A sewer vent is the most important system that maintains the sewage air and water passes separately without releasing into the house.
Sewer Vent is always maintained a neutral air pressure from enclosing the atmosphere.
If your drainage or toilet has low flow, it indicates that something happens in the sewer vent.
It goes through the roof and keeps allows the sewer gas out and not go back to any faucets. But sometimes sewer vent pipes are blocked by anything like birds, leaves, dust, ice, etc.
In that scenario, how can you unblock the vent pipe- Pouring hot water? Is it safe for the system and the material?
Too many questions out there- that’s why in the next 5 mins, you’ll be able to know is it safe to pour hot water into the sewer vent, is this work?
Can You Pour Hot Water Down Sewer Vent?
While coming to clean or unclog the sewer vent, it becomes like a nightmare. So can you pour hot water down the sewer vent- Simply YES. You can.
Hot water is the best solution for those who live in areas where the temperature is below freezing or where snowfall causes clogs in the vent pipe.
Just pouring the hot water can help to melt the ice present inside the sewer vent stack. But it is quite dangerous to climb up the roof while the presence of snow.
So always take precautions before climbing the roof and always keep a person by your side.
Or, you can do one thing while applying hot water down the sewer vent is
- take one garden hose-
- attach it to the hot water tab-
- put the hose opener inside the sewer line-
- tell the man downstairs to turn it on or off
- control over it
- you can see the debris or any clogging items slowly removed from the sewer vent
Hot water only works on ice, not any solid object, it may not clear the line, but it may turn out to be worse.
Read More- How to unblock a vent system without getting on the roof.
So you must take care of it and know the reasons for vent blocking.
- Carefully climb up the roof or your vent pipe location, then inspect it with the help of a flashlight.
- Try to reach out with your own hands, clear the debris as much as possible.
- Use a snake or auger, then exclude out the items stuck there and causing the trouble.
- Use a 25-50 inches plumbing Auger, which is relatively cheap, and try to unclog the vent stack. If it does not work out, it is a clear indication that you need a plumbing expert.
- If your plumbing system is denoted current plumbing codes, then there is some risk you should need to know beyond.
- As per the plumbing expert, always examine well; and use a snake before streaming anything into the sewer vent.
- You know there are many things that can be stuck into vent pipes- like a bird, bird nest, leaves, anything blowing by air, so the snake is always coming cheap and available from online to nearby home stores.
- It will be 100% safe and reliable to use a snake instead of any drainage liquid or hot water.
Read More– How to know your sewer system getting problem, signs & symptoms
Is it Safe to Pour Boiling Water Down the Drain?
Clogging drain is the most common issue and comes over every single month twice. You probably heard about- pouring hot to boil water can dissolve the clog without much effect. Right?
Well then to the straight answer, It works in just one condition, and the rest of you have got a worse situation.
Yes, the Drain is made of metal, PVC materials. If I’m not erroneous, the PVC pipes have shown in 80% of new houses, and the metal drain only shows in the old home.
What’s yours? Check before going to experiment. If it’s metal, then you should try, boiling water works effectively.
But, in PVC pipe and ceramic. NO.NO. PVC is a synthetic plastic polymer. They are sturdy, withstand heat, and are long-lasting but don’t mean withstand against boiling water.
Drain is usually clogged by greasing, fatty substance, hair, fibers kind items. Mostly blocked near the P-trap.
The P-trap is the looks like P, present below the sink. The “U” seals the water and air, allowing the water to flow freely down the channel anytime you use the faucets.
Back to the Boiling water and Drain, Boling water can break down the fibers, greasy substances and dissolve within the water.
But only in Metal pipe, not the PVC or ceramic materials.
- Just take a kettle and fill it with boiling water carefully( look at your hands, Otherwise it feel a burning sensation)
- pour boiling water down the drain, continuously and sit for half to forty-five minutes.
- Water with a high boiling point can dissolve fibers and oily compounds.
- You can add dishwashing liquid
Wrap Up- Hot Water Down Sewer Vent and Drain
Hot water is safe and effective in both sewer vent and drainage systems but in some limitations and conditions.
I hope you read the whole article and decide whether you’ll go try or not.
Always examine before doing anything DIY at home.
Make sure If the intended result does not emerge after a single try, contact an expert right once. Otherwise, you ended with nothing but flooding.
