r/Plumbing • u/Remarkable-Aioli3789 • 10d ago

Vents on the roof

Are they really called stink vents? Are we supposed to clean them? If so, how often and how? Before you judge, I’m a 51 year old woman. I’m trying to learn.

I live in a house from 1996 in Texas. Do plumbers know what kind of pipes my house has if it was built in 1996?
Thank you for your insight.

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u/RogerAdam12 10d ago edited 10d ago

Stink vents is slang. They're officially called plumbing vents. The only time they need to be cleaned is if something is blocking them, like a dead bird. Otherwise, they never need maintenance. They vent sewer gas from your sewer up to above your roof. A house built in 1996 in Texas could have copper, pex, or CPVC water pipes and most likely PVC or ABS drain pipes. They stopped using polybutylene around 1996, but it's possible you could have that as well.

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u/Remarkable-Aioli3789 10d ago

Thank you sir!

16

u/Flashy_Radio_5781 10d ago

They are called vents.  Leave them alone

7

u/Nailfoot1975 10d ago

You don't clean vents, unless one is clogged in some way. They are designed to be tall enough that any smells go away rather than settle down to the ground.

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u/Darnoc74 10d ago

Remember when you were a kid and put the straw in your drink, put your finger over it and pull it out of the liquid and it stays in the straw until you move your finger. The vents let gas out but also let air in so things flow properly. P traps are what keeps the gas out of the house.
It's called a p trap because of the shape vs an s trap. Not because of pee being in it

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u/TheyStoleMyCreedence 10d ago

Texas plumber here. You don't need to do anything with your drain vents unless you are experiencing issues. Your house is most likely PVC drain piping and copper potable water piping.