On Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:28:05 +0000, Toller wrote:

I was at the boat house where my son rows. They are putting in
bathrooms. One had a vent pipe coming off the toilet and going up to the
roof. The other toilet had a pipe that went up about 4 feet and ended in
a vent. There was a grill on the wall next to it.

Seems to me that will smell pretty bad in a little while. Does it even
meet code?


Whether it meets code depends on your location and how lax the inspector
may be.

I was told by a building inspector that although these vents are the
first choice, they can be used in situations where there would be no
other way to vent. The issue is the device must remain accessible at all
times and periodically checked to make certain the diaphragm is clean and
working.

These tend not to expel sewer gas unless the diaphragm is defective. As
the system is being used, these allow outside air into the vent pipe to
assist in drainage.

The vents are handy and easy to install but only where allowed.

The last thing you'd want to do is seal one up in a wall. It would then
be impossible to monitor its condition.