Did you know that your plumbing circulates a lot more than clean water from the supply line and gray water in the drain line? Your system also comprises plumbing vents that introduce air into the mix. Below, our Bullseye Home Services team explains what these vents do and what causes them to clog, keeping them from doing their job.
The Real Reason Behind Plumbing Vents
Plumbing vents run vertically from your plumbing system to your rooftop. These vent stacks pull air into your plumbing system to regulate air pressure and keep all water and waste moving. That means without air entering your pipes, the water pressure creates a vacuum effect, keeping the water from flowing properly and encouraging other issues we’ll get into below.
Vent pipes also work in reverse, acting as a release valve by allowing toxic air that contains hydrogen sulfide, methane, and other sewer gases to exit the system. Without this air exiting your pipes, these harmful odors flow back into your home, causing dizziness, fatigue, nausea, and, with prolonged exposure, shortness of breath, seizures, or even death.
Why Do Vents Clog?
Clogs are the primary reason for vent issues, from birds that build nests on the rooftop’s vent opening to leaves and branches that fall into the chute due to overhanging tree limbs or heavy winds that carry and deposit sediments. These obstructions are common, but they are far from the only ones.
Clogged plumbing vents also ensue in the following cases:
- Years of exposure to rainwater (especially acidic rain) causes corrosion that leaves sediments filling the vents.
- Vent pipe moisture freezes in low temperatures, causing ice formation to block airflow.
- A poor design or installation process has caused the system to be inefficient. For instance, if there are too many sharp, 90-degree pipe turns, the air loses momentum and dissipates before reaching its destination.
How Can You Tell If You Have a Clogged Vent?
You may be wondering how you can tell the vent opening on your roof needs cleaning without climbing up there regularly to check. Luckily, you can use popular telltale signs so you don’t have to get out the ladder.
One common sign is slow drainage due to there being little air available to push the water along. If water isn’t exiting your bathtub fast enough, pooling is occurring in your sink basin, or your toilet bowl no longer has a powerful flush and plunging isn’t helping, you may have a clogged vent stack.
Other signs include:
- An empty toilet tank since air is not pushing water into your appliances
- Gurgling sounds as water finally enters the drains due to trapped air
- Sewer odors entering your home due to a dried-out P-trap that no longer creates a water barrier
Hitting the Bullseye Every Time!
Whether you need assistance determining whether your plumbing vents are the root cause of your plumbing issues or need someone to clean them, Bullseye Home Services is at your beck and call. Our licensed and insured team offers local services in Osprey, FL, and the surrounding areas, so call (941) 348-2000 for five-star assistance!
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