what is this pipe for?!

[jeff 96]

I live in the middle flat of a block of three flats built in 1940's. Behind the toilet is a stack containing the mains sewage down pipe connected to waste pipe to toilet and sink etc. There is also another smaller pipe running up through the 3 flats, which i think could be a vent pipe-it isnt connected to anything in my flat in the upstairs flat it connects to the main sewage pipe before exiting through the roof to the vent-i am not sure where it orginates from in below flat. What is the purpose of this pipe? In one place there has been a pipe coming of which must have been connected to something at one point but it has been cut off and cemented up at the end. The drainage in all the flats from sinks etc is bad and there is always a bad smell initially when water begins to drain. Can i cut this out and seal out both ends? Why is it there initially?

 

[tom609]

what you have seems to be what you thought its a vent pipe not used as much now but fitted to prevent the traps on the bath basin sink and w/c being pulled out and leaving an open drain nowadays anti vac traps are used and durgo valvesif it has been cut off and not sealed it will be like an open drain and you will get foul smells coming from it

 

[Plumb Ugly]

This is one difficult to call without actually attending it could be redundant but then again maybe not best to get a professional plumber to take a look before going ahead and altering anything. Does the main soil stack vent to outside or just stop inside?

 

[jeff 96]

This is one difficult to call without actually attending it could be redundant but then again maybe not best to get a professional plumber to take a look before going ahead and altering anything. Does the main soil stack vent to outside or just stop inside?

Hi Plumb Ugly?! Thanks for this and also for the other guy Tom. I appreciate this. The main normal soil stack vents out through the roof. The little vent pipe is not attached to anything in my flat but upstairs adjoins the main soil stack just before it vents out of roof. The problem is that it sticks out much further than the main soil and i would really like to push the whole stack back abit and make bathroom bigger. All the pipes are old steel things so rather nervous. At one point there is a pipe running of the vent pipe and someone has just cut it and cemented up end. How would i tell if redundant or not? The main sewer manhole is just outside the flats were the internal main soil sewer goes down-maybe it adjoins to that??

 

[Plumb Ugly]

I think like tom609 says its an old vent pipe from the days before anti vac traps where available. I wouldn't like to say that you can remove it as it could cause problems in the other flats if they are still connected and don't have anti vac traps. Sorry I can't be more definative but without actually seeing the job and investigating I can't be sure

 

[kozak1968]

You would need to check all the flats on that stack to see if the asp (anti siphon pipe) is still connected. Best bet would be to re route the asp. I would advise a professional take a look.

 

[jeff 96]

Thanks alot for this advise. I think i need to ask the girl in the flat downstairs if i can get someone to have a look. i will get back to you. again thanks

 

[Kimou]

One thing about Victorian plumbers...they loved a good old vent. If they could eat vent sandwiches I'm sure they would.

 

[tackleburger]

We used to refer to them as puff pipes, equalised the pressure and vents the pipe when water is pushed dow.

 

[stevetheplumber]

puff pipes to me were in lead and vented the wc on each floor usually poking out the wall just below the window usually quite old the vent described by the op is a two pipe system where the vent is run up to atmospher either singularly or back into the stack above the highest fittingi hated caulking 2inch cast easy to split if you were too heavy handed