# Overlooked vent for shower, will it still drain?



## crankcase (Sep 21, 2010)

I overlooked a vent for a shower drain already in place and my slab is poured. Stool drain is 4" and all other piping is 2". I was planning on running a 3" vent stack in the exterior wall combining the stool and bathroom sink vent, then once in the ceiling I was going to run vertical vents (1 each) 1.5" for the laundry tub & sink adjacent to the bathroom before combining them all in the attic and out the roof as a 3" vent. 

Will the sink vent that is adjacent to the bathroom serve the shower to properly drain?


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## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

Try it before you get too much further. Plug the toilet drain to simulate a trap full of water. Fill the shower trap with water until it stands in the pipe, and then run full force garden hose down the sink drain (kitchen?)

My guess is that you'll get some bubbling when the sink is running or the sink will partially siphon the shower trap. Hard to tell without trying it. 

Sometimes people install things like this and they work just fine. Other times it doesn't.


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## bubbler (Oct 18, 2010)

crankcase said:


> Will the sink vent that is adjacent to the bathroom serve the shower to properly drain?


Will it pass inspection, or is that not a concern?


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## OhioHomeDoctor (Sep 27, 2011)

I help ad clarity for you. It will drain but not great. It will not pass inspection. It will haunt you forever. This being said I would fix it now before your finished and wish you had.

You might be able to just jack a small area and tie into the drain then put a mechanical inside the wall with a vent cover. I have seen it done that way and pass.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Crank case---I'm confused--did you run a three inch vent for the toilet or not?

A picture would help if you could.


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## plumber666 (Oct 7, 2010)

Looks like the kitchen sink is acting like a wet vent for the shower to me. Hard to tell which way the flow goes. Toilet looks individually vented. A bit of clarity would help, but if wet venting is allowed by your code, I think you're OK.


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## crankcase (Sep 21, 2010)

Here's another pic and some clairification:

1: Yes Mike, the plan is to run a vertical 3" vent for the toilet.

2: Bathroom sink drain was changed to reflect this drawing to drain horizontally in exterior wall and dump into the 3" vent stack. Each sink was planned to have a 1.5" vertical vent, then all venting tied together in the attic.

3: Can't bust up concrete, radiant tubes in floor for heat.

4: Not concerned with passing inspection. See #5

5: A pic won't really help at this point. As there is nothing to see. All of my piping was plumbed and vertical stubs held 1" under the concrete and then capped and wrapped with a good layer of foam. Everything was precisely measured and concrete was poured. Building inspector unaware of any plumbing as building was built. This is my garage. Now I'm chipping out my plumbing and framing interior walls.


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## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

crankcase said:


> Here's another pic and some clairification:
> 
> 1: Yes Mike, the plan is to run a vertical 3" vent for the toilet.
> 
> ...


Well if there's no way to fix it, whaddaya doin' here? :jester: 

I've never installed radiant heat before, but I don't see any reason why you couldn't break open the concrete to add a vent fitting. :huh:


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## crankcase (Sep 21, 2010)

Alan said:


> Well if there's no way to fix it, whaddaya doin' here? :jester:
> 
> I've never installed radiant heat before, but I don't see any reason why you couldn't break open the concrete to add a vent fitting. :huh:


I guess what concerns me more than the pipes in the floor is the fact that My slab has a thickened edge, or the term around here is an "engineered slab". So I wouldnt want to bust it up at an exteror wall. My best bet if absolutely needed would be to come up in the side wall just to the right of the shower bay. 

If I go thru this, will I absolutely without a doubt get better drain performance at the shower rather than wet venting from the kitchen sink to the right of the bathroom?


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

crankcase said:


> Here's another pic and some clairification:
> 
> 1: Yes Mike, the plan is to run a vertical 3" vent for the toilet.
> out my plumbing and framing interior walls.



Typical maximum distance from a vent is 5 feet--

Your shower drain is mighty close to that--if I'm seeing things right.

I think you will be fine---test it---hook up a garden hose and test that shower drain-----Let us know.

I've worked on loads of old places without 'proper' vents that worked just fine---let us know.---Mike----


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## Mark Potter (Aug 19, 2011)

Man i hate being late to these forum party's lol but can't he just listen to the sink when the toilet flushes for gargling sound? For the lack of air if any. There shouldn't be a problem here with this as he is using the correct sizes for venting.

HP Properties Capital Projects


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## OhioHomeDoctor (Sep 27, 2011)

If its not to code its a problem.


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## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

Mark Potter said:


> Man i hate being late to these forum party's lol but can't he just listen to the sink when the toilet flushes for gargling sound? For the lack of air if any. There shouldn't be a problem here with this as he is using the correct sizes for venting.
> 
> HP Properties Capital Projects


Problem is that he's not at a stage to set the toilet, which is why I made the recommendation that I did.


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## Mark Potter (Aug 19, 2011)

Alan said:


> Problem is that he's not at a stage to set the toilet, which is why I made the recommendation that I did.


Gotcha!

HP Properties Capital Projects


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## Mark Potter (Aug 19, 2011)

This is the size chart that's in code.

HP Properties Capital Projects


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## Alan (Apr 12, 2006)

Mark Potter said:


> View attachment 39077
> 
> 
> This is the size chart that's in code.
> ...


That doesn't really apply here since the shower doesn't have it's own vent, though. :huh:

Up here, we're allowed to tie in a floor drain without it's own vent as long as it goes into a vented line and is within a certain distance of the vent on said vented line.

Doesn't apply to any other fixtures though.

If it were me, I'd fix it. Heck, you can even fix the radiant floor pipes if they get damaged, it's not really a big deal.


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## plumber666 (Oct 7, 2010)

What about my wet venting question? Up here, you can't run horizontal dry vents. Not off trap arms for showers or whatever. Showers are virtually always wet vented by a lav, or in this case a sink. I'm not seeing a big deal here. It'll work just fine.


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