It's a long story - cliff notes I need to figure out where a sewage vent line is. It's the master bath toilet in a small enclosure and sewage vent could be in 3 different walls

Aside from cutting them open to look, what's the cheapest way to scan the walls and identify where it is? I found a scanner that says it can do it for about $150. Is that my best bet?

If you already know these, please excuse the "help"
TIPS:
Usually the vent requires a 2x6 wall cavity
Usually behind the toilet
Not always a straight line down from the roof exit but most commonly straight down
Adding fixtures to it calls for CODE/ordinance conformance which begs a licensed plumber involvement, whose house visit diagnosis might be $75

Will stay tuned to learn Why this Q ..... or what is planned.

Yall are making this too simple.

There is no roof exit.

We can't find the vent in any wall from the attic but it may make a 90 and connect to another vent in the wall

We think the toilet isn't vented at all. The toilet kind of gurgles when flushing. There is water staying in the line in the slab.

Before we go cutting Sheetrock to find a hopeful sewage vent pipe, I was trying to figure out how to scan walls and find one!

Sounds like I need a full story thread on this one…

GentrysMillTX10 said:

---

Yall are making this too simple.

There is no roof exit.

We can't find the vent in any wall from the attic but it may make a 90 and connect to another vent in the wall

We think the toilet isn't vented at all. The toilet kind of gurgles when flushing. There is water staying in the line in the slab.

Before we go cutting Sheetrock to find a hopeful sewage vent pipe, I was trying to figure out how to scan walls and find one!

Sounds like I need a full story thread on this one…

---

No roof vent exits at all on the house ?


Newer houses are often only vented with 2 inch vents instead of a 3 or 4.


Multiple fixtures can be on the same vent

There are 2 roof exit vents on that side of the house. One is directly above the master sinks and the other is above the shower, tub, and laundry connections. Nothing above the master toilet.

House built in 2021. City limits. City sewer.

How far away are the other fixtures? On the same general wall

It sounds like it's probably a wet vent and you won't find a vent pipe in the wall. 2021 seems pretty new to need to be jetted, you might have a problem with the height difference between the toilet and whatever fixture it's wet vented through.

Edit: If it's a wet vent, you'll almost certainly have to have a plumber come map the vent with a sonar/camera. It's not an expensive task, but you probably won't be able to find the shared pipe (unless it's going right to the side to a sink or shower).

4 different plumbers have been here.

First one said everything is perfect (seller of the house hired him, we were the buyers. Yes that was a mistake but we didn't know any trustworthy plumbers.)

Second said the vent makes a 90 and runs into another vent

Third never checked vents and said it's a belly in the line. Quoted $24,500

Fourth isn't sure there's a vent at all. He said he would come back after the first of the year so the house isn't tore up for the holidays.

GentrysMillTX10 said:

---

There are 2 roof exit vents on that side of the house. One is directly above the master sinks and the other is above the shower, tub, and laundry connections. Nothing above the master toilet.

House built in 2021. City limits. City sewer.

---

You might be able to go to the city and ask if they have the construction drawings on file from plan review. If so, there may be a plumbing plan you can look at.

GentrysMillTX10 said:

---

4 different plumbers have been here.

First one said everything is perfect (seller of the house hired him, we were the buyers. Yes that was a mistake but we didn't know any trustworthy plumbers.)

Second said the vent makes a 90 and runs into another vent

Third never checked vents and said it's a belly in the line. Quoted $24,500

Fourth isn't sure there's a vent at all. He said he would come back after the first of the year so the house isn't tore up for the holidays.

---

Did any of them sonar/camera map the pipes? A plumber coming out and staring at the wall then pronouncing a 90 belly in the lack of vent is useless. You'd know if they mapped it because they would give you a drawing of where the pipes are. Not where they think they are, where they really are because they've been pinged by sonar.

As for the plumber that diagnosed a belly, did he show you this on his camera? A reputable plumber would call you in to look at the camera with him, show you where the water is trapping, etc.

I've not heard of the vent map until you brought it up. This is a good idea. I'm in Early, TX. Not the most high tech area for plumbers with cool toys.

The plumber calling it a belly in the line did use a camera to show me the water in the sewage line. They went in through the roof vent above the shower/tub/washer connections. He also used a device to figure out where the "belly" stops in the slab. This kid was from Mr. Rooter Abilene and I was surprised he was out of high school. He never considered vent issues.

ETA: I tried to let the home warranty company deal with it. They called Mr. Rooter. Based on the diagnosis of a belly in the line, they promptly denied any coverage and are calling it a collapsed pipe.

Looks like OnPoint Plumbing in Zephyr and Black Plumbing in Brownwood have locators. Don't know of course if either is one of the plumbers who already came out

If it is a belly, there are cheaper and easier fixes than trenching the slab. Digging under the slab is the obvious if it's near the outside wall of the house, but pipe re-lining is the more modern and frankly safer option. Black Plumbing also says they do re-lining. It's basically sending a balloon down the pipe, expanding at the trouble area, then letting it cure.

Edit - Midway Plumbing in Brownwood also does trenchless repair

Thanks for the help! Black Plumbing has been here. He was here to install toilets. That's who said the vent makes a 90 and connects into a roof exit vent.

I am currently working with McMillian plumbing out of Brownwood. He was recommended by my home inspector.

SOP and so sorry you bought this "warranty"
A Merry Christmas at the expense of others should not be theirs in the future
so please warn as many as possible by posting a review
Here
Google
and certainly make a claim, at least at BBB

I didn't purchase the home warranty lol

My realtor negotiated it in the deal. Seller paid for it. I told my realtor I only want it if it's a reputable company that actually pays claims. Realtor said she had good luck with them.

Tango.Mike said:

---

Looks like OnPoint Plumbing in Zephyr and Black Plumbing in Brownwood have locators. Don't know of course if either is one of the plumbers who already came out

If it is a belly, there are cheaper and easier fixes than trenching the slab. Digging under the slab is the obvious if it's near the outside wall of the house, but pipe re-lining is the more modern and frankly safer option. Black Plumbing also says they do re-lining. It's basically sending a balloon down the pipe, expanding at the trouble area, then letting it cure.

Edit - Midway Plumbing in Brownwood also does trenchless repair

---

Pipe relining will do nothing to fix the belly. It is just line the pipe and there will still be a belly in it.