What are plumbing vents used for?
A plumbing vent, or vent stack, is a vertical pipe that comes out of the roof of your house. All plumbing in your home must have vents to remove sewer gasses and regulate air pressure in pipes.
When liquid goes down a pipe, air needs to follow it. Without the vent pipe, the liquid will attempt to draw air through the P-traps on your tub or sink. This will create a gurgling sound.
What happens if the plumbing is not properly vented?
If your sink or tub is not vented correctly, you may hear gurgling. This happens when the liquid drains and tries to draw air through the P-trap. If air is pulled through the P-trap, you may know it from the “smell” coming from the now dry seal on the P-trap.
If you pour water down a drain without a vent, it may come back up through a different drain. For example, it could go down one side of the sink and come up through another. In addition to helping pull water through your drain pipes, venting also ensures sewer gases are pushed out of your house.
Where Can I Find Plumbing Vents in My Home?
Venting from your sink and shower/tub leads to a vertical vent pipe in your walls. These pipes feed into plumbing vents that extrude from the roof of your home. Don’t forget to check your vent pipes annually (if not more) to make sure it is properly sealed to keep bats (and other pests) out of your plumbing.
Contact the Professionals at Watters Plumbing Today
Keeping an ear out for unusual sounds, as well as doing regular plumbing maintenance, like making sure your vent cover is properly sealed, can help you prevent major issues and costly repairs, as well as make sure your home is safe.
If you are having issues with gurgling sounds in your plumbing, contact the Fox Cities plumbing professionals at Watters Plumbing today! We can evaluate your vent pipe and other plumbing faucets and fixtures to help you make sure your plumbing is properly vented. Contact us today for more information.