SoVent
Patented Revolutionary Cleaning System for Sovent Drainage Systems
Here at Daniel’s Plumbing Service, we have taken the next step in Pipe Cleaning. We have developed and patented a revolutionary cleaning system to address the Issue of Sovent Drainage Systems in high rise buildings. We have developed a system that allows us to clean the unique Sovent system while keeping wall openings to an absolute minimum. This system is also being used on conventional drainage systems with amazing results.
Sovent Drainage Systems
Sovent Drainage systems are a specifically engineered, single pipe drainage system that is utilized in multi-story buildings in place of the multi pipe conventional drainage systems of the past. The system utilizes Sovent fittings called Aerator and Deaerator fittings that present unique challenges in cleaning and maintaining the system. These Sovent systems are installed in over 4000 buildings nationwide and growing. We have found that they are quickly becoming the preferred system of installation due to their lower cost in materials and labor to install.
Sovent System Unique Challenges
The Sovent System is an engineered single stack drainage system that is a major change in the conventional drainage system that has been in use for years. It offers a different concept of waste and venting by slowing the velocity of the liquids and solids through a series of aerator fittings and double offsets. Before entering the building drain a deaerator fitting is placed at the base of the stack to minimize solid build up and slow the drainage before entering the building drain. These Deaerator fittings are also found at any offsets on the stack. This fitting is designed to have a pressure relief line that extends back and ties into the building main drain. The aerator fittings are generally located in the ceiling of the unit below the specific unit that it services. The aerator fitting comes in many different configurations and may service a single bathroom group or in some cases may service multiple bathroom groups, kitchen groups, and have horizontal runs from as short as 4′ to as long as 40′ +.
One of the challenges with any given building that has a Sovent system installed is that no one system is exactly alike. There are general similarities but there are always variations in their design. This makes each Sovent building unique in how it will need to be maintained and what challenges will need to be overcome in order to properly clean the system.
Maintenance and Cleaning
One thing that both Sovent and Conventional drainage systems hold in common is that both systems require maintenance and periodically will require cleaning. The Ma is where the systems very greatly. When cleaning a Sovent system you cannot properly and completely clean it with conventional methods alone. The buildup in the horizontal lines cannot be removed with a simple power cable. The system can react in a negative way and cause not only damage to property but can cause a loss of cleaning equipment if done by a technician without the proper knowledge of the system or when the improper equipment is used. The Sovent system is a very different concept in high rise plumbing and therefore requires a very different concept in its maintenance and cleaning.
Our System Solves Sovent Issues
We have designed a patented Sewer extraction system that thinks outside the box. By doing this we have solved the unique issues that a Sovent system brings to the table. In the following paragraphs we will explain some of these issues that come up with Sovent buildings, some of the tell tail signs that your system will show and clue you in that it needs to be looked at and what to watch out for when working with a Sovent system.
First, as stated above we have not found two Sovent systems that are exactly alike. This means that every building will react and require variations on how they are cleaned and maintained. This will require some research and testing to learn your exact system.
How long before a Sovent Building clogs?
The one constant that we have found is that in each Sovent building that we have worked on, the average time from installation of the system to when issues start to occur is the 8 to 12 year mark. This is when the tell tail signs start to occur. What needs to be paid attention to is what is called the “bubbling and gurgling” of the system. Most of the time it’s a call from a unit owner that states that they were sitting in their living room and all of a sudden they heard noises from there bathroom or kitchen. This is one signal that their lines are restricted and the system is looking for air. At this point cleaning of the system is required.
A Sovent stack is engineered to work as a complete system.
This means that in any given single stack, weather it is servicing a single bathroom group or multiple plumbing groups, the stack as a whole is designed as a complete system. All of the aerator and deaerator fittings work together for proper air flow and venting. If any portion of the system becomes compromised it can and will affect the entire system. For example on a 10 story building, taking the master bathroom Sovent stack with 9 aerator fittings and 1 deaerator fitting at the base and no offsets, if the 5th floor aerator fitting becomes restricted, it can cause a slowing of the waste in the horizontal lines, not only on the 5th floor but on any one or all of the other floors.
Any restriction in air flow and venting will cause the flow of waste in the horizontal lines to slow to a point that the solids within the liquids settle and begin to decay within those horizontal lines. This causes a sludge type material to build up in the aerator fitting and the horizontal lines that it services, which further restricts proper flow. Eventually this will cause a stoppage to occur. When using conventional cleaning methods like a power cable, we find that the viscosity of the sludge material does not allow it to be moved or removed from the pipe. The cable simply passes through the material and does not remove it properly. If by chance it does move the material, then what we have deemed as “Sludge Slippage” can occur. This is when a slug of this sludge material moves from one area to another. The movement of this material can cause additional stoppages down line and damage to other areas of the building, including exiting of the drainage system into a unit. This is one of the reasons that it is very important to REMOVE the buildup from the line and not just MOVE it to another area of the system. This is one of the key principals of our “Sewer Extraction System”.
Due to the fact that a restriction on any given portion of the Sovent stack can and will affect other areas of the stack, it is of the upmost importance that when an issue does occur that the entire stack be cleaned, not only what you think is the problem area. If the entire stack is not cleaned and maintained, the system will fill back up with sludge prematurely. Instead of being able to go 8 to 12 years between services, you may find that you are having issues again in 16 to 24 months. The system is designed as a whole and must be cleaned as a whole for proper function.
Another portion of the system that needs to be looked at is the deaerator fittings and the pressure relief lines that tie back into the main drain for the buildings. We have found that when the base of the stacks become restricted or filled with debris, the system will drain through the relief line and can cause this line to fill with debris as well. Now the deaerator cannot function as designed and can cause issues within the entire system as well. Again the proper air flow and venting is not being maintained. We have designed an early detection system for dealing with these pressure relief lines so that they can be easily checked. This is called the Vent inspection tube or V.I.T. This allows the property to detect if there is any flow of liquids or solids through the system were only air flow belongs.
So why do conventional cleaning equipment and methods fail to clean a Sovent stacks properly?
As explained above the horizontal lines become filled with a sludgy material that standard cables just push right through. Using other conventional methods can cause the sludge to move within the system and can move the problem and cause damage in other areas. Attempting to conventionally clean the vertical stack itself can bring its own challenges. Depending on the exact design of the system, number of offsets and number of aerator fittings will determine IF you are even able to get your equipment through the stack completely. In most cases you will at the very least need to open walls and ceilings in multiple places throughout the building in order to accomplish this. Most people do not want their building to resemble Swiss cheese. Also attempting to conventionally clean a Sovent stack without cleaning the horizontal offsets can cause the “Sludge Slippage” affect to occur and damage to be caused. Lastly, conventionally cleaning of the vertical stack will not completely clean the aerator fitting. If the complete cleaning of the entire system is not accomplished, you will continue to have premature build up and continual issues with the stack and horizontal lines.
Our patent pending “Sewer Extraction” system addresses all these issues and more.
Our methods and system are designed to minimize any opening of walls and ceilings. In many cases we do not have to penetrate any walls or ceilings. We utilize our extraction system and REMOVE the debris from the horizontal lines right from the bathroom or kitchen itself. All of our equipment is self-contained, eliminating any chance of accidental damage to the unit that we are working in. In many cases we are able to clean both the horizontal lines and the vertical stack itself at the same time. The use of our system and methods cleans the entire system including the slot vent in the Sovent aerator fitting which is “key” to putting the system back in proper working order. We will provide you with a video of your system before (to show what the issues are) and after (to show that we have done what we said we will do). We will then provide you with a game plan on how to maintain your system in the future and a time table for future maintenance of the system.
Daniel’s Plumbing Service has been developing this system for over 4 years. We have spent countless hours researching and testing our methods and equipment. By thinking outside the box, as the creators of Sovent have done, we have become experts on cleaning and maintaining Sovent Sewer Systems. We have worked with not only the Sovent Manufacturers but with the companies that install these systems to better understand what needs to be done and how to do it.
We have not only perfected our techniques for the Sovent buildings but have also found that some of the same principals can be used in some of the newer conventional high rise building. With some of the new designs and layouts being utilized today, more and more high rise buildings with conventional systems are being designed with multiple offsets that create havoc for conventional cleaning. We have found in these buildings our system thrives and does what others are not able to do. Again by REMOVING the issue and not MOVING it to another location.
If you are a building that has a Sovent Drainage System or a Conventional system that you are having a hard time maintaining. Give Daniel’s Plumbing Service a call and we would be happy to come and speak with you about your challenges. Chances are we will be able to tell you what you are experiencing and help you with your problem. We have utilized our methods and system on dozens of high rise buildings, as tall as 27 stories, and have not failed. We will video inspect every inch of these system and provided them with the video. We are currently servicing Sarasota and Manatee counties in Florida.
If you are a property outside our service area, we encourage you to speak with your current Plumbing Contractor and have them contact us. We are currently working on a way to license our system to Plumbing Contractors all over the country so that they are able to have the same success that we have had in cleaning these intricate Sovent buildings.
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PLEASE NOTE: All correspondence for scheduling our work or emergency instances must be taken by phone. Call 24/7: (941) 926-7272