Unclogging A Plumbing Vent

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.

In order to prevent waste and sewage gases from entering into the home or building, plumbing vents work in association with the plumbing traps and the drainage pipes. Hence, a drain-waste-vent (DWV) forms a component of the plumbing system. These vents take the waste gases from the traps and push them out of the building.

Vents most commonly open out at the roofs and are raised 1-2 feet above the roof surface. They are essentially made of plastic or metal and have a diameter of about 3-4 inches.

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.

Alternatively you can employ an additional roof ladder such that it rests on the ridge from one side and hooked to the extension ladder from the other end. Consequently this would reduce your weight resting on the roof. Make sure that both the ends of the single ladder are placed well and firm.

Once you’ve reached the vent put the beam of a torch into the vent to locate any clog. Insert a long bamboo stick or a rigid metal rod to break apart any clog in the form of debris, leaves and other foreign materials. A deeper clog however has to be eliminated by a hose pipe. The force of the water would drain down any such clog into the drainage.

If that doesn’t work either then the hose pipe can be inserted into the vent easing the path for the water flow.

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