Drain vents

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Hi.

I have a soil stack with a vent on the side of the house. The manhole in the garden also has a vent built in but I cant see where that comes out? Would it be ok to block it up in the manhole? We are having trouble with rats at the top of the garden and they seem to be going up it.

Thanks

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Yes, block it off inside the manhole. The low level vents were a Victorian idea, that carried on into the first part of the 20th Century, but isn't really required now. The idea was air passing over the top of the stack would create a negative pressure in the house drainage system, and therefore draw fresh air in via the low level vent, and through the drains to ventilate the system.

It would probably emerge near the property boundary, and would have had a cast iron cowl on the top, that's probably long since gone. I'd stuff a polythene bag up it inside the manhole, and pack with some fine concrete or strong mortar, to ensure the exit for the rats is firmly blocked off.

 

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Thanks for the reply. I'm going to buy a bung.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Rats may well eat through that, be warned. I've known them gnaw through solid concrete over time!

 

[dilalio]

Smash up some glass and mix that in with the concrete.

 

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Thanks for the replies