Skip to main content

Diagnose the Problem and Locate the Vent — Inspect and Clear Surface Debris

Intermediate4 hours

Part of project

How to Clear a Clogged Plumbing Vent Stack on Your Roof · Step 3 of 6

Helpful?

In this video

Begin by identifying the symptoms of a clogged vent, such as gurgling sounds from drains and slow-draining sinks or toilets. In the basement or utility area, trace the drain lines from the affected fixtures to the main vent stack. Follow this PVC pipe visually as it runs up through the house and exits through the roof. From the ground, use a ladder if necessary to visually inspect the vent opening on the roof for obstructions like leaves, sticks, or nests.

Goal: Plumbing

Used in this video

  • Flashlight (brand: Unspecified) · optionalTo look down into the dark vent pipe from the roof to inspect for clogs.
60.6K views83410 minutes
The Savvy Professor

55K subscribers

View Channel

FAQs

What are the most critical safety precautions I need to take before getting on my roof to clear the vent stack?

Prioritize a stable ladder placement on level ground and always use non-slip footwear, like the Shoes For Crews listed, to prevent falls. Avoid working on wet, icy, or extremely windy days, and consider having a helper spot your ladder and assist. Wear heavy-duty work gloves to protect your hands from debris and potential sharp edges.

How can I be sure I've identified the correct plumbing vent stack on my roof?

Plumbing vent stacks are typically 1.5 to 4 inches in diameter and usually located directly above bathrooms, kitchens, or laundry rooms. If unsure, have someone run water in a sink or flush a toilet while you listen near the vent pipe on the roof for gurgling or suction sounds that indicate it's connected to that fixture. You can also trace visible pipes in the attic if accessible.

Do I really need a specialized drain auger, or can I clear the clog with just a garden hose?

A garden hose with a high-pressure nozzle is often effective for clearing minor clogs like leaves or small nests. However, for stubborn blockages, such as compacted debris or animal nests deeper within the pipe, the THEWORKS 3/8 in. x 25 ft. Drain Auger is essential. It allows you to physically break apart and retrieve the obstruction that water alone can't dislodge.

What should I do if flushing with the garden hose doesn't clear the clog?

If the garden hose method doesn't work, it's time to use the drain auger. Carefully insert the auger into the vent pipe, feeding it down until you meet resistance. Gently crank the auger to break up the clog, then slowly pull it back, hopefully retrieving the obstructing material. Repeat as needed, flushing with water periodically.

Transcript
Hide

This is the drain and the plumbing from the utility sink and the washing machine area. This is all going into this drain. This is a clean out cap here for all the plumbing, so if you get any clogs and you made your problems, you take that cap off so you can run a sewer sink down there. Now this split right here, this is our air vent going up, up, up, it joins and picks up the kitchen here and it keeps going up. It goes out through a bump out, up through the eaves and right up through the roof. Before I get too far into this whole venting situation, I want to make sure that this vent isn't plugged. Now you can see right over there by the chimney, that's the main vent coming up through the bathroom and the rest of the house. So kitchen and bath, each have their own vent on this house. I need to make sure that that's not just clogged. I two or three times a year, I need to clean out my eaves and clean off the roof of sticks and debris because these maple trees really like to fill up everything. It's only been about four weeks since I've done this and the leads are just now starting to fall. You can see they're going right into that eaves. This is all going to get a new roof. I'm pretty sure we're going to be putting on some eaves straw or gutter covers to prevent that from happening. But you can see here, I've got quite a collection. Now if you look right down in this vent, there's some cobwebs down in there. But it doesn't go very far and it's filled full of leaves and debris. Now I can tell you, you can call out Mr. Ruder, Roto Ruder or a plumber and they can clean this fixture out for you, but you can also do it yourself. We're at the advantage that we've got really long sticks for cleaning things out. You could use something like a 10 or a 12 foot piece of trim. I want to get down as far as possible and you know what, I've got plumbing tools to do the job. We're going to go get our drain cleaner and we're going to run this down and see what you can do.

Auto-generated transcript. May contain errors.