Freezing sewer vent pipes

[ndbwhunter]

I put these on just before winter this year: https://www.menards.com/main/buildi...sulated-sewer-vent/iv3000/p-1541140092927.htm

So far they appear to be helping.

I'll be picking them up and installing these as soon as it warms up enough to not hurt when I fall off the roof...

 

[Rut2much]

My furnace was acting up so I started checking things step by step after reading google search stuff.
Have had our new home for a while now and never thought of checking the furnace suction that comes out just above the concrete of my basement. About 2.5 feet off the ground with a cover over it like one for the dryer.
It had a fine screen over it and that screen was covered solid with grass clippings from over the years. Something to check out also from time to time.

After dealing with furnace issues the last 2 winters, waking up to 60 degrees for a weekend it was time last week to rip the band-aid off and install a new one. Odd because the old one was only a decade old but leaking water and all rusted out inside. Air exchanger is next after the new year and that can't come soon enough either.

 

[snowcat]

About 4 years ago ( new house ) I had problems with sewer vent plugging off, I have about 10' from insulation to roof, so I went and bought
3/4" copper long enough to go into heated area, But had no time to build it so just dropped one premade one about 18" long in. It has never given me a problem since! I am a believer in them. I still plan on building a long one some day.

 

[MuskyManiac]

Yep, this is all it takes. Don't need anything fancy.

 

[Wallike]

I like it. Defroster and lightning rod all in one!

 

[snowcat]

Yup, thats the one , only I don't have the ext, and it's about 15' from insulation to out the shingles, It works great !

Yep, this is all it takes. Don't need anything fancy.

 

[walleyeman_1875]

Yup, thats the one , only I don't have the ext, and it's about 15' from insulation to out the shingles, It works great !

T pipe works year in and year out. Measure how long exhaust vent pipe is to the first elbow. Hold copy pipe a couple inches short and you are good to go.

 

[SLE]

T pipe works year in and year out. Measure how long exhaust vent pipe is to the first elbow. Hold copy pipe a couple inches short and you are good to go.

not always, just came in the house after climbing the ladder to dump hot water down our east vent to thaw it out. Used one of the original sewer skewers with no luck, then a year later tried the insul-vent from menards, maybe better but still had issues. This year installed a 12 ft copper tee to get it to reach the first bend in the vent and used 3/4 copper pipe, soddered a tee to the top, capped the ends and drilled vent holes just like a sewer skewer on steroids and here I am still climbing up a ladder and dumping water down the vent ! And as a kicker, the insul-vents are still up also……Next year I’m rigging up a weed burner with a remote valve and wifi igniter!

- - - Updated - - -

Had zero issues until my daughter turned into a teenager and move down stairs. I’m willing to bet the issue fixes itself in two years when she heads off to college, lol.

 

[SupressYourself]

Was hoping the Insul-vents worked better. I may try them anyway.
The dipshit that built my house put 45 elbow just below the roof line in the attic. I would need something flexible to get down to the heated / insulated area.

 

[espringers]

so, what's the lifespan of those copper thingamajiggers? i ask because i venture to guess sewer gas and copper don't mix real well.

 

[Weekender]

so, what's the lifespan of those copper thingamajiggers? i ask because i venture to guess sewer gas and copper don't mix real well.

I've heard stories of the copper Sewer Skewer deteriorating after time and falling further down into the pipe, causing issues. That's why I went with the insul-vent. Seems like anything colder than -20 or so and mine still freeze with the insul-vent.

 

[snowcat]

I planned on making mine and drilling all the way threw and running a SS bolt, but that was 3 years ago, and still just using the sewer skewer, with no problem since.

 

[fireone]

I made one from 3/4" copper pipe and it worked great until -26 a couple nights ago. Iced up solid, gas in the house. Next try will be a heat tape like 50 years ago.

 

[Allen]

I really hope what looks to be set screws on the Sewer Skewer are stainless steel. I would hate to see what an ordinary steel screw looks like after hanging out in a sewer vent looks like after just a few years.

Other than that, I really like the concept.

 

[AR-15]

When making your own tee pipe, you don't cap the ends of the tee, leave them open

 

[SLE]

I capped mine just like the sewer skewer and then drilled holes through the horizontal section of the T. Very similar to the sewer skewer. Because of how corrosive H2S gas is, I used heavier copper, soldered al the joints and ran two stainless self screws in at each joint for insurance. Directions on the sewer skewer say to replace them after 2 years but if you look at them they are pretty light copper. Maybe that's the key but I figured mine should be good for atleast 5-years. Maybe I need to redrill and increase the hole sizes in the T? IDK, maybe the lighter copper is the key. in any regard, I still had the one trouble vent freeze up once this year with both the insulvent and the 12 foot copper T!

 

[johnr]

I must be lucky, as the 5 homes I have owned I have no recollection of sewer pipe freeze up. I use all our bathrooms about as frequently as everyday, maybe the sewer vents in my place just put out more heat? Or our shits are hotter, not sure, maybe its an out of town thing?

 

[espringers]

why aren't they made from stainless?

 

[MuskyManiac]

why aren't they made from stainless?

The thermal conductivity of copper is 20 times that of stainless.

 

[espringers]

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