Understanding the Role of Your Plumbing Vents in the Drainage System

by | Apr 14, 2016 | Plumbing

The plumbing system in your home is more than just the kitchen sink, toilet, and bathroom. Some problems that arise within home plumbing are hard to detect because homeowners may not understand potential causes.

One part of the plumbing system that could cause you endless problems is the venting. The drain lines that run through your home and drain wastewater need proper venting to function properly. Faulty plumbing vents can lead to several problems that require the expertise of a plumber to check them out. Before finding experienced plumbing services, there are a few things to learn about plumbing vents.

plumbing vents

Why vents are vital

Vents in the plumbing system lead to an outside area such as the roof or the back. The function of these vents is to keep sewer gases away from the drain pipes. They also establish seals in the drainage pipes that prevent the sucking back of waste gases into the home. Venting in the plumbing system also allows oxygen to get into the drainage system, which is an essential component in the breakdown of waste matter. The vents also ensure that the air pressure within the drainage system remains balanced, facilitating the flow of wastewater.

Possible problems

When the plumbing vents are problematic, one of the consequences is imbalanced water levels in the toilet. If you notice that the levels in the toilet bowl rise and fall all the time, then there may be something wrong with the vents.

Another issue is air bubble formation within the toilet. In most cases like these, the drain pipes are not receiving enough air. Lack of air pressure equalization is what leads to water flow problems. If you come across such issues in your home, make sure you call professional plumbers, such as the ones from Perfection Plumbing & Drain Cleaning Ltd.

Potential causes

Several scenarios can lead to some of the plumbing problems that homeowners suffer because of venting. One such scenario is the use of incorrectly sized vents. Usually, vents are the same size as the drain line to facilitate proper venting. Vents that are too small will lead to some plumbing issues. Another potential cause is fixtures that are not close enough to the vents. In this scenario, air forces itself through the traps of other fixtures, leading to gurgling sounds from toilets and sinks.

Most of these problems also happen with clogged vents. Tree leaves and debris can cause clogging when they make their way down a vent. Unclogging plumbing vents is a service that you can entrust to Saskatoon plumbers. They will know how to snake down vents and remove clogging stuck in fixtures.

Sources:

Signs of Poorly Vented Plumbing Drain Lines. www.familyhandyman.com

How to Repair Common Plumbing Drain and Vent Problems. plumbing-leaks-faucets.knoji.com