What does a plumbing vent do?
Every drain needs air behind the water, the way a bottle pours smoothly only when air can get in. Vent pipes connect the drains to the open air above the roof. They also protect the water seal in each trap, the U-shaped bend under a fixture that keeps sewer gas out of the room. The main vertical pipe is the stack.
What are the signs of a vent problem?
- Gurgling from a sink, tub or toilet when another fixture drains.
- Slow drains throughout, with no clog found.
- Sewer smell in a bathroom, kitchen or laundry.
- The water level in a toilet bowl rising and falling.
- A trap that keeps going dry.
- Water stains on a ceiling or wall around a vent pipe.
What goes wrong with vents?
- Blockage. Leaves, nests and debris at the roof opening.
- Cracked or rusted pipe. Old cast iron and galvanized vents split and corrode inside walls and attics.
- Loose or open joints, which let sewer gas into the building.
- Failed roof flashing around the pipe, which lets rain in.
- Missing or wrong venting, often from a remodel done without a plumber.
How do you find the problem?
We check the fixtures, look at the vent openings and the pipe where it can be reached, and where needed run a camera through the line or test the system to find the break or open joint.
How is a vent repaired?
A blocked vent is cleared. A cracked or corroded section is cut out and replaced. A fixture with no proper vent gets one. Where the code allows it, an air admittance valve can vent a fixture that is hard to reach with pipe. When the job needs a permit, we pull it.
Is it the vent or the drain?
The symptoms overlap, which is why we test before recommending work. If the cause turns out to be the drain or the sewer, see drain cleaning, drain line repair and signs of sewer line problems.
Who is Friendly Services?
A family-owned plumbing company with over 20 years in Hayward. License CSLB #1156315 (C-36 plumbing), $1M general liability cover and workers' comp. Our own work has a five-year workmanship warranty, and we have 100+ five-star reviews online.