I have a sanitary vent pipe on the roof that is white PVC cut straight across. It freezes up in the winter causing a backup of odor in the basement. I live in northern Wisconsin where it gets really cold. Could painting the PVC black or cutting the opening on a angle resolve the problem. Its tricky climbing on the roof with a foot of snow on it to clear the vent pipe.
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Vent pipes should only have air, or is snow blowing in there and freezing in place. I'm in a snowy area with long winters with R60 attic insulation so when I plumbed my house I ran the 3 inch vents about 2 feet over the roof so the end would stay above the snow. Worked so far.
Have a good day
Cliffy
The only cure I know is to go to a bigger vent.
They can frost up in cold weather as the moisture in the gases rising from them freeze at roof level and build up inside the vent.
I see it frequently in my area when the weather drops below 10 -15 degrees or so. (Have some pics, but couldn'yt find them.)
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Sojourners: Christians for Justice and Peace
PVC? White? Doesn't that break down exposed to UV from the sun?
Odor in the basement? Sounds more like a dried out trap. Any floor drains (say a laundry room floor) that don't naturally get the water level replenished? Any "preplumbed" bathrooms in the basement? Maybe a drain in the concrete floor? Again, it dries out. Take some of Lake Superior and pour it in those dry traps every few months. I make vent pipes longer too. I can 't imagine outside moisture (snow) freezing up the vent but could a fitting with a 180 degree turn attached to the vent pipe work. Heat tape? Insulation? Tyr