# Gurgling Pipes?



## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

I have been noticing in the last week that after the pump flushes out the waste water to my septic tank the pipes are really gurgling. Also in the basement after I use the sink I can hear the water draining in the tub. Nothing is backing up anywhere. The pump is working fine too. I think the vent on the roof might be clogged up. We did get almost 2 feet of snow in the past week. I really do not want to climb up on my roof but I will if I have to. What is the best way to clear that pipe? I assume water but how much. Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.


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## M.Schmitz87 (Mar 12, 2013)

The water you drain creates a vacuum on its way down. Proper ventilation is a must to prevent getting your traps sucked dry. 
I dont know how your house is set up, in my house i have to climp the roof in order to get to the vents.
I would be carefull about defrosting with water. Maybe mix some anti freeze or alcohol with the water.


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## Priority1 (Feb 5, 2006)

In this cold weather it is likely your vents have frosted and closed off. Most local and state codes call for a min of 3" vents through the roof where there is the possibility of frost closure. I have seen some modular homes with only 1-1/2" vents through the roof. The smaller they are the more likely that they have frosted shut. When you hear the gurgling sound your traps are being sucked dry to provided the air needed for the water to drain. This is not just a minor inconvenience this is unhealthy. When the the traps are dry you are likely to get sewer gas into the building. Sewer gas or methane gas can cause illness or even an explosion.


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

That what I was thinking too but how to unfreeze them?


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

A true modular home is required to have a 3 inch vent that goes at least a foot above the roof. they are generally under BOCA rules

If it is double wide trailer only a 1 1/2 inch vent is required and most of them are way less than a foot. I some times wonder what rules trailers and doublewides are under if any. I know they are not built under common sense rules.


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

This is not a modular home or a trailer. I have your normal tri level home that was a popular style 25 years ago.


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## JPK (Aug 11, 2014)

Yeah. You should check your roof top vent pipes to make sure there are no obstructions.Squirrels love to drop nuts from surrounding trees down them. Then at times ,they enter the pipe to retrieve and can't get out. Then die in there. So check them out. Now if it was summer time. Turn on garden hose and push down the vent pipe to flush out any debris and unclog if that's the case. Careful if you go on roof now !!


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## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

If you can get into your attic to where the pipe goes through the roof you might try a hair dryer to get any frost out. If it works it might be an easier fix than crawling on the roof.

Whoever built my house ran the vent pipe parallel and within about 8" of the roof line several feet so instead of having five or six feet of vent in the attic I had fourteen of fifteen feet. The first couple year I owned this place the stack would frost shut two or three times/winter. The odor was nauseating. I finally wrapped everything from the roof down to the ceiling with pipe insulation and crawled up on the roof one warm winter day and spray painted the PVC pipe black. No trouble in over 20 years, knock on wood. FM


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

As P1 advised you most likely have a frozen over vent (*stink) pipe. This happens when the warm moist air/condensation rises up the vent pipe then freezes. Thawing them can be as easy as taking a bucket of hot water and funnel and pouring it down. The issue becomes where the vent is located on your roof and accessing it this time of the year without it being a hazard to your safety. 

I have seen some people put screen/guards on their vent pipes to prevent what JPK mentioned however these can become frozen/blocked from accumulated condensation even easier.


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## -Axiom- (Jul 24, 2010)

I can come by and look at it later today if you would like.


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

-Axiom- said:


> I can come by and look at it later today if you would like.


If you are free and not to much trouble that would be awesome. Do you remember where I live?


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## -Axiom- (Jul 24, 2010)

Yes.


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

Ok great. I should be home around 4:45-5:00 if that time works for you. Do you have a big ladder? Mine wont reach the top of the house with all this snow.


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## PerchOnly (Oct 24, 2007)

I am not a plumber, but if you have a basement that has access to the vent pipe couldn't you try to snake up?


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

Ok the vent is indeed frozen up pretty good. What are my next steps?


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## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

Access thru attic? Heat Gun/Hair Dryer


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

Big Frank 25 said:


> Access thru attic? Heat Gun/Hair Dryer



Yep I can get in there. I will give that a shot. 


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

See if a smaller diameter pipe ( 1 1/2 or 2") feeds into the attic space and then goes to 3 inch. If the smaller pipe goes too far into the unheated attic. That might be what allowed the freeze up where it transitions to 3".

It would be wise to wrap the smaller pipe with insulation and possibly prevent a reoccurrence of the problem.


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