Plumbing Vent Pipe Repair & Installation in Seattle, WA
Unless you’re a plumber, you might not know what a plumbing vent pipe is and how it works. As your local Seattle, WA plumbers, the team at Puget Sound Plumbing & Heating wants to make you aware of what you should know about plumbing vent pipes. Your home has a plumbing vent system, including a plumbing vent pipe. This essential component of your home’s plumbing system provides many benefits, and there is more than one common type of plumbing vent pipe. Take a few minutes to learn more about plumbing vent pipes, and feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions.
Benefits Your Vent Pipe Provides
Household plumbing systems contain many parts that you may or may not be aware of. Drain pipes and supply lines tend to be more widely known than vent pipes. Your home’s drain pipes move water and waste out of your home and into the local sewer system. Water or supply lines allow water inside your home to fill up your bathtubs, sinks, washing machines, and more. Plumbing vent pipes work with the drain pipes, but these vent pipes do not carry water. Their job is to regulate the air in your home’s plumbing system. Vent pipes may also be referred to as a vent stack or a plumbing air vent. They regulate airflow to make sure waste and water flow through your pipes and drain out of your home. These vent pipes prevent vacuums from forming, which can result in slow drainage or a lack of drainage. Clean drain pipes work correctly when vent pipes work correctly. All the plumbing fixtures in your house require air to help water move through drainage pipes. Another purpose your vent pipe serves is removing sewer gases. These gases can flow from the local sewer system into your home, causing foul odors and becoming dangerous at times. Having a vent pipe installed on the roof, away from air conditioning and windows, prevents those gases and odors from getting back into your home.
Get to Know the Various Types of Plumbing Vent Pipes
All new plumbing fixtures installed in your home should be properly vented. Not all types of plumbing vent pipes are the same. Learn more about different types of vent pipes available for your home and where they can usually be found:
- True Vents – As the most common type of plumbing vent pipes, these vertical pipes are attached to drain lines. These vents are on the roof, and no water runs through them.
- Common Vents – These plumbing vents are used between two fixtures that are installed on opposite sides of a wall, such as back-to-back sinks. Common vents are connected to stacks using a sanitary cross.
- Re-Vent Pipes or Auxiliary Vents – This type of plumbing vent attaches to drain lines or goes behind plumbing fixtures. Auxiliary vents run up and over to the main vent going to the roof.
- Air Admittance Valves – This type of plumbing vent is a valve that opens when wastewater drains. AAVs allow air in and use gravity to prevent any gases from getting into the rooms of your home. These vents are usually used for more than one plumbing fixture.
Potential Problems with Vent Pipes
Like any other part of your plumbing system, vent pipes can encounter potential problems. A blockage in a vent pipe or stack can cause negative pressure to build up, resulting in water not being able to flow out of your home efficiently. Blocked vents are challenging for most homeowners to fix and often require a plumbing professional. Blocked vents are often the cause of drainage problems at your home. If your plumbing pipes back up with wastewater, sediment will likely form inside them, often leading to costly repairs. Blocked vents can lead to gurgling sounds coming from your drains, slow drainage, and standing water in tubs and sinks. Sewer gases can also build up, but thankfully you will be alerted to this dangerous problem by a recognizable odor. The team at Puget Sound Plumbing & Heating can repair or replace your vent pipes if you encounter any of these issues.
Vent Pipe Repair & Replacement
Now that you know more about how your plumbing vent pipes work and some potential problems you may encounter, it’s time to have an experienced plumbing professional on your side to help you if you come across any of those issues. The trained plumbers at Puget Sound Plumbing & Heating specialize in installing, repairing, and replacing vent pipes for homes and businesses in the Seattle area. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.