Plumbing Basics for Home Owners. A vent is a pipe or pipes install to provide a flow or air to or from a drainage system to provide a circulation of air within such system to protect trap seals from siphonage and back-pressure. This has a two fold purpose, one to prevent sewer gases from entering home and also to allow air into system for better drainage.
Direct venting of plumbing fixtures is permitted if a plumbing fixture is close enough (eight feet or less) to the main waste stack pipe (vent), the fixture does not usually require its own plumbing vent piping, and it is considered a direct-vented plumbing fixture.
Wet venting is using a drain from another fixture to supply adequate venting to another fixture, usually a toilet. The theory for wet venting is that the flow in the wet vent portion of the piping will be low because there will only be one occupant in the bathroom and only one fixture being used.
Plumbing smells or noises can be caused by improperly installed drains and vents. There a many cases where improper glue and venting has resulted in sewer gas entering an unsuspecting homeowners property. Improper use of glue, loose connections and vents not vented to exterior can all be attributed to work being performed by un-licensed workers. Always used a trained a licensed plumber when renovating or repairing your homes plumbing system.
There are many different types of choices when it comes to plumbing your home. For water supply, there is PVC, CPVC. PEX, Galvanized Pipe, and copper. Copper and CPVC are the most popular. CPVC is the easiest to install. CPVC tubing is ideal for water supply lines. It’s easy to cut and assemble, using compression of cemented fittings. It’s durable too. Harsh water won’t harm the material, unlike copper, which will erode from acidic water.
That “blub blub” or “glug glug” noise you hear from a building drain might mean that there is a problem with the drain system itself, such as a partial drain blockage, a drain venting problem, a drain odor problem, or even a failing septic system. If a gurgling sound is heard at a sink or shower drain only when a nearby toilet is flushed, or at a sink or shower when a nearby tub is draining, we’d suspect that the building drain-vent system is inadequate.
Many plumbing problems can be fixed by the homeowner and some require the expertise of a licensed trades person. Any plumbing supply problem should be dealt with by a professional as the cost of clean up and repair can far outweigh any savings you may incur.
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