Toilet vent pipe???

Mrs danandem here, we’ve just had a new bathroom fitted and the plumber has removed the toilet vent pipe saying that we didnt need it. Was this the correct thing to do? – wikapedia didn’t think so but plumber seemed to think this was alright?

doesn’t sound right but depends what he’s done in it’s place

Do you mean the overflow pipe of the soil vent pipe??

Overflow is about 25mm (1″)and isn’t required, there is a built in overflow and it just runs down the pan.

Soil Vent Pipe is 100mm (4″) and is required and either vent through the roof (normaly) or you have a little sub stack & vent within the room

Nothing in its place, just linked the loo back to the down pipe

you can replace a vent pipe with a valved air intake instead. It still has to be installed above the toilet waste level but that can fit under the bath or in exiting bulkheads if available.

The valve intake or vent is so as to prevent your waste creating a vacuum lock in the pipe as it falls. The vent or valve lets air in above the waste. Obviously the valve prevents odour leaking in the house, alternatively the vent takes odour outside the house.

It the up pipe that sticks out the top of the roof that he’s removed (sorry its the mrs here and im not too technical!)

In the box work that previously took the vet pipe out of the roof, he has probably cut off the soil stack and installed the valve instead.

If he had fitted one of those valved air intakes instead would I be able to see it connected behind the loo or anything?

WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T LIGHT A MATCH IN THERE!

😆

not if it’s hidden in the box work within which the soil stack was originally routed.

He’s taken out the whole boxed in bit which at first i though was great as it made bathroom bit bigger but now im a bit worried about the health hazzards

Hee hee – especially if the hubby has just come out! 🙂

Where does the pipe run within the house?? As Stoner says he’s prob fitted the vent within the loft or somewhere you can’t see it

Im sure he’s put a valve in. Afterall leaving the existing soil vent in place is easier to do than take it out! 😉

If your WC soil runs under the bath for example there’s space to do it under there.

did your soil stack go up through the roof inside the house? if so have a look in your loft as he may have cut it off and put an air admittance valve on there. you wouldn’t be able to see it behind the loo.

she says that he’s taken the box work in the bathroom out which means that there’s nothing going up into a loft.

Its more likely it runs horizontally above floor level under the bath and then down a soil waste. The valve sitting above the down pipe but under the bath for example.

yes the soil stack used to go up into the attic but plumber has just cut it off and blocked up the top

oops there’s nothing connecting the loo and bath (above floor level anyway)

well it doesnt have to be under the bath. Just somewhere on the soil system but above the WC outlet. The idea is you cant see it! 🙂

oh bugger – he’s definitely not fitted one of those! Thank for the advise – will give him a call on monday and get him to do something about it (not looking forward to that call!)

post up a pic of what he’s done, then we can get the pitchforks looked out.

Depends on the soil pipe to begin with and where it is in the system. Do you have another soil pipe going through the roof. If you have multiple pipes going through the roof only the furthest one needs to be properly vented. If an AAV has been fitted it should be installed in air tight boxing either as it won’t work properly

No other vent pipes and im pretty sure we’ve not got an AAV fitted. 🙁

you should have some sort of vent fitted in my opinion. If not then when you flush the loo it will syphon water out of basins etc or whatever else is connected to that stack and you could end up with smells coming from the plugs.

Are you in a house? If so is you bathroom above [ish] the kitchen?

Hi Yes we are in a house and the bathroom is directly over the kitchen

Then I don’t think from what you’ve said that your plumber has given you the right advice. It may be that there is a reason he’s done it but the system does need venting somewhere to prevent.

Did you have a cast iron soil pipe before? If so… he’s probably sold it!

The Blocked off top may be the AAV device? They can look like end caps and may not look as fancy as the video above.

but the AAV should be located above the heighest spill height

EDIT Just seen there are some that can now go below the spill height providing it’s above the wet connections

One day soon, you will flush the toilet and experience a poo explosion. Probably.

you should have a drain vented to outside somewhere. If you have you can use an AAV on other stacks. Although not needed if it is only on the ground floor. The AAV needs to be in a ventilated area, above the spillover level of the highest appliance (usually the basin), unless it is one of the newer ones that can be installed lower than that.
Also it needs to be protected from freezing, so they are not permitted to be used externally, although there are loads that are. They are one of the most misused plumbing items.

you need to have some sort of vent above the toilet, either exiting through the roof or internally through an air admittance valve (known as a dergo valve)if you have other toilets in the house maybe one of those is being used to vent your tiolet system, but generally the valve is at the head or highest point of your toilet pipes. the internal valve needs to be ( as i understand) a minimum of a metre above the point where the toilet conects into the plastic 1oomm pipes.
just ask the guy if there is any soil venting or air admittance valve any where on your soil pipe runs. if the answer is NO then something is wrong . all systems need some sort of vent.
hope this helps off to make coffee now.