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Unclogging A Plumbing Vent

November 6th, 2009 Comments off

A malfunctioning in a drainage pipe and the affiliated sink may relate to the problems in the plumbing traps or the plumbing vents.

Once no potential problem is detected in the sink trap or the drain pipe then the attention shifts to the plumbing vents.

A vent is a plumbing component that makes way for the escape of waste gases and sewer gases produced by the said waste. Vents work in collaboration with the sink traps and the drainage system such that the waste gases don’t enter into the building and are expelled properly.

Vents are commonly installed on the roofs with a metal/plastic pipe of about 1 or 2 feet rising above the roof surface. They have a diameter of about 3-4 inches and are visible from a distance even.

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.

An additional roof ladder extending from the inclined ladder to the ridge of the vent may be used so as to place yourself in a comfortable position. This would also prevent you from standing on the wet and saturated roof.

Look into the vent with the help of a torch to explore any hidden clog down the vent. The clog would generally be in the form of leaves, debris, dust particles and other foreign materials. If the clog lies at a shallow depth then remove it with the help of bare hands only. If it is a moderate one then a long bamboo stick or a metal rod would do the job. If however the clog still looks unreachable then a hose-pipe may come to the rescue. Force down water from the pipe to unblock the vent.

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 works for a long time now. His unique motivation has created business opportunities for many Las Vegas Plumbers and Raritan Plumbers.