Cleaning A Vent Pipe From The Attic

Vent pipes allow air into the plumbing line to balance the pressure in the pipe as water goes down the drain.

Cleaning a vent pipe from the attic.

Although it might seem counterintuitive you often can fix them by climbing to the roof. Instead they serve to equalize air pressure within the dwv system and also release sewer gases into the outdoor air as all vent pipes terminate through the roof. Clogged vent pipe symptoms. How to unclog a vent pipe.

Before you clean a dryer vent on the roof vacuum out the vent behind the dryer since it s easier to clean out the length of the vent from the ground floor. Without vents or in the event they become clogged by leaves or debris water would get stuck in. Once the vent is exposed use a vent brush first clean the exterior surfaces. It also allows fresh air into the plumbing system to help water flow smoothly through the drain.

To do it yourself start by clearing debris from around the pipe. Still if a blockage is in place you have two options. Then get on the roof and peel back any shingles that may be covering the vent as well as the guard. Because working on your vent pipe is difficult at best taking preventative steps before you encounter a problem is your best course of action.

While it s easy to appreciate the role of the drain and waste pipes the role of the vents may not be as obvious. The vent pipe can also be blocked and when this is the problem your plumbing system will not function as it should. The vent pipes are part of the drain waste vent or dwv system of a house or building and they do not carry water inside them. Every home plumbing system consists of pipes that bring water into the house and pipes that take it away.

The warm moist air inside the vent tends to condense on the colder walls of the pipe and the water droplets catch lint which also gets wet and sticks to the pipe. The pipes in the second category form the home s drain waste vent dwv system. Just as drain pipes remove water and waste from your home the plumbing vent pipe also known as a plumbing air vent removes gas and odors. The plumbing vent also known as a vent stack helps regulate the air pressure in your plumbing system.