Unless you are a qualified plumber or work in the drainage industry, it is likely that you've never needed to know the difference between the two, as both basically just remove the waste from your home and carry it to the sewer, which is all most of us are concerned about. As long as it works, why should we worry? Hopefully, for most of us, the answer is that we shouldn't need to worry at all. We should be able to run our taps, fill our baths, and flush our toilets in blissful ignorance of the dirty work these unsung heroes of the household system have to do. The problem, however, comes when something goes wrong. In some situations pipe from your ground floor closet can directly get rid of water when the depth from the floor to the drain has an invert of 1.3 meters. This is the maximum invert allowed without breaking the rules and regulation put in place by the government. The diagram shows this in further detail. Every building that has drainage pipe systems: toilets, sinks, and baths, are connected to a series of interconnected pipes. Together, they all connect to a network of horizontal pipes called waste pipes, or soil and vent pipes. These horizontal pipes transport any wastewater from a property by joining with a vertical pipe outside of the building. Will the open vent contribute to heating the loft space and is it really a good idea for it to be heating the loft right now (am I losing heat from the house?)? I noticed also that the loft space wasn't that cold considering the outside temp of the last couple of weeks, but it has pretty good levels of loft insulation. And also, there has been an unknown smell in the loft at times. Not necessarily a bad smell, but an unexpected one nonetheless. Perhaps familiar with stagnant water or suchlike.

A ‘trap’ is a fittings that forms a water seal put between soil vent pipes and other externalities. ABS drain lines can also be used in place of PVC as it provides additional strength and stiffness for vertical runs. ABS is most often found in Europe at this time as it is not as widely used as PVC throughout North America. PEX piping can also be installed for drain lines and sewer vents, but this could only be performed by a trained professional installer who has been licensed to use this material. Fitting the Soil Vent Pipe Sections Together Traditionally, most waste pipes used to be made from either copper, iron, or lead, and many properties may still have systems that are at least partially comprised of these materials. Copper is actually still quite popular today, among some professionals, as the pipes can be made to fit into tighter spaces, are more flexible at the joints (therefore offer good resistance to vibration damage), and have a certain premium aesthetic appeal. The more modern alternative to copper waste pipes, however, is plastic. Each have their own pro's and con's, but the popularity of plastic pipes has grown exponentially due to the fact that they are much less expensive than copper pipes, easier to install, more resistant to corrosion and impact damage, and quieter at high pressure and water speeds.

Fertilizing rocky soil where it's half soil half stones (and no dirt)

In this publication, we will present the various approaches to venting that are permitted in the 2021 IPC. You will find that these venting provisions offer the installer and designer different paths to achieving an adequately vented system, which could result in cost savings along with ease of installation in different types of construction. Section 901.2.1 of the IPC establishes that traps and trapped fixtures shall be vented in accordance with one of the venting methods specified in this Chapter. Section 904.1 requires the vent system serving each building drain to have at least one vent pipe that extends to the outdoors. This vent allows air to be drawn in from outside the property to rebalance the pressure in the system rather than from internal sources, thus avoiding the siphoning effect. As previously mentioned, a vent pipes other function is to allow soil system gasses to safely escape out into the atmosphere. For this reason, a vent must, according to building regulations, always terminate above the roofline of the property and be at least 900mm higher than any window or opening that is within 3 meters of the pipe. Note: If your property uses a sewage treatment plant, septic tank, or cesspool instead of a connection to the mains drains, there must be AT LEAST one open vent in the system to prevent a dangerous build-up of gasses. Solving pressure build-up with an Air Admittance Valve Individual Vent. A pipe installed to vent a fixture trap and that connects with the vent system above the fixture served or terminates in the open air.

A ‘condensate trap’ is the area where condensation is collected before it is sent to the drain line. It is often referred to as the ‘pan’ which is also part of the condensate drain line. Soil pipes also need to be larger in diameter than waste pipes on the account of having to handle more…solid materials. While having your sink drain into a soil pipe wouldn't really matter much (apart from using up an unnecessary amount of space under it), having your toilet drain into a waste pipe would be a recipe for a very unpleasant disaster in your home. An ‘air trap’ is a clear vertical area between the water outlet and flood level of the actual installation. Chapter 9 of the IPC describes a variety of methods to vent plumbing fixtures and traps. The methods have been laboratory tested to determine sizing and installation requirements that provide proper venting to a drainage system. The venting methods have also been field-tested, establishing a long history of satisfactory service. A typical plastic waste system (be it Polypropylene Push-Fit or ABS Solvent Weld) will be comprised of 32/40mm pipes and fittings connected to either:

The only thing I can think of is to cover the hole with some fibreglass insulation which would hopefully keep the heat in, but could make the fibreglass damp and cause other problems, so I have left it open for now. Bodily waste produces methane and other unpleasant/dangerous gasses that must be vented out of the system before reaching the sewer. For this reason, soil pipe systems are typically designed to be vented through the roof of your home to allow the gasses to escape out into the air. The wastewater produced by washing your hands, having a shower, washing your clothes, or doing the dishes doesn't produce these gasses however, therefore waste pipe systems don't require this ventilation. Dealing with plastic systems is a lot more straightforward, as most plastic drainage pipes are designed to be compatible with each other regardless of the manufacturer. If they aren't, conversion fittings are usually readily available to make connections as easy as possible. The only caveat to this is that different connection types shouldn't generally be mixed. For soil pipes, the two main connection types are either Ring Seal or Solvent Weld, meaning that if the system you are connecting to is a Solvent Weld system, you should ideally be using Solvent Weld pipes and fittings rather than Ring Seal, and visa-versa. "But what is the difference between these two connection types?" we hear you ask. Well, fortunately enough, we have written a separate article (Ring Seal or Solvent Weld - which soil pipe system is better?) to answer just that. Without a proper vent pipe, sewer gas can seep into your home or building from all fixtures including toilets, sinks, showers and tubs as well as floor drains. It is important for public health reasons that the vent pipe be kept clear of debris so that they function properly in releasing harmful gasses when needed most. This way you can ensure the safety of your family by having a ventilated discharge pipe. What are the Main Parts of a Soil Vent Pipe?

The most widely used method is commonly referred to as a conventional venting system. Table 909.1 (below) provides the maximum distance allowed for a vent in relation to the trap. A fixture vent connected in this manner is called an individual vent. These individual vents are sized according to Section 906.2. Here we find that the vent must be at least one-half the diameter of the drain served, but in no case less than 1¼ inches in diameter. By legislation, ventilation pipes must be able to handle an air test of 38mm of pressure on a water gauge for three minutes. A 25mm water seal should be maintained. It is important to always test pipes after an installation because if there is not the right balance in pressure, it could even lead to burst pipes. Along with this, in the winter months an inconsistency in pressure may lead to things such as dried up taps as well as various other problems. So to ensure your whole system runs as it should make sure to correctly carry out the drain testing procedure. For more information on testing pipework properly you can see our ‘All about drain testing’.

A ‘branch’ is a part of the pipe system that allows one pipe run to split into two, or a means to attach another pipe run into a main pipe run. Information on soil pipes can be found in the sanitary pipework section of the government’s Drainage and waste disposal: Approved Document H. Summary of the regulations on traps.

Hiding within the walls and under the floors of your home, there are many different types of pipes coming and going. Some supply you with clean water, and others take away the waste so you don't have to worry about it. While the difference between water pipes and wastewater pipes is quite clear, the difference between soil pipes and waste pipes can be a bit murkier. Weathering Collar - used to divert rainwater away from falling directly onto the weathering slate to provide extra protection. Regulations state that vent pipes that are situated within 3m of an opening window must terminate at least 900mm above the eaves. On a two-storey building that generally means that the open end of the pipe will be above the level of the eaves. One way to avoid such a high-level installation is to use an External Air Admittance Valve at the top of the pipe, which allows air to be drawn in to balance any negative pressure but does not let out any foul gases - it is essentially a one-way valve.

Where to obtain "high clay content soil"

A more modern alternative solution to the pressure problem is to install an Air Admittance Valve instead of a vent pipe. Sometimes known as Durgo Valves, Air Admittance Valves (or AAV's for short) are essentially one-way valves that can be installed at the top of the soil pipe, or along a waste pipe run, to allow the free entry of air into the pipework system to balance out the pressure. The design of these valves is quite clever, as they only open when the siphoning pressure (the negative pressure caused when water flows into the pipes) builds up enough to require balancing, and only in a way that allows clean air to be drawn in without allowing foul air to escape. This is the crucial difference between the valve and the vent. But why is it important to make this differentiation? Why can't one pipe service all wastewater needs if they both carry it out to the sewer? Why does it matter whether you use soil pipes or waste pipes? The answer lies in what they are used for and the way they are vented. The International Code Council is proud to distribute a helpful tool — Methods of Venting Plumbing Fixtures and Traps in the 2021 International Plumbing Code: Installation, Flexibility and Opportunity for Savings — to help expand your knowledge of the International Plumbing Code (IPC). The various approaches to venting that are permitted in the 2021 IPC are described in this handy reference tool authored by Lee Clifton, senior director of PMG resources at the Code Council. You will find that these venting provisions offer the installer and designer different paths to achieving an adequately vented system, which could result in cost savings along with ease of installation in different types of construction. Properly maintaining your soil and waste systems is the best way to avoid the need to repair or replace them, and there are a few simple things you can add to your household maintenance routine to achieve this.