Cannot find soil vent pipe in new house

[benws1]

Hello all.

Me and the fiancee have just bought a house which was built in the 1930's, but was extended around 8 years ago. This may sound odd, but we simply cannot find the soil vent pipe.

The house has two toilets, a bath, two sinks and a shower upstairs. These all back on to each other through one wall, so the piping must be in there. It looks like the external wall above the garage (which the original loo backs onto) has been extended and is now an internal wall (there was another room built above the garage).

Whilst looking around the property last night, the fiancee's dad mentioned that he can't see a soil vent pipe. We seem to have found the sewerfor the loo's etc and this is located leaving the base of the house, directly in line with the now internal wall that the loo's back onto.

We can't see any piping poking through the roof tiles and there is nothing on the back of the building. Does anyone think that something must be in the loft? We are going for another viewing this weekend hopefully with the intention of going in the loft. So do we need to be looking in there?

I know this post may be a bit vague, but I'm not a plumber and I don't know what I'm looking for. I am grateful for any help received. Thanks.

 

[TBServices]

You may not have a vent. It's possible you just have a Dirgo/air admittance valve. Prob in your loft

 

[Jimbob]

Some builders like connecting them to those ventilation roof slates. Usually connected via flexible duct in the loft.

 

[benws1]

Ok, thanks. I have been told that all houses need a vent. I guess this advice is wrong as it was given by a 'jack of all trades' person, who clearly isn't a plumber. 🙂

We'll take a look in the loft. Thanks again.

 

[benws1]

Some builders like connecting them to those ventilation roof slates. Usually connected via flexible duct in the loft.

Thanks. So it's important that we take a look in the loft then.

I have noticed that the roof soffits are vented, and there is a vent from a fan (connected to the room with the shower in). But, what does a ventilation roof slate look like? Thanks. 🙂

Edited to add - just googled them, thanks. Can't see anything like that on the roof.

 

[TBServices]

Only the house at the end of the run requires a vent actually, but its unusual to find a row of houses all with dirgo's. as said, its probably connected to a roof slate.

 

[benws1]

Only the house at the end of the run requires a vent actually, but its unusual to find a row of houses all with dirgo's. as said, its probably connected to a roof slate.

Ok, many thanks for your help. If it is connected to a roof slate, I guess we'll see the pipe in the loft.

Incidentally, our house is a big semi-detached. The neighbours seem to have had the same extension and the same lack of external piping.

 

[jtsplumbing]

Is their anything sticking out of the roof at all ? if it been upgraded dergo may not even be in roof could be boxed in , in the bathroom

 

[benws1]

Is their anything sticking out of the roof at all ? if it been upgraded dergo may not even be in roof could be boxed in , in the bathroom

Hello. There is absolutely nothing sticking out of the roof. The house next door doesn't have anything protruding at all either. It must be somewhere in the house 🙂

I'll take a good look in the bathroom when we are next in, if it doesn't seem to be in the roof space. Thanks for your help.

 

[SimonG]

Can't remember the actual numbers, but I thought it was 1 in 6 to atmosphere.

 

[snowhead]

At that age the property would not have originally had one.
There will be a trap in the the main drain at the point it leaves your property, check in the last manhole, and possibly a small vent stack in the garden near it, although it may have lost over the years.

 

[joe brown]

aav valve sounds most likely

 

[benws1]

Just an update for everyone. Went into the loft of the house and found what looks like the aav valve. It's about a metre or so tall, is grey plastic, is directly above the wall both toilets etc back on to and is a pipe with a cap on. Looks just like some of the examples on the web. Looks like it is accessible for maintenance and isn't boxed in or anything.

We tested the toilets just by giving them a quick flush. Oddly, one toilet (the one in the new extension) caused a loud vibrating sound just after it has been flushed. This cleared though when the other toilet was flushed too. We then waited five minutes and flushed the toilet in the extension again. The sound didn't happen. Odd, but hopefully nothing to worry about (the house has been empty for a bit). There weren't any odd smells when flushing though.

Thanks again for everyone's help with this question. Much appreciated. 🙂

 

[TBServices]

The vibration will be the cold fill valve. When you flushed the other toilet you relieved the pressure causing the noise.

 

[benws1]

The vibration will be the cold fill valve. When you flushed the other toilet you relieved the pressure causing the noise.

Ok, thanks. Is this something that will need attention? Or could it be because it probably hasn't been used for a while (house has been empty and on the market)?

It seemed better the second time we flushed the toilet that originally caused the noise. 🙂

 

[Plum Bob 66]

It won't cause you any great headache but given the age of the property/ toilet might be worth replacing the filling valve altogether for a more modern version such as a fluidmaster.