Make A Vent For Your Cored Investment

Ventilation is an important aspect of maintaining a healthy airflow in your home, and there are several ways to improve it. One way is to install a door vent, which can be done by cutting a vent into the bottom of the door and then fitting it into the opening. This allows air to flow through and balance the air pressure between rooms. Alternatively, you can create a DIY air vent cover using wood and a metal grille, which can add a decorative touch to your space. Another option is to invest in roof ventilation products, such as ridge vents, hip vents, or rain screen siding vents, to protect your home from damaging moisture. Proper ventilation is also crucial in plumbing to ensure smooth waste removal and prevent backups, odors, and clogs. Each plumbing fixture should have its own vent to allow air to enter behind the water and facilitate quick, glug-free flow.

How to make a DIY air vent cover

Air vent covers are not designed to be aesthetically pleasing, but you can make your own custom cover using basic materials for a fraction of the cost of a custom cover. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make a DIY air vent cover.

Step 1: Measure your air vent opening

Take the old vent cover down and measure the size of the open space. You will want to add a 1/4" overlap on each side. This will be the size of your metal sheeting.

Step 2: Choose and cut your metal sheeting

Choose a decorative metal sheeting with a design that you like. Cut the metal sheeting to the size of your vent opening, adding the 1/4" overlap on each side.

Step 3: Build your frame

Using wood, build a frame for your vent cover. You can use wood glue or pocket hole screws to attach the frame pieces together. The size of your frame should be the same as the size of your vent opening, without the overlap.

Step 4: Paint your frame

Wipe your frame to remove any dust or debris and paint or stain it the colour of your choice. Allow the paint to dry fully before moving on to the next step.

Step 5: Attach the metal sheeting to the frame

You can use a staple gun or hot glue to attach the metal sheeting to the back of the frame. Ensure that the metal sheeting is centred and attach it to the frame by stapling or gluing between the design elements.

Step 6: Install your new vent cover

You can use Command Strips or screws to attach your new vent cover to the wall. If using screws, drill through the frame and attach it using the existing screw holes in the wall.

There you have it! A custom DIY air vent cover that adds a decorative touch to your space.

How to install a door vent

Installing a door vent can help to restore proper air circulation in your home, especially if you have noticed heating, cooling, or humidity issues. Before you begin, it is important to identify what type of door you will be cutting into. Most interior doors are slab doors, which are usually hollow but can also be solid. Both types can be cut for vents, but cutting into a solid, raised-panel door is not recommended as it could result in door failure.

Step 1: Prepare the Door

• Remove the door from its hinges using a drill/driver.
• Place the door across two sawhorses to provide a stable work surface.

Step 2: Mark the Vent Location

• Use a carpenter's square to draw a line perpendicular to the bottom of the door, approximately 2 inches from the bottom. This will be the centre line for your vent.
• Centre the bottom of the vent on the line and trace around the base of the vent with a pencil.
• Remove the vent and place strips of masking tape flush around the outside perimeter of the tracing.

Step 3: Cut the Door

• Score the pencil line to a depth of 1/6 inch with a utility knife.
• Drill holes vertically through the door at each corner of the tracing using a drill/driver with a 3/16-inch bit. Ensure that the holes are as close to 90 degrees as possible.
• Turn the door over and align a straightedge with the holes. Trace a line connecting the holes with the straightedge.
• Place strips of masking tape around the outside perimeter of the tracing on the other side of the door.
• Score around the tracing with a utility knife.
• Drill through the door at one inside corner of the tracing with a 1/2-inch bit.
• Insert the blade of a jigsaw into the hole and cut along the line. If the door is solid, cut along the line until you are approximately 3/4 inch from cutting the piece loose.
• Add a support sawhorse underneath or enlist an assistant to prevent the piece from dropping out and damaging the door's veneer.
• Finish the cut and sand the edges of the opening with 100-grit sandpaper to smooth out any roughness.

Step 4: Install the Vent

• Slide the base of the vent into the opening, ensuring that the lip around the perimeter is flush with the face of the door.
• Screw the vent to the door using 3/4-inch screws.
• Repeat this step on the other side of the door if installing a vent on both sides.

If your door is hollow, it may be necessary to reinforce the inside of the opening with strips of pine to provide a secure surface for the screws.

How to install plumbing vent pipes

Plumbing vent pipes are essential to regulate airflow in your plumbing system. They work in tandem with your drains to ensure waste and water flow smoothly out of your house. Ventilation pipes prevent a vacuum from forming in your drain system and need to be connected to every plumbing fixture.

Step 1: Understand the Basics

Familiarise yourself with the local plumbing and building codes. These codes will outline restrictions regarding the size and material of your pipes, the distance between fixtures and vent pipes, and the placement of ventilation. Some projects may also require permits or professional help. It is important to have a detailed understanding of these codes before beginning any work and consult a local plumber if you have any questions.

Step 2: Choose a Pipe Material

Consider which pipe material best fits your needs, budget, and any existing piping. Most ventilation systems use small pipes, less than ten inches in diameter, which allows for plastic pipes like PVC or ABS. However, in certain situations, these may lack strength or durability, so copper, steel, or cast-iron pipes are also options. When choosing a pipe, consider factors such as strength, durability, flexibility, weight, resistance to corrosion, and the method for joining the pipe.

Step 3: Consider the Pressure Class

If you anticipate high pressure in your pipes, opt for a higher-pressure class. For most projects, class 160 or 200 PVC is sufficient. The cost difference between the two classes is negligible, so it is common to choose the heavier-duty 200-class pipe.

Step 4: Understand Waste and Drain Pipes

Waste pipes remove water and waste from toilets, carrying it to the sewer or septic tank. Drain pipes, often equipped with a P-trap, carry water from sinks, showers, and tubs. The P-trap is a bend in the pipe just below the sink or fixture, trapping water and preventing gases and odours from escaping into the house.

Step 5: Understand Vent Pipes

Vent pipes run from waste or drain pipes upwards, ending outside the building, usually through the roof. This allows unpleasant and potentially dangerous odours or fumes to escape harmlessly into the outdoor air. It also lets air into the system, filling the vacuum created by water moving through the pipes, thus allowing water to flow quickly and smoothly.

Step 6: Understand the General Layout of Piping

Vents and other vertical pipes should be as straight as possible to prevent condensation build-up. Horizontal pipes should slope downwards towards fixtures, allowing gravity to push waste and water through. These typically run with a slope of 1/4 inch down for each horizontal foot of piping.

Step 7: Purchase Materials

Visit a hardware store to purchase the pipe, fittings, and materials for joining and supporting your vent stack. Measure the amount of pipe needed before your visit and ask employees to help cut the pipe to size. Buy fittings to attach pieces of pipe together and accommodate corners, choosing fittings based on the type of pipe you will be using.

Step 8: Choose Between Dry and Wet Venting

Dry venting is a simple system where each fixture has its own vent pipe. Wet venting is where one fixture's vent is another fixture's drain, allowing multiple fixtures to be installed in the same system of pipes. This uses fewer pipes but is more complicated to set up.

Step 9: Plan the Layout (for Wet Venting)

Consider the size of piping needed for each segment, the distance between fixtures, and the plumbing demands of each fixture. Ensure your plans comply with building codes and regulations, which can be more complex for wet venting.

Step 10: Install Vent Piping

Install the vent piping, ensuring it complies with local building codes. Typically, the vent pipe must extend six inches above the roof or 12 inches away from vertical walls.

Remember, it is recommended to use a professional plumber for installing vent piping.

How to vent a basement sink

Venting a basement sink is necessary to equalize pressure in the pipes and prevent a vacuum from forming as the fixture drains. Without venting, the negative pressure caused by the flow of draining water can potentially suck water out of the drain trap and allow sewer gases to enter your home.

Studor Vent or "Air Admittance Valve" (AAV)

The Studor Vent or "Air Admittance Valve" (AAV) is a one-way valve that lets air in but doesn't let sewer odours out. This is a good option if you are unable to connect your basement sink drain to an external vent pipe.

To install an AAV, you will need the following tools and materials:

• PVC pipe cutter or hacksaw
• Air admittance valve
• Sanitary tee fitting
• Additional PVC fittings (if needed)
• New drain trap (if needed)

• Remove the drain trap: Loosen the slip nuts holding the drain trap using channel-lock pliers, then disconnect and remove the trap bend and trap arm from the sink tailpiece and branch drain.
• Plan the arrangement: Cut sections of PVC pipe and shorten the trap arm if necessary. The goal is to add a sanitary tee into the existing configuration so that a vertical pipe extension can be inserted to attach the AAV. The bottom edge of the AAV needs to be at least 4 inches above the top of the drain trap.
• Dry-fit the components: Cut whatever pipe extensions are necessary, then dry-fit all components together (without glue). Position the entire assembly under the sink, with the drain trap bend placed on the sink tailpiece and the trap arm inserted into the new sanitary tee.
• Mark the alignment: Once you are confident that the assembly will fit correctly, use a marker to make alignment marks on the pipes and fittings. This will help you align the parts correctly when gluing them together.
• Install the AAV assembly: Take the assembly apart, then begin connecting any glued joints. This usually includes the sanitary tee, the vertical extension pipe, and any pipe extensions or connectors used to join into the branch drain. Prime the ends of the pipe extensions and the inside surfaces of the fitting hubs, then apply solvent glue and join the pipe pieces to the fittings.
• Attach the AAV: Most AAVs come with a threaded adapter that is first solvent-glued onto the vertical extension pipe. Wrap pipe-seal tape around the male threads of the AAV before screwing it into the socket on the pipe adapter.
• Attach the drain trap: The drain trap now goes back in place, but rather than the trap arm fitting directly into the branch drain, it will fit into the sanitary tee where the AAV is installed. Some form of transition fitting may be required.
• Join the trap arm: Join the trap arm to the trap bend, but leave the slip nut loose. Slide the trap bend onto the sink drain tailpiece and slide the trap arm into the sanitary tee fitting. When the pieces are aligned, tighten down the slip nuts using channel-lock pliers.
• Test for leaks: Fill up the sink, then drain it while watching the fittings from beneath the sink for any leaks. If necessary, tighten any leaking slip joints with channel-lock pliers.

Traditional Vent Line

If you are able to connect your basement sink to an external vent pipe, you can follow these steps:

• Identify the sanitary tee: In most houses, the drain line for each sink extends horizontally back into a wall, where it fits into a sanitary tee. One outlet on the tee extends downward into a vertical drain line, and the other extends upward into a vent system open to the outside air.
• Connect the sink drain: Connect the basement sink drain to the sanitary tee, ensuring that the upward outlet extends into a vent system open to the outside air.
• Expose the vent system: Ensure that the vent system is exposed to fresh air to release sewer gases and allow fresh air into the system to facilitate proper drainage.

How to make a vent with a decorative metal screen

To make a vent with a decorative metal screen, you will need to build a frame that fits the size of your air vent opening. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Measure the opening of your air vent

Measure the height and width of your air vent opening. Take the vertical measurement and subtract 1/2", giving you a 1/4" overlap on each side. This will be the height of your side frame boards. For the width, subtract 1/2" for the overlap, then add 3 to this number to account for the width of the vertical frame boards.

Step 2: Cut your frame boards

Using the measurements from Step 1, cut two pieces of wood for each length. You can use a scrap of pine common board or a new board, ensuring it is straight. The amount of wood needed will depend on the cover size. For example, a 10" x 10" air return vent will require 41" of the board.

Step 3: Dry fit your vent cover frame

Before assembling the frame, do a dry fit by placing the boards together to ensure your cuts are correct. Identify which side of the boards will be facing out (the "good" side) and which side will be against the wall (the "bad" side). Mark the "bad" sides with a pencil so you remember which is which.

Step 4: Construct the frame

Drill two pocket holes into each end of your vertical frame pieces on the "bad" side of the wood. You can also use wood glue instead of screws and clamp the pieces together until dry. Attach the side boards to the top and bottom frame pieces using 1-1/2" pocket screws. Be careful not to over-tighten the screws, as this could crack the boards.

Step 5: Fill any gaps and sand the frame

If there are any gaps in your frame, fill them with wood filler and allow it to dry completely. Then, sand the frame until smooth using 80-grit sandpaper. You can also follow up with 120 and then 180 grit for an even smoother finish.

Step 6: Paint or stain the frame

Wipe any dust or debris from the sanded frame and paint or stain it the colour of your choice. Allow the paint or stain to dry fully before moving on to the next step.

Step 7: Cut the decorative metal screen to size

Using tin snips, cut a sheet of decorative metal screening to the size of your frame. Allow for a generous overlap onto the frame, stopping about 1/4" shy of the outer edge.

Step 8: Attach the screen to the frame

Attach the sized screen to the frame using hot glue. Press the screen into the glue, allowing the excess to push through the holes of the screen. Smooth the glue over the screen surface to create a bond on both the front and back of the screen. Continue around the edge of the screen, securing the corners and the centre of each edge.

Step 9: Install the vent cover

Finally, install your DIY decorative air vent cover by attaching Command Strips to the back and sticking it onto the wall. This method is preferable to screws as it leaves the frame unblemished and allows for easy removal for servicing or filter replacement.

Frequently asked questions