Vent pipe, 2 questions
 

I'm installing a bathroom on my second floor and the vent from the first floor drain comes up about 1' from the exterior wall. To avoid drywalling around the pipe can i side vent it in the floor? I guess since I've never seen it done that way I never thought to ask, but I can't see why it would be an issue?

Second, the vent comes up from one of 2 main drains in the house. I know I'm not supposed to use that pipe as a drain for the second floor, but there's another "why not?". Technically I believe I'm supposed to run separate drains for the second floor and tie in under the house, if I'm not mistaken (which is no problem, I have open stud access on the first floor).

Pictures

I'm not sure what you want a picture of.... there's a standard vent pipe off the main drain, can I run it out the side of the house opposed to up through the roof?

ABS or PVC?

Steel.... but it was broken off some time ago between the 1st and second floor and they used duct tape to join on a PVC pipe the rest of the way up. So I either use a union and go straight up or put an elbow and run it out the side of the house.

100% illegal. Do you like the smell of sewer gas in your windows?

Use a no-hub fitting to transition to PVC and go up with it.

How? Illegal and "do you like" are two completely different things

Once again, post a few pictures, then we can clue you in on what you can do.

Files were too big so I'm trying the url route:

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/i...t/DSCN0560.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/i...t/DSCN0561.jpg

This is the vent pipe on the other side of my house which I just uncovered in the process of finishing the space. The vent comes up on the right, goes horizontal for about 4 feet and then up through the roof. In the second pic you can see the knee wall; I'm wondering if I can run horizontal the other way beyond the knee wall and then out the side of the house. The white vent is the first floor bathroom ceiling vent, I will route it the same way.

The vent I originally was speaking of in this thread is similar but has a straight shot through the roof (no bend). Where the vent in the pics first elbows is where the other pipe is broken off (in the joists). The idea to run beyond the knee wall and out the side would be the same, much easier though since there is no elbow to remove.

The issue is that the horizontal pipe sits above the joists and the vertical pipe is obviously off the wall a bit. Leaving it alone I would have to drywall a box around the vertical pipe and a step over the horizontal.

So the question remains.... can I vent drain pipes out the side of the house?

You can but it wouldnt look very good and it would have to extend beyond a certain height on the roof so you actually be running it beyond the wall into the air, freestanding like a metal woodstove pipe

you can use what they call a jiffy vent which would connect right to your new drain it can be installed into a tee-y above the fixture or just in the attic somewhere the trick is to tee off the new drain and get it above the fixture that is being drained its like a check valve that opens to let air into the line to let the waste water flow, but put it in a spot where you can get to it if you have without destroying a wall

I'm not entirely clear about what you're referring to here with the "jiffy vent"..... would I be correct in saying that this allows you to connect your drain into the vent pipe? Do you have a link to this? Google-ing "jiffy vent" doesn't get me anything relevant.

Running the vent to a certain height of the roof line I figured; I don't understand the "why" but I'm sure there's some reason in the mighty code books. Even so, I may do that because it would be out the back side of the house and never seen from the street.

the jiffy vent can be installed from the drain say on a toilet by putting a tee-y facing upward and toward but not too far from the appliance being drained , it works like a check valve, it lets air in to facilitate draining but closes to stop sewer gas from being released, try a real plumbing supply store, not home depot and they can explain it to you, this should only be used as a last resort

Jiffy Vent
 

A Jiffy vent is basically a check valve that lets air in to prevent siphoning, but does not let methane gas out. I dont like them because they are mechanical, and can fail, but they are legal now in most places.

Using a vent for a drain is called wet venting and is not usually to code.

Running a vent out a side wall is not recommended because methane gas can come right back in through your windows and other places where air can get into your home.

Joining pipes with duct tape is the work of a hack. Use a Fernco type connector. Much thicker, and longer than a no-hub coupling, which is specific to No-Hub cast iron pipe.

Stick to the Codes, they came about for a very good reason, because the other ways failed.

Air Admittance Valve (AAV)???

B