DJ360 6,728 Posted July 25, 2017 Report Share Posted July 25, 2017 I have a question about air admittance valves. Col Quote Link to post Share on other sites
benjamin1945 16,155 Posted July 25, 2017 Report Share Posted July 25, 2017 Tell me about it col,see how i can help. 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NewBasfordlad 3,599 Posted July 25, 2017 Report Share Posted July 25, 2017 Yes, started in 1962, question please 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DJ360 6,728 Posted July 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 3 hours ago, NewBasfordlad said: Yes, started in 1962, question please Hi NBL. I am trying to get a definitive answer on this. Our loo is next to the bathroom and quite small. It's made worse by the fact that the builders positioned the 'soil' pipe in the corner of the loo, It runs from the dining room below, up through the loo and out through the loft and roof up out to atmosphere. Thing is the builders boxed this soil pipe/vent in with a massive.. OTT boxing, which even meant that the old toilet had to be positioned 'offset' in the space. It was over 30 cms on each side just to cover in a 4"/110 pipe and I've always hated this set up.. but only now am able to sort it out. I'd have liked to knock bathroom and loo into one but that is 'not allowed'.. Anyway. I have a new 'back to wall' loo and a concealed space saver cistern to fit. So I took out the massive boxing and can now position the new loo etc centrally. I'll need to make a false wall/panel for the loo to back up to and then the cistern and soil will be behind that... Ideally, I would like to cut the soil pipe off 2-300 mm above the point where the loo discharges into it and fit an Air Admittance Valve. I'm thinking Mac Alpine as they seem to have a good 'rep'. The bath/shower and a washbasin also discharge into this below the 'T' from the loo. I could then 'make good' in the corner where the soil vent used to be and have a much more comfortable and smart loo. Thing is, I'm getting conflicting advice over the use of an AAV at all. Some people say keep the vent at all costs. Some say the AAV is fine. Others say it's OK every 5th house. (There are six houses in our row. All 1970s built and identical. All on the same drain. All but me still vented even if opt to go for the AAV valve.) I'd appreciate your view. Col Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DJ360 6,728 Posted July 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 5 hours ago, benjamin1945 said: Tell me about it col,see how i can help. Benjamin.. your technical skills are legendary. but beyond my comprehension.. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NewBasfordlad 3,599 Posted July 26, 2017 Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 AAVs or Durgo valves have been around some time now and we do what your thinking of on a regular basis where the internal vent stack gets in the way of a bathroom refurb and we ain't had a complaint yet....... Its sole purpose is to prevent waste drawing the water from the traps in WCs and baths etc by allowing air into the system without letting the stench of the drain into the occupied areas. A lot of these stories are circulated by DIY people who have not thought about things or took advice and put them in the wrong place i.e. outside where they can freeze and stop operating (against building regs by the way) the next flush will draw the traps and they will blame the valve not themselves In your circumstances I would have no qualms about fitting one, the nearer to 300mm above the junction the better. Make sure the valve you purchase is Kite Marked to prove it is compliant with regs Part H1 and you will be fine. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DJ360 6,728 Posted July 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 Excellent. Thanks for that NBL. Col Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DJ360 6,728 Posted July 27, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2017 Update. Learning this stuff at my age is always fun.... As there were no clips to be seen anywhere on the soil pipe I fitted one above and one below my intended cut. This partly to stabilise the pipe so as not to disturb any joints too much and partly to stop the upper portion from dropping in from above. Simple things like what to use to cut through the pipe? In the end I went for a Fiskars pruning saw, because it has a cut on the 'pull', which works better for me in confined spaces. The cut edge was straight.. but not quite 'square'. Thought about this for a bit. I'm sure all of the fins on the seal would have gone into the pipe.. but as Grandad Jack used to say. "If a job's worth doing.." So.. about 20 minutes with a 1/3rd sheet orbital sander and some 60 grit paper had it 'close enough for jazz'. And despite the clip.. the pipe tried to fall from above when I took a section out. Couple of wedges between the clip and the pipe stopped that. I've got roofers coming tomorrow to pull that out and make the roof good. I don't do roofs at 68... with my knee.. and my ticker... and my vertigo... Surprisingly, no smell from the cut pipe. Just cleaned it inside and out for about 100 mm then sprayed a bit of silicone in and on the valve and shoved it in. Job done! Also a bonus I hadn't previously considered. Because we are high up here and nothing to stop the winds off Liverpool Bay, it can blow through the vent and break the 'trap' seals. This shouldn't happen now. Col Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NewBasfordlad 3,599 Posted July 28, 2017 Report Share Posted July 28, 2017 Next time use a 110mm angle grinder makes life so much easier. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DJ360 6,728 Posted July 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2017 Next time? ...NEXT...TIME...???? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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