Vents and your Home’s Drainage System

You probably know that your home’s plumbing system consists of supply pipes that bring hot and cold water to your faucets and drains that take away the used water and waste, but were you aware that air plays an important part in how those drains function?
If you live in a newer home and look up at the roof, you’ll more than likely see several pipes sticking up through the shingles — the pipes could be white or if the home had a good builder, they may be painted black or a color to match the shingles. If you can’t see any when looking at the front of your home, don’t worry – plumbing contractors try to keep them at the rear whenever possible. Those are your plumbing vents and the air allowed in through those pipes assists with the speed at which the water in your fixtures drains. If several of your fixtures begins draining very slowly, the problem may not be a clogged drain pipe — it could be a vent blocked with leaves, debris of some sort, or even some sort of animals.
An older home with drains that have always seemed slow may not be your imagination — the vents could be improperly sized or in some cases may even be non-existent. Many a bathroom has been added over the years by DIY plumbers without proper venting being used. Fortunately you don’t have to live with slow drains in new or old homes – a trained plumber can take a look at the situation and may be able to clean, add, or increase the size of your home’s vents with a minimum of repairs and expense. If your home’s drains seem to empty slowly, ask the experts at Cabrillo to take a look.