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When is it necessary to use a studor vent?

Studor vent is an Air admittance valve (AAV). Studor vents are used when a drain line and Vent aren’t connected to toilets. Methane comes up the sewer line on all drain lines but vents to outside air, to keep any pressure building in the pipe. Like pouring gas out of a gas tank it requires air to replace liquid while pouring. The Studor vent lets that air to be sucked in the pipe during water flow but doesn’t let sewer gas escape out. Code is the thing that determines pipe size and also water flow. Hence no studor vents are permitted to toilets because more air is required to keep water flow going with more waste added to the toilet. Utilize Studor to replace sink air vents. Few sinks are connected to the same air vent pipe as the toilet.

How It Operates

beautiful kitchen and dining room area

If we did not have a venting method, then you will have toilet drains and a noisy sink. A discharge of wastewater can cause a valve to open. When it opens air is permitted to enter the plumbing system. To understand its operation in a better way, you should watch videos on YouTube to see how it operates in reality.

The Pros

The studor vent can significantly decrease the number of venting materials required in a plumbing system. They let greater flexibility in the layout of plumbing fixtures decrease long-term roof maintenance. If we do not have a hole in the roof, it is easier to maintain the roof. Studer vents are efficiently used in Europe for more than 2 decades. However, there are some limitations.

The Cons

Some state and local building departments prohibit Studer vents. check with the local AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) for more information. Studer vents are certified to reliably. However, anything mechanical can and will fail. Few manufacturers claim they are better for 500,000 uses (about 30 years of use). The United States manufacturers provide warranties that range from one year to a lifetime. You should seek out the warranty information. Most plumbers will not have it.

Note: An AAV shouldn’t be tampered with or spray painted. Some plumbers said that sewer flies and bugs are seen at failed air admittance valves. So, if you detect a sewer odor under and around your sink or in the attic, the studor vent may have let you down.

When is it important to use a studor vent?

Ventilation is crucial for kitchens, and Studor, a reputable brand, presents a solution with its one-way valve for air. In sewer lines, vent lines allow air to enter or exit, preventing the glug-glug effect seen when draining water without proper airflow. An air admittance valve, like Studor, eliminates the need for a vent pipe, making it ideal for scenarios like island countertop kitchen sinks where concealing a vent pipe is challenging.

The advantages of an air admittance valve include efficient draining without the need for a visible vent pipe. This is especially beneficial for island countertop setups. The valve permits air to enter the line during drainage, preventing the glug-glug effect. It also traps sewer gas, ensuring a more pleasant kitchen environment.

However, it’s important to note that air admittance valves have moving parts, necessitating a maintenance and inspection program for optimal functionality.

Inspecting the Studor AAV

  1. STUDOR AAVs must be situated a minimum of 4-inches above the horizontal branch drain and fixture drain being vented.
  2. STUDOR AAVs shall be accessible. For in-wall installation, utilize STUDOR recess box and grill combination.
  3. STUDOR AAVs location must let for enough air to enter the valve. When located in wall space and attic space lacking ventilation openings, the opening shall be provided. Locating the valve in a sink and vanity cabinet is acceptable.
  4. STUDOR vents should be installed in the vertical, and upright position. A maximum deviation of 15 degrees is allowed.
  5. The vent shall connect to the drain vertically for maintaining an unobstructed opening in the piping to the STUDOR AAVs.
  6. A minimum of 1 vent pipe shall be extended to the open atmosphere for every building drainage system for relief of positive pressure, the size of this vent isn’t specified because this single vent doesn’t determine the total amount of the vent system’s aggregate cross-sectional area. When appropriately installed an air admittance valve in the system is equivalent to an open vent pipe having a similar cross-sectional area as any other vent. Such an open-air vent is suggested, not needed, to be located as close as possible to the connection between the building drain and building sewer.
  7. STUDOR AAVs installed in the attic area must be located a minimum of 6-inches above the ceiling insulation.
  8. The use of Tec-Vent® in return air plenums shall be allowed in engineered drainage systems designed by a design professional and approved by the local authority.
  9. When a horizontal branch will get connected to a stack that has 4 branch intervals from the stack’s top, then a relief vent is offered. The relief vent must be situated between the connection of the branch to the stack and the first fixture connecting to the branch. The relief vent can serve as a vent for the fixture. The relief vent must connect to the vent stack, stack vent and extend outdoors to the open air until it’s used in conjunction with a stack that’s connected to a P.A.P.A. device and AAVs on the branches.
  10. Only Teflon® tape may be used on the threads of the valve. The use of a primer, solvent cement, and pipe dope will void the STUDOR warranty.
  11. Air Admittance Valves can be used on grease traps as long as they aren’t subject to positive pressure.