Do I have to vent a toilet?

“Does a toilet need a vent?” And the answer is yes, your toilet has to have a vent. For more information on the great importance of plumbing vents, read our plumbing vent article here. And the size of this vent pipe depends on your local plumbing code.

hammerpedia.com - How To Vent & Plumb A Toilet (1 Easy Pattern) - Hammerpedia -

How much does it cost to have a cord of wood split?

Most people pay between $150 and $500, but prices could go as high as $700. Prices depend on location, type of wood, and the wood's type of cut....

Last updated Aug 29, 2022

Do architects use Blender?

Some architects and designers use a combination of Blender and CAD software. Blender for early conceptual studies, then the CAD software, then...

Last updated Sep 20, 2018

Can I build my own shed?

Yes, with the right plans you can build your dream shed.

Learn More »

Promotion

Want to learn how to vent a toilet?

Then you’re in the right place.

Because today, you’ll learn…

One SIMPLE way to vent and plumb a toilet using a handful of basic DWV fittings. Keep in mind, there are several acceptable methods to vent a toilet, but the scope of this article demonstrates one easy pattern.

Let’s begin…

This is an overview of a basic pattern to vent a toilet.

Take note of the following…

We’re using a properly sized wye with 45 (more on sizing these pipes in a second). This wye is positioned right under a wall. This allows the toilet vent takeoff to be vertical (that’s important). The toilet’s vent continues up the wall, and in many cases, this vent can tee into the home’s existing venting system…or the vent can terminate through the roof on its own. Also, notice that the 4 inch toilet flange sits on top of the finished floor.

Pretty simple, right?

But let’s dive deeper into this venting pattern and discuss…

3 things to understand before plumbing a toilet:

Starting with…

1. The Toilet’s Drain Size.

Regardless of your plumbing code, the minimum drain size for a toilet is 3 inches. Water closet’s flushing 1.6 gallons (or less) are rated at 3 DFUs (drainage fixture units). Some older model toilets, flushing over 1.6 gallons per flush, are rated at 4 DFUs. A DFU is the unit of probable discharge that a particular plumbing fixture produces.

And drain pipes can only drain a certain number of DFUs.

For example, referring to the nifty table below you’ll find:

The IPC allows 42 DFUs on a 3 inch building drain.

The UPC allows 35 DFUs on a 3 inch horizontal drain.

A toilet only produces 3 DFUs.

Pipe Size Maximum DFUs Slope of Horizontal Drain Plumbing Code Reference 3" (Building Drain) 42 1/4" per foot IPC (International Plumbing Code) Table 710.1(1) 3" (Horizontal Drain) 35* 1/4" per foot UPC (Uniform Plumbing Code) Table 703.2 *However, be careful in the UPC…(unlike the IPC), this code puts a limit on the total number of toilets allowed to discharge into a 3 inch drain. Only 3 total water closets are permitted to discharge into any 3 inch horizontal drain in the UPC.

The IPC does not have this limitation.

Also, check out the 4” x 3” closet bend below:

It’s 4 inches on the inlet of the fitting and 3 inches on the outlet.

Can a Neighbours gutter overhangs my property?

It is a well established principle that you own the airspace above your land, so if your neighbour's gutters overhang your land then they may be a...

Last updated Dec 4, 2018

Do I need planning permission for a lean-to on the side of my house?

You can add a lean-to conservatory without planning permission to your home, as long as it is within the boundaries of your property and doesn't...

Last updated Jul 15, 2022

Can I build my own shed?

Yes, with the right plans you can build your dream shed.

Learn More »

Promotion

The plumbing code never allows a drain to be reduced in size in the direction of flow. However, there’s one exception (704.2)…and it’s with toilets. The plumbing code does not consider a 4”x3” closet connection as a reduction in size… And this fitting is a very wise choice under a 4 inch flange!

2. The Toilet’s Vent Size.

Here’s a question people ask sometimes…

“Does a toilet need a vent?”

And the answer is yes, your toilet has to have a vent. For more information on the great importance of plumbing vents, read our plumbing vent article here. And the size of this vent pipe depends on your local plumbing code. If your code is the IPC, then your toilet’s individual vent is sized at 1.5.” And that’s because individual vents in the IPC are sized at no less than one-half the diameter of the drain served. As you know, the minimum drain size for a water closet is 3 inches. Half of a 3” drain gives us 1.5”, and that’s the size of the stool’s vent. This is based off 906.2 of the IPC.

Back to our diagram…

To install this 1.5” vent, notice we’re using a 3”x3”x1.5” wye, with an 1.5” street 45.

Again, this is IPC only.

Now, to those in the UPC…

Your toilet’s individual vent needs to be 2”.

(See UPC Section 904.1, Table 703.2, and Footnote 3 of Table 703.2).

And if that’s you, install a 3”x3”x2” wye, with a 2” street 45 to vent this toilet. I’ll also quickly mention…in UPC jurisdictions it’s common to see one toilet in the home plumbed with a 3 inch vent. The purpose of this oversized vent is to meet the UPC’s aggregate venting requirement. In a nutshell, the UPC wants the building sewer to be properly vented. So a vent pipe the same diameter as the building sewer needs to connect from the drainage system, and extend through the roof, undiminished in size. One popular way to meet this requirement is by plumbing one toilet with a 3 or 4 inch vent. And again that’s UPC only, the IPC does not have this same aggregate venting requirement.

But if that’s you…

AND you want to learn how to plumb a toilet with a 3″ vent, here’s a “Free Diagram” demonstrating a popular way.

3. The Toilet’s Trap Arm Length (aka Trap To Vent Distance).

How do you modernize a shed?

Browse our list of 10 ways to improve your garden shed, below. Paint your shed. Fix a water butt to your shed. Use your shed to attract wildlife....

Last updated Jun 5, 2021

How do you know what angle to cut?

The formula involves dividing 360 by the number of sides to calculate the corner angle. Then divide it by two to get the miter angle. If you're...

Last updated Jan 19, 2019

Are shed plans easy to follow?

These are! They guide you every step of the way to complete your dream shed.

Learn More »

Promotion

The toilet’s trap arm, also referred to as the fixture drain, is the pipe between the trap and the vent.

This distance depends on your local plumbing code.

If you’re in the IPC, there is no limitation in length for the toilet’s trap arm. That’s right, no limitation! That means your fixture drain can have an unlimited distance (909.1). Keep in mind your toilet still needs a vent, but your trap arm can be as long as necessary. Now on the other hand, if your plumbing code is the UPC, they’re not as generous… In the UPC, the toilet’s trap to vent distance is limited to 6 feet. And here’s how the UPC wants this measurement taken. Measure from the face of the closet flange, along the centerline of the pipe, to the inner edge of the vent opening. So those in UPC jurisdictions, simply make sure this distance is 6 feet or less (Footnote 2 of Table 1002.2). By the way, here’s one of our YouTube videos that will give you some more pointers:

I’ll also mention something important about plumbing a toilet…

All plumbing fixtures need to have a trap. Inside a p-trap is 2-4 inches of standing water. This standing water is called the trap seal. The trap seal is what blocks sewer gas from invading into your home.

But never install a p-trap for a toilet!

Why? Because toilet’s have internal traps.

Double trapping a plumbing fixture in series is a code violation. The second trap causes unnecessary obstructions in the flow of drainage. Did you know when you open the lid of your toilet, you’re looking at the top of the toilet’s trap seal. It’s hard to visualize the toilet’s internal trap, but here’s a good picture… All right, that wraps up this basic pattern to plumb and vent a toilet.

Unfortunately, this toilet venting pattern won’t always work for every situation…

For example, you won’t be able to fit this pattern in second story floor joists (unless you like the look of drains protruding from your ceiling.

That’s why we put together this:

hammerpedia.com - How To Vent & Plumb A Toilet (1 Easy Pattern) - Hammerpedia -

How do I get rid of racoons under my shed?

We'll discuss each of these techniques in a bit more detail. Keep The Lights On. Raccoons are nocturnal. ... Introduce Loud Noises. ... Try...

Last updated Mar 23, 2021

Do I need a vapor barrier under my shed?

Do I need a vapor barrier in my shed? A shed without heat and air-conditioning does not need to have a moisture barrier as it will cause...

Last updated Dec 15, 2019

Are shed plans easy to follow?

These are! They guide you every step of the way to complete your dream shed.

Learn More »

Promotion

Does concrete take 100 years to cure?

Does concrete take 100 years to cure? No, this is a bit of a myth with the concrete industry. While concrete does continue to harden indefinitely,...

Last updated Sep 13, 2018

Promotion

Is a 10x10 shed big enough?

A 10×10 shed can be a great size for a workshop if that is your primary use and if you don't have a lot of large items that will clutter the space....

Last updated Aug 26, 2018