[blondie53185]

We had someone install a toilet in our basement a while ago. I don't think he really knew what he was doing. Here is the scenario - I am looking for the proper way to vent our entire sewage system:

Main level and 2nd story sewer system is gravity fed.
Basement has a crock with a grinder ejector pump.

When the new grinder ejector was installed, we noticed that there was a 1" hole cut into the vent pipe. We had a problem with the new pump, (burned up) and my husband replaced it. After the new pump was installed, we noticed that whenever it ran, it sucked the water out of all the toilets on all floors! I don't remember if it was at this time that my husband replaced the vent pipe with the hole in it but currently, our vent pipe is intact.

Now, when the pump runs in the basement - for either basement toilet water, basement shower water or laundry discharge, when it turns off, it CLUNKS and moves the discharge pipe quite a bit. I just heard our water alarm going off, (installed after many a flood) and discovered that the rubber coupling on the discharge pipe is ripped in two. Probably from the clunking when the pump turns off.

What is the best way to fix our venting problem?

[massplumber2008]

Hi Blondie...

I'm wondering how many vents you have coming out of your roof? You should, at a minimum, have a 3" vent stack and a 2" vent stack. The 3" should act as a vent for the 2nd story, the 1st floor and could even act as a vent for the waste piping associated with the basement plumbing. The 2" should be a dedicated vent for the grinder pump. You could also have other vents coming out the roof.

See if you can determine if the grinder pump has its own separate vent going from the basement up and out the roof. If you cannot find where it connects to the main vent system or you simply cannot find where the vent ends then you may have a vent that is capped in the wall somewhere... definitely not a good thing for a grinder pump.

Let us know what you find here.

MARK

[speedball1]

Answer Marks questions. Your ejector system should have two vents.
One venting the fixtures that may be revented back into a existing dry house vent and the pit vent which can not be combined with any other vent but must exit the roof by itself.
If your vents do not conform click on back and tell us about it. Regards, tom

[whiskey93]

Tom I have a question for you. I believe my vent coming out of my pit ties into my main vent. Can I tie into the vent coming out of the pit and take it out of my wall. Thanks, whiskey93

[massplumber2008]

Hi Whiskey93...

Tom's not feeling so great right now, but perhaps I can help, OK?

In terms of your question, most plumbing codes will read something like this for any vent:

You can terminate a vent through the wall with permission from the Plumbing Inspector. It shall be located at least 10 feet horizontally from any lot line and be turned to provide an opening upward.

It shall be screened and not terminate directly under any opening of the building... nor shall it terminate within 10 feet horizontally of any such opening unless it's 2 feet above such opening.

If you need a more local definition let me know what state you are in.

Do you have a sewage ejector pump or a grinder pump... let me know as in some states grinder pump vents can connect back into the main house vent, OK?

Questions... let me know?

Mark

[whiskey93]

It is a sewage ejector pump the reason I was asking is because of the smell thank you

[massplumber2008]

Cool...

With sewage ejectors I also recommend that you put a bead of flexible silicone caulking around the lid, the seals at the pipes and at the electrical grommet in the tank lid... may help some... ;)

Otherwise, yeah, an individual vent is required by almost every plumbing code I know of in this case.

Mark

[whiskey93]

Thanks big help it might be the seal cause 2 of the bolts just won't tighten I'll start with the lid then vent it out separate thank you