Inside sewage vent!!!

[mariner]

Hi all,

I am new to this forum so please bear with me.

I recently purchased a country property with a 40year old house (approx.). It is connected to a septic tank some 25 or 30 yards from the house. I have what looks to be a sewer vent in the garage - furthest part of the house from the septic tank. It ends about three feet from the ceiling.

Since in this part of the country it drops to -40 degrees on occasion, during the winter, I was wondering if this vent is to code? What I thought would improve the situation and take the vent outside, is to fit a 90 degree bend and have it exit outside the house wall. I could then put some sort of cover over the end to prevent very cold air dropping into the outlet, but still allow for air movement for venting and draining purposes.

Any comments would be welcome. The job would be straight forward, but I would prefer to do it right.

Thanks in advance,

Mariner
North Central BC.

[toolaholic]

vents are not an interior hat rack. they must rise a min. 6" above the roof

in cold country you can up the size as it exits the roof to compensate for frost. in serious snow like my Sierras vents exit at ridge, otherwise the ice will shear them off!

[Mike Carney]

I built a home in Alaska and it too had "standard" venting out the roof (it got well below -60 there each long winter!) The code required rise above the ridge may vary from place to place--I've seen 6" and 12" in my travels.

Another option is Air Admittance Valves (AAVs) which allow air into the vent to allow your drains to flow, but do not allow sewer gasses to come out.

AAVs are available in several sizes depending on whether you are venting just an island sink or an entire home.

I'm with toolaholic, this situation needs attention.

[hj]

If you terminate the vent out the wall, when the wind blows from that direction it will pressurize the sewer system and cause other problems. Terminate it through the roof properly according to your local code.

[jimbo]

An AAV cannot be the ONLY vent on a system. There will be problems, since an AAV cannot eliminate positive pressure/

[mariner]

Hi all,

Thx for the comments thus far.

Yes, it does sound ludicrous, but it certainly looks like a sewer vent ending in the garage area. There are other soil stacks (vents) in the wall that go up to the roof. I was wondering what this would be doing ending in an open pipe three feet from the ceiling in the garage. The only other thing that I can think of, is that a previous owner (this house had two previous owners)had this soil stack installed to allow for another bathroom and toilet to be plumbed in at some time in the future. If so, then I might make use of it. I could always put a plastic cap on the open end and see if it makes any difference - it shouldn't if the other vents are to code.

Anyway, I was curious and really didn't know where else I could pose such a question (maybe talk to a local plumbing inspector).

Thanks for your comments and if anything else should come to mind, please advise.

Mariner.

[Dunbar Plumbing]

It sounds like a evaluation of the piping system is needed to determine what is what in that home to find out what piping is feasible for your situation.

[abnorm]

Since you have other vents for the septic......Is this pipe an underslab collection/vent system for possible radon.......Installed during construction and when tested the house shows no threat from radon and the vent/fan was never installed.........

[hj]

radon tests are like going to an eye doctor. Even if you go in without glasses you will come out with them, and if you send a radon test kit in, you will always get a report back saying you have radon.

[Dunbar Plumbing]

So true. In my area getting licensed to install radon systems is extremely difficult and I have heard that the testing is almost impossible to pass on the first try. I have never bothered to draw an interest in it since I have enough to do with plumbing. :o