Durgo valve ?

[Muscle750]

My newly finished en suite has had some "teething" problems basically refer to my previous posts. Now on top of the old stench pipe to which the toilet is plumbed into approx 3 fft above the toilet at the top of the stench pipe is fitted supposedly a Durgo valve, Now someone has looked at this "valve" and trys to tell me its the wrong one and is one for the top of the pipe if its external, however my pipe ends internally and is boxed in. Basically the so called valve that has been fitted has a largish grey screw on top approx 5 inches in diameter unscrewing this there is a white collar and then straight onto the pipe.The top seems to me to be slighly spring loaded when screwing it on. Is this a durgo vlave or has another monumental c@ck up prevailed.
Thing is there is a bad smell still lingering in the bathroom after nearly a week of having the stench pipe unblocked with half a brick in it !!!

 

[Smcart5]

I thought those pipes terminate outside the property above the roof 😕

Have someone do a pressure test on the pipe with all the traps full and go around with leak detection fluid if the pressure does not hold i would say, but wait for the more experienced guys to suggest a few things here.

 

[Phil]

It does sound like a Durgo valve, of course the design is that they allow air into the stack when siphonic action occurs (which would otherwise empty a trap) and then shut again.

Check for correct operation, silicone release spray is good. Can you smell foul air from the Durgo?

You seem to have had no end of problems, I take it you would't recommend the builder/plumber? 😛

 

[sally190]

I have just bought a durgo valve for outside; but the plastic wrapper says do not use outside.

Presumably there is a different construction for an external one?

 

[Nat]

I must admit if there is an internal durgo and an outside durgo that's the first I've heard of it.
There is a fairly easy way to test if its working properly. If your plumber has a test bag and you can get access, bung the soil pipe downstream of the en suite then flush the toilet. If the water stays up in the pan and doesn't slowly or quickly drop then the durgo is doing its job.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[AWheating]

you can get external valves i would asume they are designed to cope with diffrent extreeme weather conditions, ie. do not freeze up for example. best to open vent aboove roof line if possible.

 

[Guest123]

Never heard of a external Air Admittance valve, and if there was one I'd suspect it would be subject to problems in freezing cold temparatures if installed outside, but they are used to eliminate the need for a soil stack vent pipe to terminate out through the roof or long runs of soil pipe looking unsightly on a external wall. I fit them in bathrooms that have soil pipes boxed in and removing this creates more space. They must be fitted at a level that is slightly higher than the highest fitted appliance, usually the wash hand basin or they won't work properly. Check the height of the valve against the WHB.