Drain Waste Vent System

The drain waste vent system acts as a transportation system to remove all of the waste and used water from your house. Depending upon where you live, this is usually carried off to either a septic system or sewer system.

Unlike supply lines, drain waste vent lines are not pressurized. The water and waste usually drains by gravity. This means that the lines must slope downward. Most codes require that the slope is a minimum of 1/4" per foot of pipe.

Today's waste pipes are usually not made from cast iron but are pvc instead. The PVC is much less expensive, does not corrode and has a less likely hood of clogging making it a good choice for the drain waste vent system.

All of the homes waste lines converge into a single larger sewer line that then carries waste and water out of the home.

If you are adding a bath or additional equipment or appliances that use and dispense of water and you have a septic system, be sure to check to see that the system can accommodate the additional fixtures.

Septic systems are sized by the original plan of water consumption. This is not a concern for a city sewerage system although additional fixtures will add to your cost of use.

Maintaining the Septic System

When your used water and waste are sent to a municipal sewer system, there is minimal maintenance to do. Although it does not hurt to send a solution of baking soda and water down the drain every now and again it really takes care of itself.

Septic system care is different however and does require some annual maintenance. Septic tanks should be checked annually to ensure proper function. Inlet and outlet baffles should be checked for wear and damage and levels monitored to ensure that the system is pumped when due.

Observation or inspection tubes are installed in newer systems which makes the monitoring easier. It is recommended that these be installed in your system if they do not already exist.

Pumping usually occurs every 1 to 3 years depending upon the tank's size and amount of use. This is a minimal cost to ensure that the system is not damaged. If not pumped, waste and sludge can flow out into the drainage field with the water and cause expensive or irreparable damage costing you thousands of dollars to repair or replace.

Other ways to help maintain your system is to cut down on water consumption. This will allow proper time for the process of breaking down waste to occur naturally.

Using starters, feeders, cleaners and other additives is not recommended as they can flow out with the water into the septic system drain field or leach bed and contaminate surrounding soil.

In addition, being careful about what you put down the drain will also extend the life and help eliminate septic system problems.

Following these simple steps will help keep your system running properly and keep your family and animals safe from harmful contaminates.

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