Ventilation Problem

secondcurve · 08-29-2010, 08:06 PM

I have a home built on a steep grade and the roofline is fairly close to the street where I park. Since the parking area is above the house fumes from the septic ventilation pipe on the roof blow down onto the parking area since the prevailing wind blows toward the parking area. Is it normal that fumes would be coming from this pipe? What exactly is this pipe venting? How can this problem be resolved? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,

EllyPoinster · 08-30-2010, 06:18 AM

Not a builder or plumber but I think the vent pipes through the roof are intended to keep the water in your traps from being sucked out when you flush a toilet or empty a basin. I don't think septic fumes should be coming from the vent pipes. Are you sure the fumes aren't coming from a septic vent?

jmen24 · 08-30-2010, 07:18 AM

That is normal to have septic fumes coming from that pipe. The vent is a direct line link to your septic system. The reason you have traps on any sink location in your house, is to use water as a plug in the line, preventing the fumes from entering your home. Your vent stack does not have a trap so you get fumes.

AC2717 · 08-30-2010, 07:32 AM

jmen exactly right

Chubbs · 08-30-2010, 11:03 AM

This vent pipe is known, in the trade, as the "stink Pipe." Can't think of a better name myself.

AC2717 · 08-30-2010, 11:47 AM

you could extend the pipe further up, but might not be pleasing to the eye, but in my case I would rather have it pleasing to my nose

upnorth · 08-30-2010, 07:49 PM

Had the same problem with a low vent at the tank for a pump up leach field. I cut the top of the candycane and installed one of these www.odorhog.com. Never had the odor again.

secondcurve · 08-30-2010, 09:22 PM

Upnorth:

I appreciate the information. I knew I would find a solution on Winnipesaukee.com!!!!

jmen24 · 08-31-2010, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by upnorth

Had the same problem with a low vent at the tank for a pump up leach field. I cut the top of the candycane and installed one of these www.odorhog.com. Never had the odor again.

Seems simple enough. Thanks for the info.

AC2717 · 08-31-2010, 10:12 AM

While it seems like it would do the trick, and I really like the product from looking at it I would just double check some things

IN NH (well in Laconia at least) your vent pipe needs to be a certain width with no obstruction on top to make sure that it will not ice over or be clogged up with snow to all the gases to vent as well as suction to occur correctly. - Looks like the little vent slits could ice over or catch snow and then freeze over

I would check to see if it is an approved method, just saying, not knocking the product I like it

SIKSUKR · 08-31-2010, 02:13 PM

I have not looked for any but why couldn't you have a giant check valve on the end?Like a basic rubber ball type that's in your wet vac.

AC2717 · 08-31-2010, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

I have not looked for any but why couldn't you have a giant check valve on the end?Like a basic rubber ball type that's in your wet vac.

see response above, due to being in a freeze zone, needs to be able to not freeze or be covered by snow

Rattlesnake Guy · 08-31-2010, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

I have not looked for any but why couldn't you have a giant check valve on the end?Like a basic rubber ball type that's in your wet vac.

Also,
Air has to go in when you flush and out when the gasses build.

SIKSUKR · 09-01-2010, 08:39 AM

Well in that case I say extend the pipe up 200 ft,call Verizon and make a cell tower out of it.

Merrymeeting · 09-01-2010, 09:35 AM

This raises a question I've had for some of the septic experts out there.

Most of the "candy cane" leech field pipes that you see include 2 pipes, with one of them always noticably higher than the other one. Does anyone know why or if there needs to be a difference in height?

I ask because we had some work done a few years ago that required replacing the tops of our pipes. The 2 are located beside each other. But one used to be about 10' higher than the other, using a nearby tree for support. The tree had to come down and when the contractor replaced the pipe, he made it the same height as the other one.

Sunrise Point · 09-01-2010, 02:45 PM

When we had our septic replaced a few years ago, we also ended up with one pipe significantly higher than the other. We were told that since our new leach field was on higher ground than our camp, the pipe closest to the distribution box had to be higher than the main house vent. I think that the Presby website for the Enviroseptic baffles had a pretty clear explanation of the reasoning for this but I have forgotten most of it.

We painted the pipe in cammo tones and had it re-piped so that it rested against a close-by tree. I hope that we never have to take that tree down...

Merrymeeting · 09-02-2010, 07:09 AM

Thank you Sunrise P!

I've been trying to find an answer to this question for some time.

You were correct. There is information on the Presby site, and we do have a pump system where the roof vent pipe is not the highest point.

http://presbyeco.com/technical-information/venting/

Looks like I need to do some reconfiguration (the information about being able to move the vent to a "remote location" is also valuable). Now I still have the problem of figuring out which is supposed to be the high one and the low one.

08-29-2010, 08:06 PM	#1
secondcurve Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,117 Thanks: 1,324 Thanked 559 Times in 288 Posts	Ventilation Problem I have a home built on a steep grade and the roofline is fairly close to the street where I park. Since the parking area is above the house fumes from the septic ventilation pipe on the roof blow down onto the parking area since the prevailing wind blows toward the parking area. Is it normal that fumes would be coming from this pipe? What exactly is this pipe venting? How can this problem be resolved? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks,

08-30-2010, 07:32 AM	#4
AC2717 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Maynard, MA & Paugus Bay Posts: 2,569 Thanks: 753 Thanked 353 Times in 265 Posts	jmen exactly right __________________ Capt. of the "No Worries"

08-30-2010, 11:47 AM	#6
AC2717 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Maynard, MA & Paugus Bay Posts: 2,569 Thanks: 753 Thanked 353 Times in 265 Posts	you could extend the pipe further up, but might not be pleasing to the eye, but in my case I would rather have it pleasing to my nose __________________ Capt. of the "No Worries"

08-30-2010, 07:49 PM	#7
upnorth Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 64 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	odor hog Had the same problem with a low vent at the tank for a pump up leach field. I cut the top of the candycane and installed one of these www.odorhog.com. Never had the odor again.

08-30-2010, 09:22 PM	#8
secondcurve Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,117 Thanks: 1,324 Thanked 559 Times in 288 Posts	Thanks! Upnorth: I appreciate the information. I knew I would find a solution on Winnipesaukee.com!!!!

08-30-2010, 06:18 AM	#2
EllyPoinster Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 160 Thanks: 13 Thanked 25 Times in 20 Posts	Not a builder or plumber but I think the vent pipes through the roof are intended to keep the water in your traps from being sucked out when you flush a toilet or empty a basin. I don't think septic fumes should be coming from the vent pipes. Are you sure the fumes aren't coming from a septic vent?

08-30-2010, 07:18 AM	#3
jmen24 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,139 Thanks: 223 Thanked 319 Times in 181 Posts	That is normal to have septic fumes coming from that pipe. The vent is a direct line link to your septic system. The reason you have traps on any sink location in your house, is to use water as a plug in the line, preventing the fumes from entering your home. Your vent stack does not have a trap so you get fumes.

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to jmen24 For This Useful Post:
AC2717 (08-30-2010), secondcurve (08-30-2010)

08-30-2010, 11:03 AM	#5
Chubbs Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 82 Thanks: 1 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts	This vent pipe is known, in the trade, as the "stink Pipe." Can't think of a better name myself.

The Following User Says Thank You to AC2717 For This Useful Post:
secondcurve (08-30-2010)

The Following User Says Thank You to upnorth For This Useful Post:
secondcurve (08-31-2010)

08-31-2010, 10:12 AM	#10
AC2717 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Maynard, MA & Paugus Bay Posts: 2,569 Thanks: 753 Thanked 353 Times in 265 Posts	While it seems like it would do the trick, and I really like the product from looking at it I would just double check some things IN NH (well in Laconia at least) your vent pipe needs to be a certain width with no obstruction on top to make sure that it will not ice over or be clogged up with snow to all the gases to vent as well as suction to occur correctly. - Looks like the little vent slits could ice over or catch snow and then freeze over I would check to see if it is an approved method, just saying, not knocking the product I like it __________________ Capt. of the "No Worries"

08-31-2010, 02:13 PM	#11
SIKSUKR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 5,075 Thanks: 215 Thanked 903 Times in 509 Posts	Just wondering I have not looked for any but why couldn't you have a giant check valve on the end?Like a basic rubber ball type that's in your wet vac. __________________ SIKSUKR

09-01-2010, 08:39 AM	#14
SIKSUKR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 5,075 Thanks: 215 Thanked 903 Times in 509 Posts	Well in that case I say extend the pipe up 200 ft,call Verizon and make a cell tower out of it. __________________ SIKSUKR

09-01-2010, 09:35 AM	#15
Merrymeeting Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Merrymeeting Lake, New Durham Posts: 2,226 Thanks: 302 Thanked 800 Times in 368 Posts	This raises a question I've had for some of the septic experts out there. Most of the "candy cane" leech field pipes that you see include 2 pipes, with one of them always noticably higher than the other one. Does anyone know why or if there needs to be a difference in height? I ask because we had some work done a few years ago that required replacing the tops of our pipes. The 2 are located beside each other. But one used to be about 10' higher than the other, using a nearby tree for support. The tree had to come down and when the contractor replaced the pipe, he made it the same height as the other one.

09-01-2010, 02:45 PM	#16
Sunrise Point Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Meredith Center / Winnisquam Posts: 250 Thanks: 87 Thanked 34 Times in 21 Posts	When we had our septic replaced a few years ago, we also ended up with one pipe significantly higher than the other. We were told that since our new leach field was on higher ground than our camp, the pipe closest to the distribution box had to be higher than the main house vent. I think that the Presby website for the Enviroseptic baffles had a pretty clear explanation of the reasoning for this but I have forgotten most of it. We painted the pipe in cammo tones and had it re-piped so that it rested against a close-by tree. I hope that we never have to take that tree down...

09-02-2010, 07:09 AM	#17
Merrymeeting Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Merrymeeting Lake, New Durham Posts: 2,226 Thanks: 302 Thanked 800 Times in 368 Posts	Thank you Sunrise P! I've been trying to find an answer to this question for some time. You were correct. There is information on the Presby site, and we do have a pump system where the roof vent pipe is not the highest point. http://presbyeco.com/technical-information/venting/ Looks like I need to do some reconfiguration (the information about being able to move the vent to a "remote location" is also valuable). Now I still have the problem of figuring out which is supposed to be the high one and the low one.