a overhaul since i was was a toddler
How many vent does a 21 units condo building needs? We have gurgling and stinking smells coming from the kitchen sink and the vent seems really small. That you for the video.
My stack has a small crack at the bottom. My good friend is a union plumber, so he mostly does commercial. but he bought me home (from the supply house and i paid for it) a huge fernco and we banded it, its been on there for like 13 years
I had my aunt house with both toilet clogged I pulled the toilet snake it 30ft came back the next day and clogged again. Then I was damn it house can I get to the roof. I got up there and it was a dead squirrel in the vent line. And boom I saved my aunt 1000$$$$$$.
I would like more info on toilet venting . We have remodeled bathroom (2 full baths in s split level home). When the upstairs toilet flushes, it bubbles in the downstairs toilet! I could use some help with more information. Thanks!
Got a question. We moved into our new manufactured home in march of this year. The last few months or so I’ve been noticing sewage smells behind the house and on the side. We’re on a septic system and it’s all new as well. I’m curious if the smell could be coming from our plumbing vents? The septic is a good ways down the way in the front yard along with the tank and there’s no smells or wet spots so it’s not that. Any help would be appreciated
Toilet, farthest from septic tank, sometimes has no water in the bowl (except for a little bit probably below the p-trap level). I have poured several gallons of water down roof vent to determine if there was a clog -nope. This intermittent problem happens with our new toilet also. Sometimes when flushing, there's an initial air bubble that comes up right at the start of the flush. Poured liquid heat down the roof vent. I asked a plumber about this a couple years ago, he said "I have no idea". Seems like an air vent problem to me, but can't figure it out.
Great video, I think you may need to talk about vent blockage prevention... Are there things you can do to the vent pipe to keep animals or other things from blocking the pipe?
There are! You could use wire mesh to cover the top to allow gases to still escape while keeping animals from getting side, or like the thumbnail shows
Hello I think my kitchen sink P trap is being siphoned out by toilet flushing like in this video at 2:33. Any recommendation on a diagnostic I can do to confirm or deny this? (All sinks drain properly and there are no gurgling noises. Problem is sometimes the kitchen sink drain smells bad, sometimes it smells fine. No other drains have smell problem)
I noticed my home didn't have a vent stack on the roof, only to find a T with to pipe that was covered by insulation in the attic, house was built this way in 2007! I added a 2" extension for now, but I assume it clearly needs to go out of the roof?
I have a vent sticking out of the ground at the end of my leaching field. There is a 4" pvc screw on cap on it. Should that have a vent cap instead? If yes, where to buy? I'm having trouble finding any info on this. My last house needed a new septic, and the new leaching field pipe had a mushroom cap on it, so I'm wondering if it's needed?
My house was built in 1955 and has a few fixtures that aren’t vented, however we’ve never had issues with sewer gases. The toilets are vented at least so they flush well.
My wife and others in the family have told me they notice a faint sewer gas but p traps are good, drains are fast, and there are not gurgling sounds. Could the vent have some blockage that would cause some gas leakage but still not have any of the other issues I mentioned?
In South Florida it's ,+ Tree frogs that plug up my vents they hibernate over winter then cross rainbow bridge , over years there's skeletal havoc occurs
Right now I am having to get a new roof vent - for my metal roof. I have out-door birds, squirrels and the bear. In the past my vent has been shredded - I think it was the bear cleaning his teeth. This time I think it is birds wanting to save seeds. I was wondering what was the best for venting a kitchen sink and what would deter critters.And in winter we have heavy rains.
I recently replaced my toilet with with a new low flow Kohler. The master bathroom toilet and hall toilet are back to back with a shared vent. When I flush one toilet I notice the water level lowers on the other toilet. Could the vent be clogged causing suction?
How do we vent the plumbing in a very old house. It was either installed incorrectly or prior to codes. We are having a terrible time finding a plumber to hire so it might be something we take on. Every time I do laundry suds comes up in the tub and the toilet starts to burp and solids start back washing into it. There is always brown clumps of crap in the toilet.
Hey Roger. I'm terrified of heights and roofs. I get scared to look at my feet some days haha. Is that something that could be a deal breaker when it comes to being a plumber?
I got on a roof of a townhome association and found all of the black plumbing vents still had the knockout plugs in them. The roof is a flat roof and has dry rotted the deck. Could that have been caused by improper plumbing ventilation?
diagnosis of our plumbing, pipes not to code. Do you think If the plumbing is not pitched correctly water is backing up towards the Camera at the P-trap, can potentially create a vacuum in the plumbing system, as the water column is blocking the air from entering the pipes, preventing proper drainage and causing the water to back up further when flushing the toilets. Please let me know if this can happen because we are getting gases into our home. We had a smoke test, and it showed smoke coming out everywhere.
My toilet on the top floor of my brownstone is not flushing well & when I pour a 5 gal. bucket of water down the toilet it doesn't go down right away. Could it be the vent on the roof? I've tried to snake it with an auger & also took it up to see if anything was stuck in it, but everything was clear. I do have an old model Kohler toilet, could that be a problem as well?
A little different question but still roof vent related . I have a rental condo. It is 3 story with a flat roof and I am on the 3rd floor. Ever since the building got reroofed I have a non stop Florida roach problem ( also known as palmetto bug these normally do not want to be inside). The bug guy suggested the roof vent may have gotten either covered over or breached and now any roaches in the outside. He said he could not find the kitchen sink roof vent and the roof company is saying I must be tied into an adjoining unit. How should I have a plumber verify my kitchen and bathroom roof vents are not the issue? Yes its disgusting and I cannot rent the unit due this issue which has been ongoing for 2 years. The first 2 bug companies just wanted me to spray monthly but that has never resolved the issue. I also owned the unit for 5 years before the new roof was put on and it was a non issue. The building was built in the seventies and the roofing company is saying the before and after pictures have the same number of roof vents. Is the pipe that sticks out of the roof connected to a pipe in the crawl space under the roof or is it always one continuous pipe? The bug guy says sometimes they've seen it where it's gotten terminated in the crawl space. The problem is there is no crawl space for someone to actually crawl around underneath there but I'm sure there is some space between the top of the roof and my ceiling. What would you do to determine if it's a plumbing issue or not? TIA
I have four bathrooms. And they got like a 2 inch vents on everything going into 3 inch. I guess coming out of the roof and over the last two years. It had a cap on it where they check for leaks and stuff and everything was fine, but I’ve left the cap. They left a cap on my vent And I’m just wondering flushing everything because there’s so much pipeline and vent line that I guess it keeps it from having a vacuum where it’s got a lot of space to pull from but what could happen if I don’t take that plumbing cap off the top it comes out my roof??
I thought I had a plugged vent, I had one bathroom sink that stunk all the time. Cleaned the P trap of any crud, cleaned the pop up drain, did the baking soda/vinegar trick, etc. Turned out it was the over flow from previous owners being full of crap and slime. Cleaned that, and smell went away,. and saved me from climbing on the roof to check my vents.
when cleaning your sink/s, part of the routine should be running full hot water with cleaner in the sink, until it runs down the overflow fairly quick, then release the sink letting it drain as fast as possible. even start/stop it just as it gets draining fast, that will cause the water from bowl to surge backwards and down the overflow fast helping loosen crud.
Hello, I have a question my basement washroom is letting out sewage smell. I took out the toilet and capped the flange but now the smell is coming from the shower. I poured hot water down but it seems not like it’s not doing the job. The p trap for shower is full of water but it’s still smell.. help please what can I do?
Could an obstructed toilet vent cause inconsistent flushing, slow flushing, big gurgling bubbles sometimes and sometimes not? My toilet vent goes up in to the attic, takes a 90° turn to a horizontal run, then turns 90° and goes up out the roof. Can I drill an inspection hole in the horizontal and run a camera both ways to look for an obstruction?
What is the purpose of studor vents. A family member lived in a second home for a few years and took out a studor vent, which I didn't discover right away. How important is it to find out where the vent was from and replace it. I think it may have caused water hammer. Could it do that?
I have a small leak in my toilet plumbing vent pipe, in an old fitting joint in my attic. How is this possible? Also . . . I’ve noticed the toilet started flushing a little bit less effectively, but nothing major.
Am I able to clean out my own air vent from the roof or do I need a special tool? Can I run a hose down it? My sink air vent has to be clogged. The smell is rank in the kitchen only.
I live at the top of a hill. Some days the sewer gas smell coming out of my vents completely stinks up my yard. Then in the evening when I turn on my house fan…. The whole house smells like the vent pipe. For a long time I thought it was a drain trap… but no. It’s coming in. Even in the “winter” (California) the furnace running pulls the sewer gas through the poorly sealed skylight. Or down the gas oven vent or down the chimney. It’s not all the time. Just calm still days, and maybe when something is wrong with the city sewers. Drives me nuts. Want to put a house sewer trap on but I hear those are a clog nightmare.
I hear my pipes making a light rumbling sound when I flush. I have an issue with sewer Nats. I have no smell, but when I drain or flush my furthest commode from the sewer tank? Nothing comes out at the clean out! Nothing backs up through the commode or bathtub either! However, if I leave that flapper valve open in that tank. It'll take a few minutes but it'll push everything out! Can I run a water hose into my vent from the roof? This is the only thing I haven't thought of until now. I don't have a snake. Again, no smell & no back up but it's not flushing all the way down that slanted sewer pipe.
Some plumbers don’t know the difference between those two p b v vents , I had a service call where the plumber put the hose down my vent for boiler, shut the boiler off and froze house up
Roger, I know it's a sink demonstration... but push fittings... Just bust out the Flux! I enjoy your channel man. Thank you for taking the time to post and make videos. Fernando with 402Plumbing
Shouldn't the little exhaust pipes have rain caps? I mean a rain gauge takes in so much water? I swear mine are putting water into my ceiling. There's water spots on my ceiling in those areas
It also depends on the location of the plumbing. If you have a long or big house with plumbing fixtures at both ends you increase your chances of multiple roof vents. I like having fewer penetrations in my roof-fewer spots to have a water leak. The boot had disintegrated around the vent and was actually the source for water in the basement. My old 1930 home had one inch and a half galvanized vent. Roger would get a chuckle out of how hilariously messed up everything is. Going to have it all redone. The only thing vented right is the washer and dryer that was relocated. Supply lines were all replaced, the DWV system is next but making that coincide with the bathroom remodel.
I have one bathroom used very regularly. One roof vent. In higher wind I get the sewer gas smell. Particularly in the tub where the p trap is not as deep. The vent is wide open to atmosphere. What is the fix? A ton of videos on here telling me the problem I already know. None tell us the fix. How the hell do I stop it from syphoning the p trap? It's there a cap available to negate this? Is it safe to use in freezing conditions? Thanks. Ps not yelling at you just frustrated I can't find an answer.
My previous landlord who originally just built a house, had added to his building later on converting it into a triplex. About every 4-6 months he would grab the garden hose and put it down the vent pipe and would turn water on through the hose to flush the system out. My speculation due to watching this channel, is that the triplex was built with S-Pipes . Though this is San Joaquin County of California and homes were built with…creative liberties and friendships with inspectors between the 1950s and up to the 2010s. Plumbers are very busy nowadays fixing said old creative liberties
What do I do if our estate does not allow these vents, our house stinks, toilet has water in and it looks like it is well covered with water but it doesn't flush 100%....how do I fix it? I don't think our plumbers in our country is this clever as we had a lot of different opinions what it could be and all of the suggestions will cost us redoing our whole bathroom.
I have a blocked vent on my roof. I have slow flushing toilets. When the master bathroom bath is unused (the trap dries out), the toilets flush better. I can hear the sucking of air over in the tub. I cannot get a plumber to go on the roof to clear the vent. No plumber in my county, or neighboring counties will take any “roof” work. Insurance seems to be the off-ramp. (In Central New Jersey) I am trying to get a Chimney Sweep to take on the job, literally. I’m too old, my balance stinks. I’ll take comments and suggestions.
There are no vents or pipes going through my roof. I found them capped off in the attic. But there's no smell, and everything works fine. What dark magic did the previous owners employ?
I want to harvest sewer gas as a substitute for cooking gas. It is made from hydrogen sulfide and methane. I know how to scrub hydrogen sulfide from methane. The question is how do i harvest sewer gasses without compromising the function of the vents.
We have a leak pro here, cause of you I’d love to work for them. You’ve taught me a lot in the last 3 years of me being a plumber. My first comment on your vids was about how hard it is to find a job to become a plumber. I went from 15hr to 19 hr to now 21 an hr. I’m just three years. Thank you for you inspirations and your info. Keep the dream alive.
That is awesome! Keep on learnin brother 💪
Running the water to fill the traps in rarely used areas of the house - GREAT ADVICE!! Thank you Roger!
I work for a commercial service company and quite a few of our calls are vent related in that we usually have to extend them above parapet walls of business because the sewer gasses were escaping back into A/C units of the businesses. Vents are integral and definitely unsung heroes of the install!
Had some issues with frogs going down into the plumbing vent stack on the roof a few years ago. Don't think the frog liked the shop vac sucking him out of the line but decided to put metal hardware cloth on the top of the pipes with a pipe clamp to hold it into place. Works well and keeps critters from trying to get down in the pipe.
That's a fantastic idea! I'll mention it to maintenance when they come... Thank you! ☺️
I had a clogged vent pipe for years and didn't know it. It wasn't until I started noticing that the sinks, shower/tub and toilet were not only draining slower, but water was coming up through some of the pipes followed by, well, you guessed it - the smell. I ran water down mine and had someone keeping an eye inside just incase the piping had a possibility of leaking. Basically, a lot of pine needles were the issue (again, don't know how many years, but it had obviously gone neglected. Everything instantly started draining far more efficient than it ever had. I'm the tenant of the home, and unfortunately, the property management can't always put in a speedy work-order in, so if I can't manage a few maintenance issues myself, I'll go ahead and do it. Probably one of many reasons my property manager keeps me around, lol. I'll be getting back onto the roof today because the issue is coming back, but, thankfully for me, the part of the roof the vent pipe is located, is on an 8ft flat roof rather than a much taller and steeper one. I'll be placing a cap over the vent this time to allow the plumbing to do what it needs to do and prevent outside interference from coming back in.
I am noticing faint sewer gas smell but the drains are working well, p traps are OK, no gurgling sounds. I have lots of pine needles collecting in my gutters just a few feet away from my vent. Never thought of that. Thank you, gives me something to investigate.
@thomast9736 - If you have a sump pump and it's not ran for a while, I'd investigate that as well. If the smell is coming from there, run some fresh water through and let the pump take the stagnant water out. Pine needles and other debris can quickly cause an issue, though, so hopefully, either possible issue is an easy fix for ya.
Man, your a dream tenant. When you do these simple jobs (simply but only for a DIY pro) you should text a photo and short description of the solved problem to your property manager to keep for their own records. You might mention that if they have another tenant next door to you or down the block, you'd be happy to walk over and see if it's something easy to solve. I guarantee the property manager will jump on your offer and you'll end up with some extra cash to take out your gf or wife. I also suspect they will try to keep your rent a bit below market rate going forward.
Wow. Your one comment about running water in a tub that I haven’t used in several months eliminated the extra loud water rushing noise I have heard in the past couple of days when the adjacent toilet flushes and washer empties.
Family was telling me I’m nuts, so I was watching videos about the vents. Thank you so much. I will suborn your channel!
Now they think you are a genius right? 😅😅
Amazing! I'm a homeowner and a sharp plumber asked "Do you guys use the shower down here in the basement?" Me: "No we never use the shower". Plumber"well that is the issue everything is dried up". He ran the water and just like that my sulfer smells were gone! So happy it was not a serious issue.
Gotta keep those traps hydrated! Glad y'all were able to fix the problem!
I'm suffering from sewer gas in my apartment for over 3 years now. I only smell it whenever it rains fairly heavy, and 98 percent of the time, it's in the evening or at night. It's making me sick, so I'm trying to figure out what I can point maintenance to. I do have a second bathroom with a cube shower that I never use because no matter what I do, the shower curtain sucks into the shower and constantly touches me. I've never once considered the shower being the problem causing the sewer gas, because the smell ONLY comes from my washing machine. I have never once smelled it anywhere else.
I have been using it for storage for things like huge packages of toilet paper, that absolutely won't fit in the single cabinet or under the sink.
Tomorrow I'll pull everything out of that shower and, and make sure I run it for a minute about every 2 weeks... I have no idea how often I should do it, actually. Maybe I'll just run it for a minute every day until I figure out if it solves the nightmare or not. If the smell comes back anyway, I'll ask maintenance to climb up on the roof.
@@Cherandy Can you update us on this topic. Really want to know if that helps that much 😅
Our modular home (new in 2013 ) only has 1 1/2" vents. In north central Montana they freeze every winter. I pour hot water down them to get them opened up. I'm going to try the copper pipe tee trick. Might even heat tape the copper pipe. The house has 4 vents. The biggest culprit is the washing machine drain pipe.
My kitchen sink doesn't drain and had plumbers out to snake it out and still gets clogged could that be my roof vent? I haven't ran water down
Hard to tell, I'm not sure how the house is plumbed...it could be an issue
Where's your sink located in your house?
Happy to find a second vent pipe and plumbing video on your channel today!! You are definitely helping me understand my household plumbing.
My next quest is to understand the cast iron vent pipe on the outside of my 1929 two story house. I'm not sure it even functions, how could I test it? Ty
You could put smoke down a pipe and see if anything comes out…I’ve made a video on that too,
This information is so valuable. I called a roofer for an inspection and they told me the plumbing vents had cracks around them and that caused wet spots my ceiling. Should I have called a plumber instead? I really thank you for making this video.
Sounds like you called the wrong roofer if he didn't offer to do the repair? Any roofing installer should do this type of simple repair.
I’m a handyman own a couple rental houses was in basement saw leak coming out of cast iron toilet piping. Ending up opening wall up to discover 3” cast venting was all corroded and crumbled onto itself. Needed to replace with 60-ft pvc from basement to roof. Toilet finally flushed like it should.
This is timely, I'm actually having an issue with that exact thing and I was wondering if it was the vent stack, again. About this time last year we had a plumber come out and pull stuff out of the vent stack, and it opened all the drains up. We live in a forested area with a lot of little critters, and well, you know. I can probably save the plumbers a trip, if I can unblock the vent myself.
Hopefully you’re not scared of heights!
A video on waterproofing roof penetrations would be a great follow up on this video.
That would be 👀
#1 in the #2 business!
No snow in Alberta Canada 2023/24 I thought I had a 95% frozen problem from my shop to a open lagoon... I could fill the system with hot water twice a day and it would drain slow... Day 1 I had burping in my floor pit I thought trap was dry because I had not washed a car in months so I filled pit with water and it took 2 days to drain... Filling all the pipes with water twice a day created a vacuum on all the traps and vent pipe... I didn't think of the Vent pipe till 2 weeks in and the next day All the sewer system was clear and working... I think it was the vent from day 1 because of the Burping :)
I have a house that was my grandparents place and was built back in the 60's. Far back as I can remember the toilet would always barely flush and wiggling the handle was the only way to get it to flush. My grandfather had a plumber convince him to split off the septic system so gray goes to the tank in the back of the house and brown/black water the tank in the front. After having it done it still didn't fix the issue. After I took over ownership I was determined to get it fixed. After having multiple plumbing experts out finally one of them figured it out. Since the tank in the front yard was part of the old system from the 60's and was connected to the toilet. The vent pipe was also from the 60's in the wall which they liked to use metal pipes. Over the years rust had accumulated at the bottom of the vent pipe blocking most of the air. The plumber was able to snake it out and flushed it out with water. So to prevent it from happening again I was instructed to flush it with a garden hose ever so often.
they loved to use cast iron offset bends back then, to offset from an exterior wall in past the foundation or header beams. they were often too sharp radius, large rather flat horizontal between them, used on both the waste and vents.
Sadly it made perfect shelves for debris falling down the vent/stack to clog, I've found things like rodents, birds, cats(usually dead) balls, toys, rocks, boulders, roofing materials, cans bottles and more stuck in them, often times they'd use them at the top of wall to get further back from the roof edge. 🤬
Thanks for the info. I needed that tonight👍
No problem 👍
I’m just learning about DWV piping and this video helped a lot. Better than reading a few chapters in my textbook 😆
My house has a sewage smell that comes and goes. I've had so many plumbers come out to assess the problem, and I tried a few different options, but the smell is still there. I believe it's the vent pipe. Either there's a hairline hole in the pipe or a smoke test that may need to be performed. My problem is not trusting who's providing an accurate diagnosis. I don't have water leaking, but every time I wash or after the dishwasher is done, the odor is reaking. Then there's times when nothing is running and the smell is just overwhelming. I have to open the windows, especially in my bathroom. I run the water in the basement bathroom sink and flush the toilet about 2-3 times a week, and when I do wash, I pour a gallon of water in all the drains in the basement I sometimes add bleach, baking soda and vinegar to try and eliminate the odor. I live in the state of Illinois. Do you have any recommendations/ referrals for a great plumber in my homestate? Thank you so much .
Thanks for this informational video. I have question. I have one drain that I want to use for a kitchen sink and a clothes washer. I know it isn't recommended to have both on same drain, but how can I make this work. I have 2 inch pipe that runs approximately 2 or 3 feet then branches off to a 3 inch abs pipe.
Do this work the same for the kitchen my sink not draining an been trying everything
Hello - Just watched your Plumbing Vent video. Very helpful, thanks! When your plumber is not sure how your plumbing vents lead to the plumbing vent stacks, is there a way to trace the vent stacks, maybe with an inspection camera or other tool? Thank you.
Do you recommend a vent cover to keep critters and debris out or leave it exposed is generally?
I just acquired a shop with a small 1/2 bath in the back. No vent. The sink drains slowly and the trap often gets sucked dry. Will be adding venting in the next few months.
Bathroom sink and Shower drain gurgle when toilet flushes - septic smell started a couple of days ago. I'm getting a snake/auger from a big-box store today and going on the roof to see if I can clear the drain out. Another plumber said it could be that, but wanted to clear the cleanout first. If thats the only area I'm having a problem (not in the kitchen or other bathrooms) the vent stack would be the most likely culprit, right?
Well this gives me a decently good idea on how to go about making the new drainage system for my grandparents house, as that thing is nearly 70 years old and it's been long overdue for a overhaul since i was was a toddler
During heavy rainfall should I be concerned about rain coming straight in. ? On plumbing vent.
How many vent does a 21 units condo building needs? We have gurgling and stinking smells coming from the kitchen sink and the vent seems really small. That you for the video.
My stack has a small crack at the bottom. My good friend is a union plumber, so he mostly does commercial. but he bought me home (from the supply house and i paid for it) a huge fernco and we banded it, its been on there for like 13 years
Thank you.
You're welcome!
I had my aunt house with both toilet clogged I pulled the toilet snake it 30ft came back the next day and clogged again. Then I was damn it house can I get to the roof. I got up there and it was a dead squirrel in the vent line. And boom I saved my aunt 1000$$$$$$.
Thanks, good video. Keep On Keepin’ On brother…
I would like more info on toilet venting . We have remodeled bathroom (2 full baths in s split level home). When the upstairs toilet flushes, it bubbles in the downstairs toilet! I could use some help with more information. Thanks!
Thanks, Ann C
Hi Ann did you ever figure this out?
Got a question. We moved into our new manufactured home in march of this year. The last few months or so I’ve been noticing sewage smells behind the house and on the side. We’re on a septic system and it’s all new as well. I’m curious if the smell could be coming from our plumbing vents? The septic is a good ways down the way in the front yard along with the tank and there’s no smells or wet spots so it’s not that. Any help would be appreciated
Toilet, farthest from septic tank, sometimes has no water in the bowl (except for a little bit probably below the p-trap level).
I have poured several gallons of water down roof vent to determine if there was a clog -nope.
This intermittent problem happens with our new toilet also.
Sometimes when flushing, there's an initial air bubble that comes up right at the start of the flush.
Poured liquid heat down the roof vent.
I asked a plumber about this a couple years ago, he said "I have no idea".
Seems like an air vent problem to me, but can't figure it out.
What style vent cap should on on top of the outside pipe for a toilet? I see some with just an open pipe and others with a reducing cap.
Hi Roger, could you please make a video about deciding between Residentia/Commercial apprentice vs. Apprentice security and fire protection plumber.
we have House traps in NY- our neighbors sewer or the whole neighborhoods sewer stink doesn't affect us if a trap dried out
Great video, I think you may need to talk about vent blockage prevention... Are there things you can do to the vent pipe to keep animals or other things from blocking the pipe?
There are! You could use wire mesh to cover the top to allow gases to still escape while keeping animals from getting side, or like the thumbnail shows
Hello
I think my kitchen sink P trap is being siphoned out by toilet flushing like in this video at 2:33.
Any recommendation on a diagnostic I can do to confirm or deny this?
(All sinks drain properly and there are no gurgling noises. Problem is sometimes the kitchen sink drain smells bad, sometimes it smells fine. No other drains have smell problem)
I noticed my home didn't have a vent stack on the roof, only to find a T with to pipe that was covered by insulation in the attic, house was built this way in 2007! I added a 2" extension for now, but I assume it clearly needs to go out of the roof?
😮😮
I have a vent sticking out of the ground at the end of my leaching field. There is a 4" pvc screw on cap on it. Should that have a vent cap instead? If yes, where to buy? I'm having trouble finding any info on this. My last house needed a new septic, and the new leaching field pipe had a mushroom cap on it, so I'm wondering if it's needed?
It’s funny your last name is a big city in the UK! Love ur videos man
My son is 14 and I'd like him yo learn your trade. As his dad i know nothing about plumbing. THANK YOU!!!
In my non biased opinion..plumbing is the best trade! 😅
@@RogerWakefield where should I start? Online classes? Just something to get him in the door. Thanks 👍
The United Association (UA) apprenticeship is a great way to start a career in this field and more. You can learn several trades
My house was built in 1955 and has a few fixtures that aren’t vented, however we’ve never had issues with sewer gases. The toilets are vented at least so they flush well.
My wife and others in the family have told me they notice a faint sewer gas but p traps are good, drains are fast, and there are not gurgling sounds. Could the vent have some blockage that would cause some gas leakage but still not have any of the other issues I mentioned?
In South Florida it's ,+ Tree frogs that plug up my vents they hibernate over winter then cross rainbow bridge , over years there's skeletal havoc occurs
Right now I am having to get a new roof vent - for my metal roof. I have out-door birds, squirrels and the bear. In the past my vent has been shredded - I think it was the bear cleaning his teeth. This time I think it is birds wanting to save seeds. I was wondering what was the best for venting a kitchen sink and what would deter critters.And in winter we have heavy rains.
I recently replaced my toilet with with a new low flow Kohler. The master bathroom toilet and hall toilet are back to back with a shared vent. When I flush one toilet I notice the water level lowers on the other toilet. Could the vent be clogged causing suction?
Can you vent plumbing vents through high gable walls? having no vents in the roof to me sounds like the best way to do it.
What's the minimum height for the plumbing vent on the roof? Is it OK to shorten if next to a solar panel?
How do we vent the plumbing in a very old house. It was either installed incorrectly or prior to codes. We are having a terrible time finding a plumber to hire so it might be something we take on. Every time I do laundry suds comes up in the tub and the toilet starts to burp and solids start back washing into it. There is always brown clumps of crap in the toilet.
Is there a tour video on that Browning safe?
Check out my Saturday livestreams, I leave it open 👀
Hey Roger. I'm terrified of heights and roofs. I get scared to look at my feet some days haha. Is that something that could be a deal breaker when it comes to being a plumber?
Where do we find the main vent to roof?
Do you need caps on the pipe on roof?
I dont think mine have any caps.
Good question. The pipes on the roof don’t get capped. That’s what allows the air in and sewer gas out. That is the actual reason for the vent.
What about the Air Admittance vents under the sinks?
I got on a roof of a townhome association and found all of the black plumbing vents still had the knockout plugs in them. The roof is a flat roof and has dry rotted the deck. Could that have been caused by improper plumbing ventilation?
diagnosis of our plumbing, pipes not to code. Do you think If the plumbing is not pitched correctly water is backing up towards the Camera at the P-trap, can potentially create a vacuum in the plumbing system, as the water column is blocking the air from entering the pipes, preventing proper drainage and causing the water to back up further when flushing the toilets. Please let me know if this can happen because we are getting gases into our home. We had a smoke test, and it showed smoke coming out everywhere.
How do you solve the problem of a strong odor outside the house?
Do you know where it's coming from? Are you on septic?
@RogerWakefield have a septic tank. It's coming from the vent pipes when we have strong winds.
My toilet on the top floor of my brownstone is not flushing well & when I pour a 5 gal. bucket of water down the toilet it doesn't go down right away. Could it be the vent on the roof? I've tried to snake it with an auger & also took it up to see if anything was stuck in it, but everything was clear. I do have an old model Kohler toilet, could that be a problem as well?
A little different question but still roof vent related . I have a rental condo. It is 3 story with a flat roof and I am on the 3rd floor. Ever since the building got reroofed I have a non stop Florida roach problem ( also known as palmetto bug these normally do not want to be inside). The bug guy suggested the roof vent may have gotten either covered over or breached and now any roaches in the outside. He said he could not find the kitchen sink roof vent and the roof company is saying I must be tied into an adjoining unit. How should I have a plumber verify my kitchen and bathroom roof vents are not the issue? Yes its disgusting and I cannot rent the unit due this issue which has been ongoing for 2 years. The first 2 bug companies just wanted me to spray monthly but that has never resolved the issue. I also owned the unit for 5 years before the new roof was put on and it was a non issue. The building was built in the seventies and the roofing company is saying the before and after pictures have the same number of roof vents. Is the pipe that sticks out of the roof connected to a pipe in the crawl space under the roof or is it always one continuous pipe? The bug guy says sometimes they've seen it where it's gotten terminated in the crawl space. The problem is there is no crawl space for someone to actually crawl around underneath there but I'm sure there is some space between the top of the roof and my ceiling. What would you do to determine if it's a plumbing issue or not? TIA
I have four bathrooms. And they got like a 2 inch vents on everything going into 3 inch. I guess coming out of the roof and over the last two years. It had a cap on it where they check for leaks and stuff and everything was fine, but I’ve left the cap. They left a cap on my vent And I’m just wondering flushing everything because there’s so much pipeline and vent line that I guess it keeps it from having a vacuum where it’s got a lot of space to pull from but what could happen if I don’t take that plumbing cap off the top it comes out my roof??
I thought I had a plugged vent, I had one bathroom sink that stunk all the time. Cleaned the P trap of any crud, cleaned the pop up drain, did the baking soda/vinegar trick, etc. Turned out it was the over flow from previous owners being full of crap and slime. Cleaned that, and smell went away,. and saved me from climbing on the roof to check my vents.
when cleaning your sink/s, part of the routine should be running full hot water with cleaner in the sink, until it runs down the overflow fairly quick, then release the sink letting it drain as fast as possible. even start/stop it just as it gets draining fast, that will cause the water from bowl to surge backwards and down the overflow fast helping loosen crud.
Hello, I have a question my basement washroom is letting out sewage smell. I took out the toilet and capped the flange but now the smell is coming from the shower. I poured hot water down but it seems not like it’s not doing the job. The p trap for shower is full of water but it’s still smell.. help please what can I do?
Could an obstructed toilet vent cause inconsistent flushing, slow flushing, big gurgling bubbles sometimes and sometimes not? My toilet vent goes up in to the attic, takes a 90° turn to a horizontal run, then turns 90° and goes up out the roof. Can I drill an inspection hole in the horizontal and run a camera both ways to look for an obstruction?
Yes a plugged or clogged up vent could be causing the slow flushing, if you’re positive the clog isn’t further down the drain line
What is the purpose of studor vents. A family member lived in a second home for a few years and took out a studor vent, which I didn't discover right away. How important is it to find out where the vent was from and replace it. I think it may have caused water hammer. Could it do that?
A studor vent was designed to replace an actual drain vent. And water hammering is caused by pressurized water line not drainage pipe.
I have a small leak in my toilet plumbing vent pipe, in an old fitting joint in my attic. How is this possible? Also . . .
I’ve noticed the toilet started flushing a little bit less effectively, but nothing major.
Am I able to clean out my own air vent from the roof or do I need a special tool? Can I run a hose down it? My sink air vent has to be clogged. The smell is rank in the kitchen only.
You can do it yourself...but please be careful up on the roof...A hose will work 👍🏽. Let me know how it goes
I live at the top of a hill. Some days the sewer gas smell coming out of my vents completely stinks up my yard. Then in the evening when I turn on my house fan…. The whole house smells like the vent pipe.
For a long time I thought it was a drain trap… but no. It’s coming in. Even in the “winter” (California) the furnace running pulls the sewer gas through the poorly sealed skylight. Or down the gas oven vent or down the chimney. It’s not all the time. Just calm still days, and maybe when something is wrong with the city sewers.
Drives me nuts. Want to put a house sewer trap on but I hear those are a clog nightmare.
hay rodger i ve noticed on your 4-in your Y is backwards
Do they have to go out the roof?
They usually do...
I hear my pipes making a light rumbling sound when I flush. I have an issue with sewer Nats. I have no smell, but when I drain or flush my furthest commode from the sewer tank?
Nothing comes out at the clean out! Nothing backs up through the commode or bathtub either! However, if I leave that flapper valve open in that tank. It'll take a few minutes but it'll push everything out! Can I run a water hose into my vent from the roof? This is the only thing I haven't thought of until now. I don't have a snake. Again, no smell & no back up but it's not flushing all the way down that slanted sewer pipe.
was that your pops at 2:48? He sure looks like an older Roger!
He ain’t as good looking as me 🤣
@@RogerWakefield You got a point!
Well my best analogy is are behind water and it flows downhill LOL 😅😅
Some plumbers don’t know the difference between those two p b v vents , I had a service call where the plumber put the hose down my vent for boiler, shut the boiler off and froze house up
Just what i always wanted to know. 😂
Hey I'm a number 1 better than being a number to nothing like some toilet humor
Roger, I know it's a sink demonstration... but push fittings...
Just bust out the Flux!
I enjoy your channel man. Thank you for taking the time to post and make videos.
Fernando with 402Plumbing
I have a trairer. Ever since we had the septic tank the outside has a awful smell
Shouldn't the little exhaust pipes have rain caps? I mean a rain gauge takes in so much water? I swear mine are putting water into my ceiling. There's water spots on my ceiling in those areas
Well I’m curious, is it normal for a house to have only one vent on the roof?
It varies, but every house will have at least one
It also depends on the location of the plumbing. If you have a long or big house with plumbing fixtures at both ends you increase your chances of multiple roof vents. I like having fewer penetrations in my roof-fewer spots to have a water leak. The boot had disintegrated around the vent and was actually the source for water in the basement. My old 1930 home had one inch and a half galvanized vent. Roger would get a chuckle out of how hilariously messed up everything is. Going to have it all redone. The only thing vented right is the washer and dryer that was relocated. Supply lines were all replaced, the DWV system is next but making that coincide with the bathroom remodel.
@@opinionatedman My house only has one vent, the master and second bathroom are close to each other. That would explain why there’s only one vent.
Why didn’t you show how to run the water from the roof with the hose
wow you help me a lot about something i never knew or stop think why stinks i try your thing water in sinks i don't use lots not more stinks ??
Im on septic have horrible smell checked everything had several companies out never have been able to fix it and they can't find the issue ... 🤢
I have one bathroom used very regularly. One roof vent. In higher wind I get the sewer gas smell. Particularly in the tub where the p trap is not as deep. The vent is wide open to atmosphere. What is the fix? A ton of videos on here telling me the problem I already know. None tell us the fix. How the hell do I stop it from syphoning the p trap? It's there a cap available to negate this? Is it safe to use in freezing conditions? Thanks. Ps not yelling at you just frustrated I can't find an answer.
Keren👍🏻😍
My previous landlord who originally just built a house, had added to his building later on converting it into a triplex.
About every 4-6 months he would grab the garden hose and put it down the vent pipe and would turn water on through the hose to flush the system out. My speculation due to watching this channel, is that the triplex was built with S-Pipes . Though this is San Joaquin County of California and homes were built with…creative liberties and friendships with inspectors between the 1950s and up to the 2010s. Plumbers are very busy nowadays fixing said old creative liberties
Roger help
He literally dropped a house piece in the top roof vent
It’s stuck
Help...Sink in the bathroom backs up when the washing machine empties. The toiled flushes OK.
Plumbing Vents prevent homes from being Bombs
What do I do if our estate does not allow these vents, our house stinks, toilet has water in and it looks like it is well covered with water but it doesn't flush 100%....how do I fix it? I don't think our plumbers in our country is this clever as we had a lot of different opinions what it could be and all of the suggestions will cost us redoing our whole bathroom.
I have a blocked vent on my roof. I have slow flushing toilets. When the master bathroom bath is unused (the trap dries out), the toilets flush better. I can hear the sucking of air over in the tub.
I cannot get a plumber to go on the roof to clear the vent. No plumber in my county, or neighboring counties will take any “roof” work. Insurance seems to be the off-ramp. (In Central New Jersey) I am trying to get a Chimney Sweep to take on the job, literally.
I’m too old, my balance stinks. I’ll take comments and suggestions.
I need to extend my pipes. If you can access the attic. I’m thinks of cutting it then adding a couple to connect back to check it out!
There are no vents or pipes going through my roof. I found them capped off in the attic. But there's no smell, and everything works fine. What dark magic did the previous owners employ?
Uhhh what? What about in your crawlspace?
How many bathrooms in your house?
The opening of the sewage pipe is directly below the vent in the yard.Mine is any way,maybe everyone's is.
I have never heard of plumbing vents. Do these affect neighbors with shared well water?
👍👍👍
I used a blow bag . It cleared up
I want to harvest sewer gas as a substitute for cooking gas. It is made from hydrogen sulfide and methane. I know how to scrub hydrogen sulfide from methane. The question is how do i harvest sewer gasses without compromising the function of the vents.
this question is out of my range...I like your thinking