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    altay411's Avatar
    altay411 Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #1

    Nov 12, 2011, 01:57 PM
    Plumbing vents in attic
    Hi my plumbing vent is vented into the attic. Is this safe?
    massplumber2008's Avatar
    massplumber2008 Posts: 12,832, Reputation: 1212
    Senior Plumbing Expert
    		  
    #2

    Nov 12, 2011, 02:29 PM
    Hi Altay...

    Code requires that plumbing vents must exit the roof and stub up above the roof between 6" to 24" depending on where you live.

    Is it safe for the vents to vent in your attic? Well, if the attic is super well ventilated then it probably isn't going to present any major issues, but if the attic is tight then yeah, this is unhealthy/unsafe and should be fixed immediately!

    Back to you...

    Mark
    ma0641's Avatar
    ma0641 Posts: 15,675, Reputation: 1012
    Uber Member
    		  
    #3

    Nov 12, 2011, 02:35 PM
    As Mark indicated, it is an unsafe condition. Has the roof been recently replaced or some remodeling done? Look for a covered over roof opening.
    Milo Dolezal's Avatar
    Milo Dolezal Posts: 7,192, Reputation: 523
    Plumbing Expert
    		  
    #4

    Nov 12, 2011, 06:41 PM
    I would like to jump in and also confirm that plumbing vent terminated in the attic is a health hazard. Milo
    altay411's Avatar
    altay411 Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #5

    Dec 27, 2011, 10:37 PM
    Thank you for your replies. I am really shocked to find there is no ventilation pipe to the outside on this house. I have just recently had the roof re-shingled. We had 2 Maximums added to our roof. We were up in the attic to see how they had installed them, and that was when we discovered the pipe venting into the attic rather that to outside. I looked in the attic for any holes that may have been cut for the pipe, but there were none. There was just a long pipe lying down on top of the blown insulation... When we moved in 6 years ago, we had it inspected, and there was no mention of this to us or written in the report. There are many vents in the attic though. Do you think that this could be considered "outside" since there is a fresh breeze in there at all times?
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
    Eternal Plumber
    		  
    #6

    Dec 28, 2011, 05:39 AM
    I agree with the other experts. Well ventilated or not this is a health hazard. While sewer gas raises with heat and will descend when it's cold. So in summer sewer gas may raise out of a well ventilated attic it will attempt to descend into your house in cold weather. The way I see it you have two options.
    1. Run each vent out the roof. **OR**
    2. Tie them all together in the attic and just run one pipe out the roof.
    Be aware, there's a drawback to this method. If a roof vent ever has to be snaked the plumber has to haul all his equipment up in the attic and locate the vent to be snaked. He then has to cut that vent loose, snake it and connect it back up. All this will add
    Considerable expense to the labor charge.
    Sooo, What are your plans? Good luck, Tom
    Milo Dolezal's Avatar
    Milo Dolezal Posts: 7,192, Reputation: 523
    Plumbing Expert
    		  
    #7

    Dec 28, 2011, 05:55 PM
    Are you sure your roofers didn't pull on the pipe, disconnecting it from the coupling and just threw it to the attic instead of fixing it ? It sure sounds to me like that's what happened... Milo
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