Every bathroom drain and pipe system needs ventilation. Every time you flush the toilet or drain your bathtub, the water pushes the existing air in the pipes. When additional air causes a vacuum effect, the air in the pipes can form a water lock. The problem could be avoided by adding a vent in the bathroom pipes, which must comply with the requirements of the building code in the area. Drain cleaning works on a gravity-flow system. Wastewater exits through sloped pipes with air filtered in through the vent pipes.
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When constructing a new home, the simplest method of venting the bathroom pipes is to install a vertical vent pipe behind the bathroom sink. One single vent pipe will work for the entire bathroom as long as all the plumbing fixtures are connected to the main drain line under the floor within 6 to 10 feet of the sink drain. Building codes typically regulate the maximum connection distance of the different fixtures for the purpose of venting.
The bathroom sink is the ideal place for venting. The sink is located higher than the toilet and the bathtub, making it the best spot for wet venting. Wet venting is the term for a single bathroom fixture acting as the vent for other bathroom fixtures. You should hire a professional to design the vent layout. It is a technical process that must account for drainpipe size, the configuration of bathroom fixtures, and the distance between those fixtures. If you live in Utah, contact a professional in Salt Lake City.
In the old days, each bathroom fixture had a separate vent pipe, resulting in several vent pipes protruding from the roof. Modern-day plumbing has combined vents. That means that homes with as many as four bathrooms may only have a single vent. A good drain cleaner can configure the vent, drain, and waste layout for the bathrooms and kitchen.
All drainpipes slope downward and are tied into the stack (or waste vent drain), while vent pipes go upward to join the stack higher on the line, typically in the attic area. They follow the simple rule that a vent should not be connected to a stack that is lower than the drain connection.
If figuring out the layout of the vent pipe connection exceeds your DIY skills, contact a licensed drain cleaner company in Salt Lake City. Even small miscalculations can lead to big problems down the line, so it often pays off to enlist the help of an expert.