Venting a toilet next to bearing beams

lanthoma · Dec 23, 2009

I'm remodeling a bathroom where none of the current plumbing is vented. The problem is that the 2x4 wall behind the toilet sits on a load bearing beam (picture attached). From below the subfloor, I can't get a vent pipe into this wall without cutting and probably compromising the beam. I thought the professionals come across this problem often enough and might have some suggestions.

-Lance

FloridaOrange · Dec 23, 2009

What is your location? You may not have to vent directly behind the toilet, the toilet in many areas can be vented by the lavatory.

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lanthoma · Dec 23, 2009

I'm in Nashville, TN.

So I guess there isn't a magical fitting for this problem.

Terry · Dec 23, 2009

If we cant go through a beam, we find another location.

Nobody wants to mess with an engineered beam.
They might ask us to replace it.

Lightwave · Dec 24, 2009

Easiest way to handle this would be to thicken the bottom few feet of the bathroom wall and run the vent line around the beam.

hj · Dec 24, 2009

vent

Isn't there a side wall near the toilet you can run it in?

lanthoma · Dec 24, 2009

The walls of my bathroom sit directly above beams on two sides, rim joists on the exterior wall, and a double joist on the interior (pic attached). So to get a vent pipe into any wall (or the lav drain down) would require moving joists or cutting into beams. What about running a vent pipe inside the wall to the lav, exit the wall (inside a vanity) and go through the subfloor next to the beam then run below the joists over to the toilet drain. Is this a suitable vent for the toilet? Is it termed 'wet venting the toilet'?

hj · Dec 24, 2009

vent

As long as the lavatory has a proper vent, and you connect its drain to your new pipe and seal the former lavatory drain it will work.

lanthoma · Dec 27, 2009

I guess that's what I'll do then. I always thought pipes coming up through the floor rather than the wall looked amateurish, but I guess it's the thing to do in some situations.

AAnderson · Dec 27, 2009

If the toe kick is high enough, you can come up through the kick space, break around the beam and bottom plate altogether. Same with the waste from the lav and combine the vents in a common 2" above flood rim level above the lav sink.

Venting a toilet next to bearing beams

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