Drain & Vent Repair

Residential Electrical & Plumbing Systems

Drain, Waste, and Vent System Modifications and Repair

Slow drains and gurgling sounds at fixtures are symptoms of a venting problem more often than a blockage. When a drain line lacks adequate venting, water flowing through it creates a vacuum that pulls the trap seal out of adjacent fixtures — the gurgling is air being pulled through to equalize pressure. Camera inspection of the DWV system identifies whether the problem is a partial blockage, a missing vent connection, or an undersized vent that can't handle the fixture load.

Renovations that relocate or add fixtures require DWV modifications. Adding a basement bathroom means connecting to the main drain below the slab — either by breaking the concrete at the tie-in point or installing a sewage ejector pump when gravity drainage isn't achievable. Adding a bathroom on an upper floor means extending vent stacks through the roof and connecting to the main drain stack with properly sized sanitary tee fittings at the correct elevation.

Older Southeast Michigan homes with original cast iron stacks sometimes develop cracks or deteriorated lead-and-oakum joints at horizontal connections. We assess cast iron condition during renovation work and replace deteriorated sections with PVC using approved mechanical couplings. Replacing a corroded section of cast iron stack during a renovation is straightforward. Discovering it after finish work is installed is significantly more disruptive and expensive.