Unblocking A Plumbing Vent

Sometimes you notice your kitchen sink or the bathroom sink not able to drain down water as quickly as it is supposed to be. Instead you notice a certain rise in the water level complemented by a foul smell occupying the spaces of your home.

Check the drain pipe and the plumbing traps for possible clogging. If everything looks alright with the sink traps and the drain pipes then the problem may lie with the plumbing vent.

In order to prevent waste and sewage gases from entering into the home or building, plumbing vents work in association with the plumbing traps and the drainage pipes. Hence, a drain-waste-vent (DWV) forms a component of the plumbing system. These vents take the waste gases from the traps and push them out of the building.

Vents most commonly open out at the roofs and are raised 1-2 feet above the roof surface. They are essentially made of plastic or metal and have a diameter of about 3-4 inches.

To clean out all the debris and foreign materials from the vent, move to the vent site. Take an extension ladder and set it up inclined to the roof. Since you have to inspect the vent from the roof surface only hence it becomes mandatory to double check whether the roof surface is rigid enough to carry your weight. If your roof is a saturated one then standing on the roof may prove very risky. In such a case the examination could be performed by an expert who would possess necessary tools and techniques to reach out to the vent.

Alternatively you can employ an additional roof ladder such that it rests on the ridge from one side and hooked to the extension ladder from the other end. Consequently this would reduce your weight resting on the roof. Make sure that both the ends of the single ladder are placed well and firm.

Beam down a sharp light into the vent to look for debris, leaves and other foreign materials. Once you’ve located a clog in the vent remove it with the help of a solid metal rod or a long bamboo stick. If however clog remains unreachable then a hose pipe has to be employed. Force down the water to drain down any underlying clog. You would hear a gurgle or a whoosh sound when the water is forcing the clog to drain down.

If however the force of the water is not enough to unclog the vent then insert the hose pipe into the vent transforming it into a plumber’s snake. This would surely remove any clog stuck in the vent.

Scott Rodgers has been excelling with plumbing contents for a long time now. His extraordinary expertise has created business opportunities for many Las Vegas Plumbers and Raritan Plumbers. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service