[ChrisLW47130]

Working on renovating our laundry room, which is very small. One of the ways I want to open up a little space is by reconfiguring the big knot of PVC pipe the first owner put in for the washing machine drain. I'm trying to get it as close to the wall as possible. This being my fist post, I don't know if I can post photos or not, but hopefully one of the mods will let me know.

Two main questions as the moment.

1.) What is the best way to get the old drain pipe apart. I know PVC Cement basically fuses PVC together, so I was wondering if there were a way to get it apart aside from a hacksaw.

2.) Most important question. Right now, the pipe coming off the trap that allows sewer gases/air/etc. to escape is going up the back wall of my laundry room at a really funky angle and goes up, presumably, to tie into a vent on the roof that allows the contents to escape. This roof vent has, despite many attempts to seal it, been a source of water working it's way into the attic and down onto my laundry room ceiling. I am wanting to find out if I can take that vent pipe and, after drilling a 2" hole in the brick façade of the house, run the pip opening directly out that way instead of going all the way up to the roof. I've got a condensation pipe on my AC unit that already has a similar configuration.

If there's anyone here with an answer or suggestion, I'm all ears!

Thanks!

[joypulv]

Insert a picture using the third icon from the right on the toolbar on top of the answer box.
1. You have to cut it with a hacksaw, Sawzall, etc. Not possible to unglue.
2. Are you sure that the roof vent is just for this one need? It seems more logical to find out why it is still leaking. Maybe you get ice dams? Shingle nails popping? Ridge vent leaking instead, and it drips down the rafters? (I was fooled by that last one once on my house.) Venting out a brick wall seems like more work than fixing what you have, not to mention ugly. And you need to ask what code is where you live. The AC isn't venting sewer gasses like the washer is.

[ChrisLW47130]

Insert a picture using the third icon from the right on the toolbar on top of the answer box.
1. You have to cut it with a hacksaw, Sawzall, etc. Not possible to unglue.
2. Are you sure that the roof vent is just for this one need? It seems more logical to find out why it is still leaking. Maybe you get ice dams? Shingle nails popping? Ridge vent leaking instead, and it drips down the rafters? (I was fooled by that last one once on my house.) Venting out a brick wall seems like more work than fixing what you have, not to mention ugly. And you need to ask what code is where you live. The AC isn't venting sewer gasses like the washer is.

Thanks for the input, joypulv. I kind of figured I was going to have to take a hacksaw or reciprocating saw to it. I've watched a couple of YouTube video where people either use a heated hole saw or the actually coat the pipe with fresh cement, then set it on fire long enough to soften the PVC. Not wanting to torch my house, I think I'll just use the saw approach!

I guess I should have clarified about my leakage issue with the vent opening up on the roof; it used to leak, but is hasn't done so in the four years or so (knock wood), so I was just---and I apologize for the really bad pun---venting about it!

I'm going to check local codes about whether the pipe has to vent topside or not.

[ma0641]

Google " using an AAV as a vent". Eliminates going through the roof. Most codes today require only 1 main vent and allow AAV'S for sinks and washers. They need to be accessible so some people install them in the wall and then use an access cover. Some older houses had 3 or 4 vents through the roof.

[ChrisLW47130]

Google " using an AAV as a vent". Eliminates going through the roof. Most codes today require only 1 main vent and allow AAV'S for sinks and washers. They need to be accessible so some people install them in the wall and then use an access cover. Some older houses had 3 or 4 vents through the roof.

Definitely going to look into the AAV. Thanks for the heads up on that!