Stink Pipe Removed

[mmeagher]

I am in the process of getting a new roof. I have 5 bathrooms in my house, and never knew what a stink pipe is, until now. My roofer asked me what 2 extra pipes that were blocked off were, I told him that I had no idea, and implied that if they are blocked, then they must not be working.

I am now realizing that he probably has no idea that I have 5 bathrooms. I am also wondering how blocked off they were. He has removed the 2 'blocked' pipes and roofed over them. I still have 2 stink pipes coming out of my roof. Are 2 pipes sufficient, or do we need to rip off where he covered and make sure the pipes go thru?

Does each toilet need a stink pipe, or will my 2 pipes let out enough of the air to allow the entire sewage system to continue working and my house smelling fresh?

[sixlashes]

These "stink" pipes as you call them are in fact the vents for your plumbing system. One of two things is happening now. First, the vents are not completely blocked and you are filling your attic with sewer gas. Depending on what type of sewer you have, you can be building up methane gas in your attic and that is flammable. Second possibility is the vents are completely clogged and your fixtures are not venting properly. This can cause a slow toilet flush or worse; when you flush the toilet, it sucks the water out of the trap of a nearby sink to vent and then lets sewer gas into your house.

Since you did not describe either slow toilets or sewer gas into your house, I would guess you are filling your attic with sewer gas. Bottom line, those vents are there for a reason - have them vented back up through the roof at least 6 inches (or whatever local codes prescribe) and flashed properly. Your roofer should know better. There is no way the building department will pass the roof inspection if they know vents have been cut off.

[kingsotall]

Blocked off meaning capped¿

[hj]

There is no "quota" for the number of vent pipes your house needs. If the plumber installs the system with just one vent pipe, then that is all it needs, but if he installed ten of them, then that is the requirement for your house. If the vents were capped because the plumbing was revised and rain water entering them would have caused damage, then there is no problem with removing them. BUT, you have to find out if they were actually being used or not before removing them.