In the event that you've been poking around within your attic or peering behind a crawl space lately, you may have seen a copper vent pipe snaking its way upward through your roof. While most contemporary homes rely upon white or dark plastic for their own plumbing systems, seeing that familiar metallic glint is a sign that your own house has its own history—and likely some top quality bones. Copper has been the gold standard for a long time, and honestly, many plumbers nevertheless think it's one of the best materials ever utilized in residential construction.
But having an old system means you should know what you're taking a look at. A vent pipe isn't carrying water to your sink; it's carrying sewer gases out of your house plus letting fresh surroundings in so your drains don't gurgle. When that pipe is made of copper, it acts a little differently as opposed to the way the PVC things you see at the big-box hardware stores today.
Why Your House Provides Copper Vents
In the mid-20th hundred years, in case a builder desired to do something right, they used copper. It was long lasting, it didn't crack under pressure, plus it lasted intended for decades. Most of the time, you'll find a copper vent pipe in homes constructed between the 1940s and the 1970s. Before that, builders usually used heavy forged iron, which was a nightmare to set up because it weighed a ton. After the 70s, everyone switched in order to plastic because it was cheaper plus required way less skill to build.
The cool thing about copper is definitely that it doesn't just sit right now there; it actually manages temperature changes really well. If you live somewhere with freezing winters and scorching summers, copper expands and contracts with out becoming brittle like old plastic can. Plus, there's some thing satisfying about viewing a solid metallic pipe sticking out there of the roof instead than a bit of cheap PVC that may weaken in the sunlight over twenty many years.
Spotting Difficulty Before It Smells
Even though copper is tough, it's not invincible. If you have the copper vent pipe , you need to keep an eye out regarding a few particular issues. The biggest one is corrosion. Right now, you may think, "Wait, isn't copper supposed in order to be rust-proof? " Well, it doesn't rust like iron, but it can definitely corrode.
Because these piping carry sewer fumes, they are continuously subjected to moisture plus hydrogen sulfide. More than thirty or 40 years, those gas can actually eat away in the metal from the inside away. In case you see the weird green, crusty buildup on the outside associated with the pipe—plumbers usually call this "pitting"—that's a sign that will the metal is thinning. Eventually, you'll get tiny pinholes.
You might not discover a pinhole drip in the vent pipe as quickly as you would in a drinking water line because there's no water bringing out out. Instead, you might just get the faint, annoying whiff of "sewer smell" within the attic or near a particular wall. If you scent something funky, proceed check that copper vent pipe for green areas or white powdery residue.
Can You Repair a Copper Vent Yourself?
If you find a leak, you've got a choice in order to make. If you're handy with a blowtorch, you may actually solder a patch onto a copper vent pipe . This is 1 of the benefits of metal—you can fix it. With plastic, once it cracks, you generally have to cut the whole section out and change it.
Nevertheless, soldering a vent pipe isn't quite the same as soldering the small water series. These pipes are usually much larger—think two or 3 inches in size. That takes a lot of heat to get the solder to stream. If you aren't comfortable swinging a torch around inside your wooden walls studs, this might be the time to call in a pro.
Another option that's turn out to be really popular intended for DIYers is using "no-hub" couplings. These are fundamentally thick rubber masturbator sleeves with stainless-steel clamps on the ends. If you possess a bad section of pipe, you may cut it out having a hacksaw, slip a brand new piece of pipe in, and tighten those clamps down. It's not as "permanent" sensation as a soldered joint, but regarding a vent pipe that isn't under high pressure, it works like an elegance.
Mixing Copper with Other Materials
Here is usually where things get a little difficult. Let's say you're renovating your bathrooms plus you want in order to replace some old leaky drains along with PVC, but you want to keep the main copper vent pipe because it's still who is fit. You can't simply glue plastic in order to copper. It doesn't work that way.
The greatest mistake people create is connecting various metals straight to every other—like connecting the galvanized steel pipe to a copper one. This leads to something called "dielectric corrosion, " that is a fancy way associated with saying the alloys possess a chemical response that makes all of them rot away incredibly fast.
To join your own copper vent pipe to a newer PVC program, you'll wish to make use of those rubber transition couplings I pointed out earlier. They work as a connection between the two materials, preventing all of them from touching plus ensuring the seal off is airtight. It's a simple fix, but skipping it can lead to an enormous headache a few years down the road.
Dealing with Clogs and Blockages
Since the copper vent pipe leads straight to the roof, it's basically an open up invitation for particles. I've seen every thing from bird nests to tennis tennis balls stuck inside these types of things. When the vent gets blocked, your drains begin acting weird. You might hear the "glug-glug" sound whenever you flush the toilet, or your sink might drain shateringly slowly even though the pipes are clear.
Mainly because copper pipes have got a smoother inner surface than outdated cast iron, they don't catch tresses and gunk quite as easily. Nevertheless, they can still get scaled up over fifty years. If a person suspect a block, you can usually clear it by running a plumber's snake down through the roof. Simply be careful—if the particular copper is older and thin, a person don't want in order to go slamming the heavy-duty power auger through it plus accidentally punch the hole in the particular side of the pipe.
The Discard Value Factor
I have to mention this mainly because it's a regular topic of conversation when people start ripping out old domestic plumbing. Copper is expensive. If you ever decide in order to replace your whole copper vent pipe system with PVC, don't just throw the old metal in the trash.
The "plumbing copper" (often called Type M or Type DWV) could be sold in a scrap backyard for a decent chunk of change. It won't spend on your entire renovation, but it might cover the price of the brand-new PVC along with a good dinner afterward. Simply make sure you clean off any heavy solder globs or old lead bones if you would like the best price.
Final Thoughts on Maintenance
If you possess a copper vent pipe , my greatest advice would be to simply leave it alone unless it's giving you problems. If it isn't leaking and you also don't smell anything weird, it's carrying out its job completely. Copper is a fantastic material that was built to last, and within many ways, it's superior to your invisalign aligner stuff we use today.
Every once in a while, maybe once a season, just take a quick peek in the particular attic during the heavy rainstorm. When you see water trickling down the particular side of the pipe, it's usually not the pipe itself that's the particular problem—it's the "boot" or flashing on the top where the pipe stands apart. Those silicone seals dry out there and crack way before the copper vent pipe will ever fail. A bit of roofing caulk or even a new $20 rubber collar can help you save from an enormous ceiling repair afterwards.
Owning an older home with copper plumbing is a bit such as owning a classic car. It needs a little more specialized knowledge, and you can't always find parts at the corner shop, but the quality is undeniable. Treat that vent pipe well, and it'll keep your house smelling fresh and your drains running clean for another several decades.